Rare Birthmark in the Throat Nearly Kills Newborn Baby When She Started Wheezing

rare birthmark Rare Birthmark in the Throat high-pitched wheezing hemangioma benign vascular tumor Laryngomalacia

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald May 30, 08:25 am

Photo: (Photo : JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

A newborn baby nearly died after developing a rare birthmark inside her throat that led to her high-pitched wheezing. The parents of Mia Rogers were told to prepare for the worst when they discovered what was in her throat.

Doctors discovered that she had a rare subglottic hemangioma that formed after she was born. Mia, then five weeks old, had been in and out of the hospital because of her wheezing. The worst of her medical episode had her on a ventilator when the medicines given to her were no longer working.

While hemangioma is usually a benign vascular tumor, the birthmark was getting in the way of her breathing. So, the doctors advised her parents that emergency surgery would be the only solution. Mom Sophie Collins said via Mirror that the birthmark's growth left a tiny hole inside Mia's throat, and she would stop breathing before long if it won't be fixed.

Doctor Thought it Was Laryngomalacia

Initially, doctors thought Mia had laryngomalacia, a common condition in infants with soft tissues. Laryngomalacia can lead to noisy breathing in babies because they have a floppy or malformed laryngeal structure. However, this condition doesn't impede the children's capacity to eat or develop. Mia was given steroids to help with her issues.

However, she was back at the hospital after a few weeks. Doctors had to do a two-hour op to determine what was ailing her. They changed medications when they discovered the rare birthmark inside her throat. However, they also warned her parents to prepare for the worst.

By August, Mia was back at the hospital for doctors to cut a large part of the hemangioma. While Collins said the whole process was excruciating for the family, her baby thrived after the procedure's success.

Mia is now over a year old and hasn't had any worrying incidents. According to the National Children's Organization, most hemangioma shrinks and disappears without needing treatment. However, some birthmarks require topical medication, oral treatments, or emergency procedures, depending on the growth.

In some cases, the hemangioma could develop pus, redness, and some pain. It is unknown what causes the growth, but hemangioma growth is sometimes common among family members.

Baby's Hemangioma Became Infected

In Texas, a baby became the youngest person in the U.S. to get cochlear implants after he developed a rare birthmark at two months old. Maddox Burgess developed hemangioma on his backside that became infected over time.

Mom Jessica Evans told NBC DFW that they were unsure how the birthmark got infected, but it put the baby's life at risk. His infection developed into meningitis, which is why Maddox had the surgery. Meningitis affected his sense of hearing; thus, he needed cochlear implants.

With the help of The Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation, the family was able to receive financial and medical assistance. Dr. Ricardo Cristobal, a specialist at the Texas Ear Clinic, did the surgery on the baby.

Now, Maddox is thriving as a deaf baby. His implants will eventually allow him to learn how to process sounds and speech; for now, he's learning sign language.