Acrodermatitis Enteropathica
Sadie Marie Knight was born on November 21, 2006 in Mobile, Al. My husband and I were first time parents and just over the moon with excitement when Sadie was born. She was born two months premature and gave us quite a scare. From the moment she came into this world she proved to be such a brave little girl. In July 2007 at eight months old we started noticing a decline in her appetite. A mild rash soon followed. After the initial visit with our pediatrician we were told Sadie had eczema. This was something we could learn to deal with. Weeks later a rash began to overwhelm Sadie’s legs and diaper area. Her swelling became so severe she could not stand, walk or crawl. The swelling took over her entire body. Rapidly skin lesions formed in her groin area. The pain she had to experience was excruciating. After many more visits to her pediatricians we were certain this was not eczema after lesions appeared on her lips. Sadie was diagnosed with Acrodermatitis Enteropathica (Zinc Deficiency). This is a very rare disorder. Of course my husband and I only want the best for our daughter. We immediately began to research and see if any local doctors had experience treating this disorder. We were so fortunate to find Dr. Amy Theos in the Dermatology Department at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. From the moment of our initial appointment, on October 10, 2007, our experience with the Children’s Hospital and their staff was phenomenal. Sadie was admitted to Children’s Hospital on October 12, 2007 and her stay extended to Nov 1, 2007. During our twenty one day stay at Children’s Hospital Sadie got her first tooth and celebrated her first Halloween. The hospital threw a huge Halloween celebration. She participated in a costume contest and interacted with the entire staff which of course was all dressed in costumes. Also, I can’t even begin to count the hours my mom, husband and I spent pulling Sadie around in the decorated wagons provided by the hospital. The care our daughter received was extraordinary. Every single staff member we interacted with showed such compassion. It takes a very special person to deal with the pain they are faced with everyday. My family and I are so grateful to Children’s Hospital. Words can’t express our gratitude. THANK YOU CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL!!! Sadie is now almost three. She is a very spirited little girl who loves to hear stories especially about when she was a little baby. She will ask my husband and me to tell her about when she was a baby in Birmingham. We still look at pictures from this time in our lives to remind us of how blessed we truly are.
