NEWBORN CENTER
Riley
Diagnosed at birth,
transposition of the great arteries

Newborn center staff gives special care to Riley

Jay and Shaelyn were seasoned pros when they welcomed the birth of their new son, Riley. They had two children already – 4½-year-old Micheala and 2-year-old Jackson – so they knew what to expect in the delivery room.

What they did not expect was for their full-term, nearly 8-pound newborn to have a heart defect. Shortly after his birth, Riley’s body temperature remained unusually low, and nurses at the local hospital where Shaelyn delivered warned Riley might have an infection. A neonatologist at the hospital suspected a heart problem and told the Neals he was sending Riley to Texas Children’s.

Neonatologists at Texas Children’s Newborn Center diagnosed Riley with transposition of the great arteries, which occurs when the heart’s aorta and the pulmonary artery are reversed from their normal connections.

“We were told he would need to have surgery within five days to survive,” Shaelyn said. “Our primary concern when Riley was admitted to Texas Children’s was to find out what we were up against and then find a way to fix it. The doctors at Texas Children’s Newborn Center® were able to give us information quickly and in a way we could understand. They quickly explained how things would be handled and about the services of the hospital.

“I was still recovering in labor and delivery at another hospital, but I almost immediately received calls from Dr. Julie Vincent in Texas Children’s cardiology clinic and the wonderful lactation nurses at Texas Children’s milk bank who answered my questions and helped me understand what was going on.”

When Shaelyn finally was able to visit Riley in the newborn center, a whimsical sign greeted her at his bedside.

“The nurses made a name sign for Riley’s little bed and decorated it with lots of fun stickers,” Shaelyn said. “For some reason the name sign was really important to me, and I was so glad to see it on my first visit.”

Riley had open-heart surgery when he was three days old. He then remained in Texas Children’s pediatric intensive care unit for about a week before being discharged.

Months later, Riley is doing well, and his big brother and sister are showing him the ropes. When Shaelyn reflects on the experience, she remembers at first feeling helpless and confused, but found that Texas Children’s nurses and doctors made a difference.

“I honestly don’t think there are words to describe how wonderful the entire staff at Texas Children’s is,” she said. “Everyone treated my baby as though he were their own. Not only did they treat Riley well – they took care of all of us.”