To the outside world, Baxter Scully looks a serious little boy, but it is not only his tender years that are stopping him from telling people how he is really feeling.
For the boy who cannot smile, misunderstanding is a danger every day, even for his own mother.
Baxter, of Cambewarra, was born with a mask-like face as a result of moebius syndrome - abnormally developed cranial nerves.
A clear-cut diagnosis has been difficult for Baxter's parents to come by because, unlike other children with moebius syndrome, he has none of the other telltale signs such as hand and feet abnormalities, respiratory problems and weak upper body strength.
His mother Leigh Scully is grateful her son's condition is confined to what doctors call bilateral facial paralysis, but she hopes scientists may one day unlock enough of the secrets of the human body to make Baxter's condition history.
On Jeans for Genes Day, yesterday, it was a denim-only affair at the Scully household.
"Developmentally Dexter's been doing all his milestones, but even when he's laughing - he might be chuckling away at something - you wouldn't know," Mrs Scully said.
"His face would just go bright red and his jaw would drop but there was no change in facial expression.
"If Baxter goes on to have children, it could happen to his children.
"The more research the better."
Baxter's condition has left him with virtually no movement in his face, which means he also cannot cry, a heartbreaking discovery made by Mrs Scully during a visit to McDonald's when Baxter was a one-year-old.
"I was having coffee with friends and he was in the play section," she said.
"He looked at me and his little face was getting redder and redder.
"But I had no idea he was crying because I couldn't hear him."
When Baxter turns seven he will be old enough to undergo an operation to reduce the effects of the condition.
The operation involves removing muscle from the thigh and attaching it to the chewing mechanism and under the ear so a smile can be formed by clenching the teeth.
The procedure is now being performed in Canada at a cost of about $75,000 for each side of the face.
It may be worth the cost, Mrs Scully said.
"If we feel his life is being disadvantaged by it at any point we would definitely do it," she said.
"I'd hate him to be teased. We live in a small community, which is lovely.
"His friends know that's how he is. But I guess when he moves to high school he might not want to stand out.
"I would hate him to think there was something we could have done and we didn't."