Separated by the glass barrier of the neonatal incubator, Aisha Atkinson watched over her newborn son, Aries, longing to hold him, to touch him, to love him. Entangled by tubes and wires, he fought for his life while an orchestra of machines whirred in the background.
“You’re going hear a lot of difficult things, baby, but just keep fighting so you can make it home to us,” Aisha recalls telling him. “I was saying this to him, but in a way, I was also saying it to myself.”
Born at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital on November 11, 2017, at 23 weeks gestation, Aries weighed just one pound, 11 ounces—small enough to fit into the palm of a hand. During birth, he suffered two massive brain bleeds, leading to the development of hydrocephalus, a dangerous buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. The damage to his brain also caused him to develop cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects mobility and posture. Additionally, Aries may face seizures and neurological issues throughout his life.
For the first 150 days after his birth, Aisha could only visit him in the protective environment of the neonatal intensive care unit, where health care providers worked tirelessly to preserve his brain and help him build vitality. Throughout the ordeal, Aisha credits Aries’ pediatric neurosurgeon from McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, Manish N. Shah, MD, with calming her fears and standing by her family every step of the way.
她说：“从我们了解到白羊座威胁生命的脑出血的那一刻起，沙阿博士带领我们完成了一些我们有史以来最艰难的决定。”“我不明白发生了什么，我不知道会发生什么，但是Shah博士解释了每个细节，并指导我们完成了所有程序。他以对待自己的孩子的方式对待白羊座。”
During Aries’ time in the neonatal intensive care unit, Shah performed three surgeries to help drain the life-threatening buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the newborn’s brain. With Shah’s help, Aries began defying the overwhelming odds stacked against him at birth, growing healthier and stronger by the day.
From patient to pioneer
Aries may have started life as a patient, but in January 2018, he became a pioneer as the first child to test a groundbreaking wearable brain imaging device that Shah’s team is developing. Called Cap-based Transcranial Optical Tomography (CTOT), it is the world’s first high-resolution, whole-brain functional imaging device that does not require the baby to be put under anesthesia.
Shah解释说：“使用MRI或PET的传统脑部扫描要求医生将幼儿置于麻醉下，这可以打开他们的主要风险，例如肺炎，吸入，声带损伤和脑部损伤。”“ CTOT本质上是我们在孩子被照顾者抱住时戴在孩子头上的一顶帽子。它使用无害的夜视镜技术，近红外光和高分辨率检测器来绘制大脑，从而使我们能够确定哪些部分无法正常运行。”
除了提供更安全的方式来对幼儿的大脑进行想象，CTOT还将帮助医生及早诊断脑疾病，并选择对每位患者更有效的治疗方法。
Aisha说：“这项审判是Aries将为自己的余生而感到自豪。”“他的韧性已经吸引了很多人，通过CTOT，他将向无数其他面临类似障碍的儿童和家庭带来希望。”
A million-dollar smile
在2018年4月从新生儿重症监护病房毕业后，白羊座开始超越所有期望。他继续通过身体，职业和言语疗法的努力工作，继续达到新的里程碑，包括在协助下采取措施。2020年8月，他第一次加入了日托，立即成为教室的明星。
“He always has this million-dollar smile that tells the world he’s not worried about what he’s facing, he’s just living life to the fullest,” says Aisha. “Every day, he teaches everyone around him the true meaning of resilience.”
白羊座的诞生可能被不确定性打断了，但他的生活是由爱与毅力定义的。
“Some of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in motherhood are to love your children for who they are and be grateful for the good in life,” says Aisha. “If Aries didn’t have Dr. Shah as his neurosurgeon, I wouldn’t have this beautiful and happy little boy.”
Lead the way for better surgical care for children
The early years of life can be some of the most joyous and delicate. Every little touch, word, and decision can contribute to a child’s development in a big way. At the Department of Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School, surgical experts like Shah account for the smallest details to help children lead fulfilling lives. Our faculty educate the next generation of pediatric surgeons, conduct research to improve outcomes for our youngest patients, and provide compassionate surgical care at UT Physicians clinics and affiliated hospitals.
Through theMany Faces. One Mission.fundraising campaign, we are enhancing these capabilities to make a lasting difference in the lives of children like Aries and their families. We invite you to join this campaign bymaking a giftto the Department of Pediatric Surgery. Your generosity can expand educational programs and provide aid to students and trainees, advance innovative research projects like CTOT, and support initiatives that make surgical care more accessible for families in our community.
Visitgo.uth.edu/pedisurgery向儿科手术部送礼物，以帮助为儿童创造出色的外科手术结果。
