text: A mother whose son suffers an incredibly rare disease, which makes his skin appear scalded, was shocked after a stranger reported her to police for child abuse. Four-year-old RJ Jackson is one of just 70 people in the world who suffers Netherton's syndrome. His skin appears red and inflamed, and is often covered in dry skin that appears like scales on his body. His mother Valerie Jackson has to regularly cover him in creams to try and prevent his skin drying out. But while out shopping recently, Mrs Jackson was suddenly surrounded by armed police, who had been called by a member of the public. Valerie Jackson, pictured left with her son RJ when he was three months old, was accused of scalding her son after a member of the public mistook his rare skin disease for the signs of abuse. RJ, pictured recently right, suffers Netherton's syndrome, an incredibly rare illness which causes his skin to appear red and scaly . As soon as RJ was born, Mrs Jackson, from Las Vegas, knew there was something wrong with her son, after noticing a red rash spreading across his tiny chest . They reported fears Mrs Jackson had been abusing RJ. 'It just shows the extent of people's ignorance,' Mrs Jackson, from Las Vegas, said. The 35-year-old said she is also subjected to taunts in the street, with other mother's accusing her of burning RJ. 'His skin is bright red and shiny,' Mrs Jackson added. 'I put Vaseline all over him two to three times a day to keep his skin subtle but he is still sore. 'When he was younger he had to have it over his body every few hours – even in the night. 'We haven't known sleep for about five years.' The mother-of-four said her young son is also targeted by bullies - many cruel taunts being made by adults. 'One woman came up to me and thought he was badly burnt,' she said. 'She said sharply to me, "Excuse me, your child has caught the sun". 'I couldn't believe it. But we're used to the staring and ignorant comments. 'I think he is the most beautiful boy in the world. 'He's got a cheeky smile and an adorable giggle.' She said RJ has been treated like an outcast because of his illness, a rare congenital skin disease, which makes skin red and scaly. Mrs Jackson and her husband, Reginald, 40, have to regularly cover RJ's body with creams to  ease his painful symptoms. But she said, both she and her son face cruel taunts from bullies, most of whom are adults . While out shopping with RJ, Mrs Jackson, pictured left with her son in hospital, was suddenly surrounded by armed police. A member of the pubic had called officers reporting the 35-year-old for child abuse . 'It just shows the extent of people's ignorance,' Mrs Jackson said. She said her son has been treated as an outcast, having been denied entry to play centres and facing cruel jibes from people in the street . 'We were denied entry to an indoor playhouse because of his skin,' she said. 'We've had the police called for child abuse. 'We were in Walmart in Las Vegas putting his creams on when we were surrounded by five armed police. Netherton's syndrome is a rare congenital skin disease - a more extreme form of ichthyosis. Sufferers' skin appears red and scaly and can also experience hair, infection and allergy problems. Because red skin can be attributed to several diseases, the condition may not be accurately diagnosed until later in a child's life. Most children with the disease appeared 'scalded' at birth and are slow to gain weight. Their skin quickly loses heat, water and protein and babies are often kept in incubators on special care baby units as a result. They are more at risk of infection because of their inflammed skin. Parents are advised to reguarly cleanse and moisturiser their child'skin, while taking care when holding them. There is no cure for the condition, but in most infants, the symptoms improve with time. As they get older, a child's skin may remain red and scaly, and their skin may be itchy, sensitive or raw, sometimes appearing thicker at the joints. The condition appears out of the blue where there has been no family history. But, it is thought to be genetic, and parents can carry the faulty gene responsible. Source: Ichthyosis Support Group . 'Their guns weren't drawn. The officer asked what was going on. I explained and he apologised. 'But it just shows the extent of people's ignorance.' Mrs Jackson, who is married to RJ's father Reginald, 40, said their son was diagnosed when he was a baby. 'After an emergency caesarean, I knew something wasn't right,' she said. 'As RJ was lifted up and I saw him for the first time, I noticed an angry rash on his chest. 'He was rushed to intensive care where the rash seemed to spread before our eyes, his skin becoming even redder and cracking.' She said her first thought was he was being burnt by the incubator light. 'But he wasn't,' she said. 'No one had any idea what was wrong with him. 'When doctors told me I could take him home two weeks later, I burst into tears. 'I didn't think he was well enough to leave hospital. His skin was crusty and starting to fall off. 'Back home, as he cried and screamed, I felt helpless, and wished there was something I could do. 'He'd scratch at his skin until it bled, so I put socks on his hands to stop him. 'I searched the internet for answers but I couldn't find anything.' She eventually stumbled upon a Facebook group called Netherton's Syndrome Research Group. It had been set up by a couple in the UK whose child,Jack Oldacres has the condition. 'Each symptom was exactly like RJ's,' Mrs Jackson said. 'People from all over the world were sharing stories, swapping tips to help one another. 'I knew this was what he had. I found out Netherton's was a rare strain of the skin condition ichthyosis, affecting one in 200,000 births in the UK. Mrs Jackson was desperate to discover what was wrong with RJ, centre on his sister's lap, and so turned to the internet. There, she found a Facebook group set up by the parents of a little boy with the disease. 'Each symptom was exactly like RJ's,' she said. 'I knew this was what he had' 'Reginald and I started slathering RJ's skin in Vaseline every three hours, like people on the group suggested. 'We bathed him just twice a week because the hard water dried out his skin too much. 'Each time I'd sit with him in the bath and painstakingly remove all the dead skin.' But, she said, people are still critical of her. 'I'm happy to explain what Netherton's is, but most people jump to conclusions before I get the chance,' she said. 'His brother and sisters are great with him, always helping out and standing up for him. 'Just like any other little boy, he loves throwing around a ball and is usually bubbly and happy, until his skin starts to hurt. 'Right now, RJ is too young to know that people make nasty comments, but I hope as he grows, his condition will be better known. 'It doesn't matter how red his skin is, all I see is a beautiful little boy.'
target: RJ Jackson is one of around 70 sufferers of Netherton's syndrome .
  Four-year-old's skin appears red and scaly, and can be itchy and painful .
  Mother Valerie Jackson is regularly accused of 'scalding or burning' him .
  Says RJ faces cruel taunts from bullies - most of whom are ignorant adults .