Pediatric Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery

Pediatric hand experts restore the use of a young athlete's hand

In April 2010, Dayton, then age 13, was seriously injured when he was accidentally shot in the left arm by a 12-gauge shotgun.

David achieves his college football dreams thanks to a pediatric hand surgeon at Children's Health

David started playing football in the fourth grade. In high school, he was the team's starting running back, and like many football players, he had grown accustomed to the physicality and intensity the game is known for – especially in Texas. So when he started to feel pain in his left hand after a home game in September 2017, the high school senior didn't think much of it.

Hand surgery gives Aleah a new grasp on life

In December 2010, 4-year-old Aleah and her family were visiting her grandparents in Washington for the holidays when she started to feel sick. Aleah was lethargic, but her parents, Renee and Nathan, assumed she was just worn out from all the travel and festivities. But the next day, December 23rd, Aleah began having difficulties walking and was losing control of her other extremities.

A patient born with a genetic condition receives comprehensive, collaborative care at Children's Health

On August 22, 2014, Cason was born in Greenville, Texas. His mom, Carla, quickly sensed something was wrong.

A competitive barrel racer succeeds after pediatric hand surgery at Children's Health

Shylynne, known as "Shy" to her friends and family, has loved horses for as long as she can remember. She got her first horse, Shirley, to ride around in her backyard when she was just 4 years old. Around the time she turned 6, she discovered her passion: competitive barrel racing. This rodeo event for women times a rider while she completes a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, showcasing the athleticism and skill of both the horse and the rider.

22q doesn’t diminish Molly's joy

Before starting kindergarten in August 2018, Molly spent the summer traveling with her family, swimming, spending time in the country with her grandparents and playing dress-up with her big sister. She loves her big sister, ice cream and dogs. Seeing her, you would never guess that her earliest days were spent at Children's Medical Center Dallas.

Baby Emily thrives after skull surgery and helmet therapy

For Lauren, mother's intuition set in the moment she laid eyes on her newborn, a baby girl named Emily.

An infant born with a cleft lip and palate receives expert care at Children's Health

When Courtney was just 27 weeks pregnant, she and her husband learned that their unborn daughter, Corlee, had a cleft lip during a 3D ultrasound.

Miette overcomes tendinitis to make beautiful music

Music has been a part of Miette's life for as long as she can remember. Whether she is singing, dancing or playing an instrument, something comes alive in her when she performs. So when the 13-year-old's wrist started hurting, her family acted quickly to find experts who could help her heal and continue to play.

Repairing a floating thumb gives a toddler the ability to clap, color and grasp

When Maria was pregnant, her obstetrician informed her there was a high chance that her child would be born with Down syndrome. Maria and her husband did their best to plan for whatever unique challenges they might face after delivery, but there was no way they could have prepared themselves for the surprise they received when their daughter, Camila, was born. Contrary to her doctor's prediction, Camila did not have Down syndrome, but Maria knew from her first look at her daughter, that something was wrong with her hand.

A newborn's timely diagnosis results in life-changing craniofacial surgery

Eli likes arts and crafts, coloring and dinosaurs. He is also a fan of football and baseball and hopes to join a team and wear a sports helmet when he's a little older. Looking at this happy, healthy boy, you would never guess that he wore a therapeutic helmet after craniofacial surgery when he was just a baby.

Compassionate care for craniosynostosis

Brett, a Texas A&M graduate and mechanical engineer, and Claire, a British expat practicing law in the U.S., met in Dallas on Valentine's Day weekend. They fell in love, married and started living their dream with a house, one beautiful daughter named Lydia and another on the way. Baby Ava arrived one day early. In the whirlwind of it all, Claire remembers noticing that Ava's head looked elongated, but the medical staff thought it was normal.

A second chance for a baby from Haiti

In 2011, Valerie held a 4-month-old baby covered in tubes and wires in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), hoping she could be the mom to the little boy who desperately needed a caregiver.

Facing the future

Liliana, or "Lilly" as she is often called, is happiest performing on the stage. The 13-year-old dreams of someday being a professional singer, but a couple years ago she wondered if that would be possible.

Girl with rare condition thrives despite many obstacles

Bridget is happiest putting smiles on people's faces. Despite the many obstacles she has overcome, the 10-year-old thinks of others before herself. "Helping people has always been a dream of mine," Bridget says.

Rebecca's story

By the time she was 9 years old, Rebecca had already undergone eight surgeries to correct her cleft lip, a congenital craniofacial deformity affecting approximately one in 700 newborns in the U.S. Now, by the age of 17, she's had three additional surgeries, with one final procedure scheduled this December. She's faced challenges – physically and emotionally – that no child should have to bear. Through it all, however, if there’s one word to describe her, it's strong.

Stephanie's story

Stephanie loves dancing. But after joining the dance team at her high school and wearing ponytails on a regular basis, all Stephanie could think about during performances was whether people noticed her ears.

A world of difference

Juan is a playful toddler who loves the outdoors and all kinds of food, especially fruit and spaghetti. But feeding him has not always been easy for his mom, Claudia.

Mending the tiniest of faces

Manuel remembers the moment he realized that his baby girl born with a cleft lip and palate would be okay. "As soon as we met her surgeon, we knew she was in the best hands possible," Manuel says. James Seaward, M.D., plastic and craniofacial surgeon at Children’s Health and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery at UT Southwestern, met Manuel and his wife, Belinda, after an ultrasound revealed the cleft lip and palate. Their baby, Wendy, would need surgery to repair it.