Julie Hambleton

Julie Hambleton

October 13, 2024

‘Kids at school started saying my eight-year-old daughter looked pregnant’

Every parent wishes for their children to be vibrant and joyful. Yet, facing a health crisis with a child is a nightmare no parent wants to encounter. This was the unfortunate reality for one Australian family when their daughter, Jada, was teased at school for looking pregnant. This was the start of a journey no family should have to face.

‘You Look Pregnant’

Leah and her husband Victor thought their family was complete with three children when they unexpectedly welcomed Jada four years later. Unlike her older siblings, who were very active, Jada was usually tired, lacked strength, and was smaller in size. Her parents initially thought this was just her way of keeping up with the older children.

“Looking back when she started swimming lessons, she’d turn blue and feel the cold really quickly… and right from preschool she also had extreme separation anxiety, she was very clingy,” Leah recounted.

Image Credit: Supplied via Kidsspot

At age eight, Jada’s abdomen noticeably swelled, a change her peers quickly commented on, accusing her of appearing pregnant. This prompted Leah and Victor to seek a medical evaluation through an ultrasound.

Bad News

The ultrasound revealed a condition far more severe than the family expected. This revelation turned out to be life-altering news for them.

We took her for an ultrasound and the man who did it… well, his face went white. He referred us back to her doctor who said all her organs were enlarged, and we were sent to emergency. We were there all weekend.”

Diuretics helped Jada shed five kilograms of excess fluid, a precarious process requiring close monitoring due to risks of cardiac complications. On Monday, doctors finally named Jada’s rare condition: restrictive cardiomyopathy, necessitating a heart transplant with urgency.

Image Credit: Supplied via Kidsspot

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

Restrictive cardiomyopathy describes changes in the heart that impair its normal functions, often affecting its ability to fill with or pump blood efficiently. The ailment is rare with potential impacts on other organs, including the liver and lungs.

Although the precise causes remain unclear, several factors might contribute, and symptoms generally align with those of heart failure, gradually intensifying over time:

          •        Cough

          •        Breathing problems

          •        Fatigue

          •        Loss of appetite

          •        Swelling in the abdomen

          •        Swelling of feet and ankles

          •        Irregular or rapid heartbeat

          •        Chest pain

          •        Inability to concentrate

          •        Reduced urination

          •        Increased nighttime urination in adults

If you suspect heart issues, it is crucial to consult your doctor promptly.

Jada’s Story

Due to her critical status, Jada received a heart transplant within months. Although a few post-operation hiccups extended her hospital stay, including a minor infection, the surgery was ultimately successful.

In the following years, Jada regularly underwent medical evaluations, including annual heart tests, which for the first time showed no signs of rejection. Despite the challenges for Jada and her family, today they cherish having a healthy and content daughter.

“I have learned to release expectations. When our children are born, we anticipate university, marriage, travel… with Jada, I’m grateful she can attend school, order a milkshake, do daily tasks. Jada is now healthy and strong – we feel so blessed,” Leah expressed.

Sources

  1. ‘Kids at school started saying my eight-year-old daughter looked pregnant’.” Kid Spot. Carrol Baker. July 6, 2022.
  2. Restrictive cardiomyopathy.” Medline Plus