Arkansas TV News Station KTBS 3 - "Infant battles rare birth defect"

http://www.ktbs.com/news/infant-battles-rare-birth-defect/

Infant battles rare birth defect Play Video

By Chrissi Coile, KTBS 3 Health Reporter

Posted: Mar 29, 2010 9:15 PM
Updated: Mar 29, 2010 10:54 PM

 

Shelly and Kevin Poston have spent the past 6 months at Arkansas Childrens Hospital waiting to take their son Micah home.

He was born with a rare birth defect called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia or CDH. It occurs in about 1 in every 2,500 births. The diaphragm is formed in the first trimester of pregnancy and controls the lungs' ability to inhale and exhale. CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to form or to close totally and an opening allows abdominal organs into the chest cavity. This inhibits lung growth.

When Micha was born his lungs weren't developed so he had to be put on a machine to help him survive. Shelley says, "his heart was pushed to the right everything that was supposed to be in order was transverse and sideways."

At only 6 1/2 months old little Micah has already been through 5 surgeries.

The Poston's thought Micah was getting better until two weeks ago, they got a call from the hospital saying Micah had to go back on the ventilator to breathe.

Less than a week later Micah was taken off the ventilator and started eating through a tube.
The Poston's faith helps get them through these difficult times. Resting assured he'll be home soon.

Micah's having another surgery next week. He'll have a feeding tube put into his stomach.
The family hopes to bring him home soon afterwards.
To learn more about CDH click here.