Pediatric care for twins

Any parent can tell you it’s a frightening thing when your kids are ill, and you don’t know why. When Courtney, mother of twin girls Lucy and Veronica noticed that Lucy was not having her normal bowel movement after being born prematurely, little did she know that her family would be a “frequent flyer” at Headwaters Health Care Centre for many ensuing paediatric complications.

Arriving through the Emergency Department, Lucy was assessed by chief pediatrician Dr. Woolnough and referred to the Hospital for Sick Children for a biopsy and colonoscopy. Lucy was diagnosed with a severe dairy allergy.

Six months later, Veronica’s eye started to swell, especially when the infant cried. “We were already patients of Dr. Woolnough so I called her and said there’s something wrong with her eye,” explains Courtney. Dr. Woolnough arranged for Veronica to be seen at Sick Kids, where an MRI confirmed Veronica had a hemangioma growing nearby her eye. “Dr. Woolnough fought for us to get an assessment when we know it’s hard to get an appointment for a situation that needs more investigation,” says Courtney.

Due to the proximity close to her optic nerve, the treatment for hemangioma involves taking medication to cause the mass to gradually disappear. However, Veronica’s blood pressure and heart needed to be monitored closely while on the medication, and the dose required frequent adjustments as the little girl was growing. Thankfully after weekly check-ups with Dr. Woolnough at the Pediatric Urgent Care Clinic in Orangeville, the hemangioma shrunk and Veronica no longer needed medication.

At 18 months, Veronica returned to Headwaters once again, but this time to the Emergency Department for a persistent fever. After having blood work done, Headwaters paediatrician Dr. Mac Farland was called when the results showed extremely high levels of Veronica's inflammatory markers. Dr. Mac Farland was concerned that Veronica's colour was grey and her hand was becoming increasingly swollen. “Dr. Mac Farland came straight out and was honest with us,” recalls Courtney. “He said he wasn’t sure what this is, but it looked very serious, and he was going to call Sick Kids.”

After being treated with antibiotics at Headwaters, Veronica was taken by ambulance to Sick Kids where they diagnosed her with Invasive Group A Strep disease and performed emergency surgery immediately. “We were told if she hadn't had the surgery promptly, she might have lost her limb or life,” said Courtney. “I thought my daughter was going to die … we have been through so much with our twins,” said Courtney.

“Dr. Mac Farland saved my daughter’s life,” says Courtney. “I was so thankful that he had the urgency and insight to find out ASAP what needed to happen for Veronica. If we didn’t have Dr. Woolnough and the pediatric team at Headwaters, I don’t know what we would do. I have full trust of my daughters’ lives in their hands. Doctors can be busy, but we never felt rushed or dismissed. We’re pretty new to Orangeville and having Headwaters nearby for check-ups and emergencies makes a huge difference.”

Most recently in January, after days of fighting a fever, Lucy woke up with a swollen face, ear, cheek, and neck along the side of her head.  Courtney and her husband rushed her to the Emergency Department where Dr. Mac Farland examined her with a swab to test for viruses and an ultrasound, as well as calling Sick Kids. Lucy was diagnosed with a rare infection in the parotid gland in her face, which is a rare side effect to the flu. After being admitted and treated at Headwaters, she recovered and is now well. 

However, Lucy was seen by Dr. Woolnough in the outpatient Paediatric Urgent Care Clinic and because of Lucy’s recurrent illnesses and treatments, Dr. Woolnough recommended testing her adrenal hormones. As a result, Lucy was found to have adrenal insufficiency.  She sees Dr. Woolnough and a paediatric endocrinology specialist to manage this new diagnosis.

“Once again, this was something that could have gone sideways so quickly. But we have full trust in our paediatric team at Headwaters,” recalls Courtney. “We are very blessed to have such amazing doctors so close to home.”

Courtney remains optimistic that the girls will outgrow many of their health issues and continue to live normal healthy lives.

Photo caption: Lucy and Veronica (left to right)