Real news paper clipping picture is better
Oct 1999
October is National
Spina Bifida Awareness month.
The Country Gazzette
Real news paper clipping picture is better
Bellingham Boy Beats Odds
By Patricia A. Russell
CORRESPONDENT
BELLINGHAM- On Oct 30, little Andrew Callahan turns four. While there'll be the usual birthday celebration, Susete Callahan also will be celebrating all the milestones her son has achieved. "He is my little angel, and he is more than I ever expected. He makes me melt with each and every smile and kiss he gives me. And, by just looking at him, you would never guess that he has had a hard life thus far," said Callahan.
Born with the birth defect spina bifida, Andrew's spinal column was ex-posed at birth. His mother saw him for a brief few seconds before he was whisked away. At 18 hours old, Andrew had surgery to close his back. Susete and her husband, Patrick, learned of their son's condition before he was born. During the 16th week of her pregnancy, Susete had an AFP test which showed a high alpha fetoprotein level. A second procedure, an ultrasound, confirmed that the baby she was carrying had spina bifida. Children born with this birth defect have an 85 percent chance of having hydrocephalus, as well. The Callahan's baby also had hydrocephalus (water on the brain) which required surgery when he was three weeks old to put a shunt in his head. "I never cried so much," said Callahan, remembering her initial response upon learning her baby had a birth defect. An amniocentesis performed two weeks later showed the baby had normal chromosomes and would be able to function mentally. The Callahans also learned their baby's sex. "Shortly after that, we picked out the name Andrew, so we could start calling him by name," said Callahan.
The options given to the Callahans by doctors, though, offered little hope. They were told their unborn son might never walk and would have no control over his bowels and bladder and could have learning problems because of the hydrocephalus. They were advised to go to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston where they again got the same diagnosis. One doctor told the Callahans they were still young and should end the pregnancy and start over. "Start over? Who was this doctor kidding?" asked a shocked Susete. She asked the doctor that if he were in a car accident and needed to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life would his mother stop loving him or having anything to do with him? "Finding out about our child's birth defect was the hardest thing we ever had to deal with," acknowledged the 32-year-old Bellingham resident.
The couple decided to proceed with the pregnancy when they learned their son's mental capacities would be normal. "I figured I could deal with him (Andrew) in a wheelchair, if that were the case," said Callahan. But Andrew beat the odds. He's never been in a wheelchair; though he has used a walker. While he learned to walk later than most toddlers, Andrew now walks - a little more slowly than other 4-year-olds - with the help of short leg braces.
Three days a week, the youngster with big brown eyes and a ready smile attends a preschool in town. When the yellow bus stops at the end of his driveway, he climbs the steps and takes his seat. "I like blocks," said Andrew, who gets along well with other children. An outgoing, friendly and happy youngster, he loves to play with other children his age, said his mother. His favorite TV show is Blue's Clues. At home, he gets into things like most children his age. "He tests the limits," said Callahan. There are house rules, too. His father makes sure he puts all his toys away at the end of the day. When his mother went upstairs, Andrew asked: "Me come, too?" Because his ankles are a little weak, Andrew, who is a little smaller than most children his age, crawls the stairs to his second-floor bedroom. There, he's surrounded by Sesame Street characters that decorate the walls. When the lights are turned off, glow-in-the-dark stars shine from the ceiling. The pedals of a child-sized car have been adapted to the youngster's feet so he can pedal. "Andrew is doing great," said Susete, who has to catheterize her son every three hours to drain his bladder. Since he has feeling in that area, she is hopeful that when he's older, he'll be able to tell when his bladder is full and might learn to empty his bladder without the catheter. He's also had three other surgeries for things unrelated to his birth defect. "(Andrew) is a lot of work, but I'm sure just as any other child would be," said Susete. "I have my sad days," she acknowledged, but quickly adds that she feels "lucky" that her son has made as much progress as he has. She and her husband are planning to give Andrew a little brother or sister.
When Callahan first learned about her son's birth defect, she found a lot of medical information on the Internet about spina bifida, but there was nothing personal about the children who have the birth defect or about how their families coped. So, Susete started her own web site. She wanted others who might find themselves in the same situation to be able to know about all the things children with spina bifida can do. She also hopes to educate the public about the condition. "When I first heard the words, I had no idea what spina bifida was," said Callahan, adding that October is National Spina Bifida Awareness month.
This is what I submitted into The Country Gazzette
October is Spina
Bifida Awareness Month
By Patricia A. Russell
CORRESPONDENT
S
pina bifida is the most frequently occurring, permanently disabling birth defect affecting about 1 out of 1,000 newborns in the United Stares. Spina bifida is one of the three types of neural tube defects (the others are encephalocele, and anencephaly) that involve incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord and/or protective coverings for these organs. Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect and one of the most devastating of all birth defects. It results from the failure of the spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy. In severe cases, the spinal cord protrudes through the back and may be covered by skin or a thin membrane. Surgery to close a newborn's back is generally performed within 25 hours after birth to minimize the risk of infection and to preserve existing function of the spinal cord. Because of the paralysis resulting from damage to the spinal cord, people born with spina bifida may need surgeries and other extensive medical care. The condition can also cause bowel and bladder complications. A large percentage of children born with spina bifida also have hydrocephalus, the accumulation of fluid in the brain. Hydrocephalus is controlled by a surgical procedure called "shunting" which relieves the fluid build up in the brain. Most children born today with spina bifida live well into adulthood as a result of today's sophisticated medical techniques.For more information write or call:
The Spina Bifida Association of America,
4590 MacArthur Blvd. NW,
Suite 250 Washington, DC 20007
or 1-800-621-3141Reach Susete Callahan's Spina Bifida Home page (a local family's journey) at: www.the-callahans.com/susete
