Ellie is Ready to Take on the World

In January 2017, Ellie came to the RCH Emergency room as a week-old infant with feeding and breathing difficulties. It resulted in a month-long stay on the NICU Butterfly ward, where she was diagnosed with Pierre Robin sequence, or PRS, which is a condition where babies are born with a small lower jaw, have difficulties breathing (airway obstruction), and often (but not always) have a cleft of the palate (an opening in the roof of the mouth). The breathing problems start either from or shortly after birth and are often also associated with feeding difficulties and problems gaining weight.


Ellie came home once doctors were happy with her weight gain and her ability to feed although she came home with an NG tube until the amazing speech pathologist recommended a bottle that Ellie was able to drink out of, meaning the NG tube finally came out after 3 months.


Ellie has attended and still attends many outpatient clinics since being discharged. At 19 months old Ellie was admitted to have her cleft palate repaired by David Chong.


Ellie is now a thriving four-year-old, sassy, confident, and ready to take on the world.