2012 Family Advocacy Day All-stars

Meet Mia P., Bayville, NJ

Mia was a happy, apparently healthy baby girl. However, as she reached toddlerhood, Mia’s family noticed that her language skills weren’t developing normally. She was also more active than either of her siblings and she seemed to constantly crave pressure on her body. She often jumped and bounced, creating pressure against her feet. She also climbed walls, creating pressure against her hands. This climbing earned her the nickname “spider baby” from her brother and sister. Mia also seemed hypersensitive to fabrics; getting her dressed was a challenge. Since Mia’s family had had two extremely positive experiences with Children’s Specialized Hospital, they decided to take her for evaluation. At 2 years old, Mia was diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder,neurological disorder causing difficulties with taking in, processing, and responding to sensory information about the environment and from within her own body. The diagnosis caused Mia’s parents concern, but expert care has helped set them at ease. Mia has developed rapidly since beginning her therapy. She is a very intelligent and resourceful girl who is now functioning in a regular classroom.

Meet Chloe M., West Jacksonville, FL

When Chloe was born, she was rushed to the intensive care unit for tests because the doctors could tell something was amiss. Chloe was diagnosed with persistent truncus arteriousus, a rare congenital heart defect where the arteriousus blood vessel never properly divides into the pulmonary artery and the aorta, preventing normal blood flow through the heart. The condition can cause heart failure, among other problems, so Chloe was sent to the neonatal ICU at Wolfson Children’s Hospital where open heart surgery successfully corrected the defect. Shortly after surgery, Chloe was also diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome, a congenital disease with symptoms including heart defects and a weakened immune system. Chloe will require additional open heart surgeries in the future, but for now she grows bigger and stronger every day. Chloe’s family is grateful for the expert care provided at Wolfson Children’s Hospital that's made it possible for Chloe to be a happy, smiling child who loves to color pictures and play outside with her brother and two dogs.