A boy of two is being treated for fully developed genitals, pubic hair and painful erections due to an extreme case of 'precocious puberty'.

Arsh Akhtar, from Delhi, northern India, suffers from the rare condition which means he reached sexual maturity at the age of just 18 months.

Although he began showing signs of early puberty when he was just six months old, his father Waseem Akhtar, 32, and mother Shabnam Parveen, 23, ignored the symptoms assuming he was just a big boy.

'He was growing unnaturally,' his mother Shabnam told MailOnline.

Suffering: At the age of 18 months, Arsh was suffering from mood swings and painful erections and his grandmother suggested to his parents that they take him to see a doctor

Unusual: The parents of toddler Arsh Akhtar, from Delhi, were stunned when he started showing signs of puberty - growing facial and body hair and experiencing 'sexual urges' - aged just 18 months. He is pictured here, with his father Waseem, at the age of just two

Growing: As first-time parents, Waseem and his wife Shabnam didn't realise there was anything wrong with their son and assumed he was just growing very fast. He is pictured (left and right) at four months old

'At the age of four months old he looked like a child aged one and by the time he turned one he looked like his three-year-old cousin.

'We thought he was growing faster than other children. But our worries increased when we noticed his pubic hair and genitals growing unnaturally after around 18 months.

'Arsh is our first child so we didn't have a lot of knowledge but my mother-in-law, who has raised several children, suggested we consult a doctor.'

We thought he was growing faster than other children. But our worries increased when we noticed his pubic hair. Mother Shabnam Parveen, 23

By the time his parents took him to a doctor, Arsh had already started getting facial and body hair, showing violent and aggressive behaviour, was experiencing 'sexual urges' and was suffering from painful erections.

Waseem, an internet café owner who earns app£100 a month, said he approached several government hospitals for a consultation but no one could help.

Eventually they made an appointment with the private Max Hospitals, in Delhi, even though the fees were outside their budget.

He even applied for an insurance policy to get his son treated but it was rejected.

'We had no option, I had to find the money to get him treated at a private hospital,' he said.

'My son's condition was getting serious and I had to show him to a good doctor. The government hospitals did not entertain our case. I had no choice but dig into my family's savings.'

Rare: He was diagnosed by specialists at Max Hospital in Delhi as having 'precocious puberty', a condition that affects only one in every 100,000 people. Pictured, Arsh at six months old (left) and four months old (right)

Cure: Arsh's doctor said it was lucky his parents brought him to the hospital when they did, as if he had not been treated before the age of five his condition may have stunted his growth at around 3ft tall

Dr Vaishakhi Rustagi, 35, a paediatric endocrinologist and hormone specialist at Max Hospital, said: 'He had extremely high testosterone levels when he visited me six months ago. They were as high as a 25-year-old man.

'It's very unfortunate that this has happened to him at such a young age. He could not understand what was happening, and consequently he turned violent and aggressive.'

After conducting the necessary tests, Dr Rustagi started his treatment last November, with hormonal blocking agents in the form injections.

It's very unfortunate that this has happened to him at such a young age. He could not understand what was happening, and consequently he turned violent and aggressive. Dr Vaishakhi Rustagi, paediatrician

Arsh was initially given the injections monthly, but is now down to once every three months.

'We thought this condition could be a result of a tumour but his tests for that were negative,' continued Dr Rustagi.

'So this is an extremely rare case and the child has suffered a hormonal disorder without any particular reason.

'I have personally not seen any case like this before. The brain activities in these cases start almost a decade earlier than usual and it activates the master gland of our body that controls our organs.

'It calls for immediate treatment. If it's not treated quickly it leads to other issues like painful erections, trauma for the child and family, then rejection by peers, behavioral changes and psychological issues.'

The doctor added that if the child had not been treated before the age of five, his condition may have stunted his growth and he may have never grown to more than 3ft tall.

Arsh has shown a speedy recovery over the last six months and his genitals have now shrunk in size.

Dr Rustagi added that his erection issues have also been resolved but the doctors have suggested his treatment continue until he reaches at least 11 years old.

'He is still on hormone therapy. We can only control his testosterone and the moment we stop the problem will return,' added Dr Rustagi.

'So ideally we need to continue with his treatment until he reaches the real age of puberty.'

The doctor said the condition is extremely rare, with only one person in 100,000 affected - however this increases to two people in 100,000 in boys aged eight to 10.

Cure: Thanks to hormone injections, Arsh (left and right) has already shown a speedy recovery over the past six months, and his genitals have shrunk in size

Treatment: Arsh's doctor Vaishakhi Rustagi says he will need to continue his treatment until the age of at least 11, when he 'reaches the real age of puberty'

Waseem is still worried about the costs of his son's treatment as his monthly income does not even cover the cost of one injection.

He said: 'I have been using my savings for his treatment. One injection costs me Rs 11,000 (£110), which is actually more than I earn in a month.