Another case that I found very interesting was the patient that required Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) in order to help with the function of her lungs and heart. Naudia explained to me that there has to be ECMO specialists that work with patients on ECMO because it requires close monitoring since one slip up with the device could be detrimental to the patient's health. According to Dell's Children Medical Center of Central Texas, "The goal of ECMO is to insure that your child’s body has enough oxygen by taking over the workload of reversible heart and/or lung disorders. ECMO will not heal your child’s heart or the lungs, but it will allow time for them to rest and recover." ECMO is used in infants who are sick due to breathing or heart problems, and this system provides heart-lung bypass support outside of the baby's body. Additionally, the treatment uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung back into the bloodstream of the very ill baby.
Lastly, William's Syndrome was a syndrome that I found very intriguing as the characteristics associated with it are quite distinct and fascinating to learn about. One of the most interesting characteristics associated with William's Syndrome is the commonality of the facial appearance individuals with this syndrome share. According to the William's Syndrome Association, "These features include a small upturned nose, long philtrum (upper lip length), wide mouth, full lips, small chin, and puffiness around the eyes. Blue and green-eyed children with Williams syndrome can have a prominent "starburst" or white lacy pattern on their iris. Facial features become more apparent with age." It is also interesting to note that overly friendly or excessively social personality is another characteristic associated with this syndrome. Individuals are extremely polite and have expressive language skills, and they are typically unafraid of strangers and show an interest in contact with adults. William's Syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide, and about 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States have WS. Lastly, other medical problems associated with WS include cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning disabilites.
Sources:
-http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hydrocephalus/basics/definition/con-20030706
-http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hydrocephalus/basics/treatment/con-20030706
-https://www.dellchildrens.net/services-and-programs/ecmo/what-is-ecmo/
-https://williams-syndrome.org/what-is-williams-syndrome