Beckwith Wiedemann Syndrome: Baby With Adult-Sized Tongue Can Finally Smile

After a life-changing surgery, a baby with adult-sized tongue can finally smile like a normal child. During the first week of her life, using breathing apparatus was crucial to stop her from choking to death. She was born with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS), a condition that affects one out of 11,000 to 14,000 births worldwide.

According to Mirror, Little Paisley Morrison-Johnson had her tongue growing back even after a surgery that sliced parts of it. It grew more than twice her mouth's size; hence it hung out.

The baby with adult-sized tongue even surprised the doctors who said it was among the largest tongues they have seen. Mail Online reported that having Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome required Little Paisley to be fed through a tube in her stomach. Eating was a struggle for her and she was not getting the vital nutrients that would keep her alive. She used the gastronomy tube until she was six months old.

Little Paisley's mother narrated that her tongue filled up her entire mouth and was constantly sticking out. The baby was likewise chewing on it for it took so much space in her mouth. Additionally, the extremely large size of her tongue made the doctors worry that it might affect her airways and lead to suffocation. For this, Little Paisley was incubated on a ventilator during the first three days of her life and was likewise given nasal oxygen. She started breathing on her own when she was a week old.

Little Paisley's parents hoped her mouth would grow to give more space for her overgrown tongue. However, it did not happen. Finally, she underwent her second tongue reduction. After having more than six inches of muscle removed, her tongue went completely into her mouth and she can now smile for the first time.

As of writing, Little Paisley is no longer the baby with adult-sized tongue. Basing on the aforementioned details, Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome is indeed a rare disorder and is not easy to treat. For parents, it pays to educate themselves about the condition.