Even before he was born into the world, Jaxon Buell was not expected to survive.
Doctors spotted a condition called anencephaly during one of his mother’s ultra sounds; the condition is the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp that occurs during embryonic development.
In fact the doctors advised that Brittany Buell get an abortion because Jaxon would die anyway.
Thankfully, she and her husband Brandon refused; the proud parents recently celebrated Jaxon’s second birthday.
Photo credit: Brittany Buell Facebook
“Two years ago today, Jaxon Emmett Buell was born and our lives changed forever,” the Buells wrote in an emotional Facebook post. “Although many gave up on him too soon and others told us we would not see this day, today we are celebrating Jaxon’s 2nd birthday!”
In a Metro article, Brandon revealed that raising their son is an everyday struggle.
“He still has his struggles where he throws up, he still has several seizures several times a day, he’s still on the smaller side at 13 pounds but he’s certainly developing,” he said.
Brandon also praised his wife, saying that Jaxon wouldn’t be where he is now if it weren’t for his mother.
Photo credit: Brittany Buell Facebook
“She’s been amazing. She has so much love and patience in working with him on a daily basis.
“That’s truly one of the reasons why he is the way that he is because of the one on one interaction that she gives him as his mother. It’s made such a big difference in his life.
“I don’t know if he would still be with us and certainly he would not be doing the things that he’s doing without her loving and nurturing as his mother.”
Find out more about anencephaly on the next page!
What is anencephaly?
Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Anencephaly is a type of neural tube defect (NTD). Neural tube helps form the baby’s brain and skull (upper part of the neural tube), spinal cord, and back bones (lower part of the neural tube).
“Anencephaly happens if the upper part of the neural tube does not close all the way,” CDC says. “This often results in a baby being born without the front part of the brain (forebrain) and the thinking and coordinating part of the brain (cerebrum).
“The remaining parts of the brain are often not covered by bone or skin.”
Anencephaly can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after the baby is born.
READ: Baby born with brain damage possibly due to Zika virus
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