. >> reporter: savannah falkerson was 4 years old living in california when her mom noticed something strange. >> we'd be outside and she'd start screaming. we'd be at the pool and she's skrem she's burning, she wants to go i'd be like we just got here what is the problem? i hurt i burn i burn i want to go in i can't take it! >> i would really itch a lot. and it would turn my hands and feet really red. like if i scratched too much it would like blister kind of. then scar. >> reporter: andrea would put savannah's hands in bags of ice, or a cuttino mobley bathtub. nothing would help. >> i've taken her to the doctor when she's been crying what's wrong with her? they just tell me she as eczema. i'm going, you crew like that from eczema. >> reporter: for five years they had no answers. until they met dr. mineli lu at children's hospital, los angeles. >> in savannah's case we can see that she has developed red welts on her hand as well as her fingers. >> reporter: and this along with her young age, made dr. lu suspect savannah had arythropoietic porphyria. it was featured on "house." >> loo