Millions of strangers are smiling because of a baby born with a unique syndrome that makes her appear to have a perpetual smile in Australia.
In December 2021, Ayla Summer Mucha was born with bilateral macrostomia, a condition in which the corners of the mouth do not fuse together during pregnancy.
The illness has only been recorded in 14 cases around the world.
Parents Cristina Vercher, 21, and her husband Blaize Mucha, 20, are currently discussing surgery to correct her broad smile because she may be unable to latch or breastfeed.
Cristina Vercher, 21, and Blaize Mucha, 20, gave birth to the now-viral baby girl in December 2021. The physicians informed the young couple that Ayla had developed this illness while still in the pregnancy, which came as a major surprise to them.
Surprisingly, ultrasound tests performed before to Vercher’s caesarean delivery revealed nothing concerning Ayla’s uncommon illness.
Ayla’s parents wanted to have surgery done so that the physicians could correct their daughter’s broad smile. While the ‘permanent smile’ appears cute in photos, it poses various issues since it prevents Ayla from latching or sucking.
According to the New York Post, a 2007 study published in the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal found just 14 occurrences of the illness. The disease is so uncommon that the hospital where Ayla was treated was the first to see one.
Ayla’s parents experienced numerous challenges during therapy due to the condition’s rarity. Vercher told the New York Post that since the hospital saw the first such case, the situation had become even more concerning because it took several hours for a doctor to respond.
“This created further challenges, as the hospital lacked information and assistance for such an uncommon disease. As a mother, all I could think about was where I went wrong, especially because I had been so meticulous throughout my pregnancy,” Vercher explained.
What does it mean to have ‘Bilateral Macrostomia’?
Ayla has a disorder called’macrostomia,’ which is a rare ailment. It is a physical anomaly that causes the affected persons’ faces to develop clefts. These clefts are most typically found on the patient’s right cheek. Males are more likely to develop the disorder.
According to Wikipedia, it is an extremely rare condition that affects only one in every 1,50,000 to 3,00,000 live births on an average.
