Mile 91

Shortly after birth, during his discharge check-up, baby Waylon turned blue and stopped breathing, prompting immediate intervention and a transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Waylon stayed in the NICU at Thibodaux Regional Hospital for a week, where nurses stimulated his breathing by patting his back and providing oxygen support. Despite periods of stability, he experienced another episode during a second discharge attempt. This led to his transfer to a higher level NICU at Manning Family Children’s  for monitoring and specialized care.

While treating Waylon’s bradycardia episodes, doctors at Manning Family Children’s conducted extensive tests, including MRIs, EKGs, and EEGs. When he was about a week and a half old, an MRI revealed a minor brain bleed, prompting further investigation. Doctors later explained to Annelise that the bleed may have been caused by birth trauma. In addition, Waylon was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect—a small hole between the upper chambers of his heart—that required ongoing monitoring. His fibrinogen levels, a protein essential for blood clotting, were also low at birth. However, after receiving an infusion, his levels not only normalized but spiked higher than usual, leading doctors to suspect the initial reading may have been inaccurate.

Over the next two weeks, Waylon’s bradycardia episodes became less frequent as he matured. Doctors attributed the episodes to silent reflux, where he would choke on reflux without showing obvious signs. It was determined that his bradycardia episodes were reflux related. He didn’t know whether to spit it up or swallow it, and in that confusion, he would choke. When that happened, he wasn’t breathing, which caused his heart rate and oxygen levels to drop. Fortunately, as Waylon grew, his reflux improved, and he no longer experienced bradycardia episodes.

Today, he is a thriving, laid-back, and cuddly baby who loves to smile and giggle, and he continues to see specialists at Manning Family Children’s for follow-up care.