A baby born with an adult-sized tongue can now show off her smile after undergoing life-changing sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ.
Paisley Morrison-Johnson, from Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA, was born with Bᴇᴄᴋᴡɪtʜ-Wᴇɪᴅᴇᴍᴀɴɴ sʏɴᴅʀᴏᴍᴇ (BWS), an overgrowth disorder that affects one in every 11,000 births worldwide.
Her enlarged tongue, which grew to twice the size of her mouth, obstructed Paisley’s breathing and meant she had to be fed with a nasogastric tube for the first few months of her life.
Paisley’s parents, Madison Kienow and Shannon Morrison-Johnson, explained that since the successful surgery, their little girl has smiled for the first time.
The baby, who is now 16 months old, had parts of her tongue cut away during the reduction sᴜʀɢᴇʀɪᴇs. Doctors are now hopeful Paisley won’t need any more sᴜʀɢᴇʀɪᴇs, Mail Online reports.
In a Facebook post on raising awareness about BWS, her mother posted: “Everything was perfect until 29 weeks when Paisley decided she wanted to join us in this world. “Lots of chaos, doctors, nurses, tears, fear, unknown things happening, and hearing the words your daughter will be flown to Sioux Falls without you due to her health. Not knowing any information just having faith that the staff will make sure I will be able to hold my princess for the first time soon.
“I will always have the picture of her being intubated, not hearing her cry, and just being scared for her. Everything happening so fast, and nobody knows exactly what is going on.”
She added: “Three weeks pass and Paisley is still laying in her omni bed. We finally get news that she has been positively diagnosed with Bᴇᴄᴋᴡɪtʜ-Wᴇɪᴅᴇᴍᴀɴɴ sʏɴᴅʀᴏᴍᴇ. It was all a fluke, but still, what in the world is happening to my innocent baby girl?!
“Try-monthly scans, blood draws, hourly sugar checks, oxygen, sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ after sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ, therapy and more therapy – my princess is still with us. Every day is a blessing to have her here with us enjoying life to its fullest.”
