From time to time medical science gets stumped. This is one of those times.
It was some kind of miracle that baby Bentley Yoder is alive. He was born with his brain actually outside his skull.
An ultrasound had alerted the family of his condition, and it was advised that an abortion would be best.
It was a rare neural tube defect known as encephalocele. This birth defect is where the brain herniates from the skull. The bones then fail to properly form around it. After the baby would be born, he simply would not live much longer, and if by chance he did, there would be no cognitive function at all.
The parents were stunned and shocked at the news. Nevertheless, Sierra and Dustin Yoder decided to proceed with the pregnancy. Even if just for an hour or two, they wanted to hold their baby.
A few months later Sierra give birth and 36 hours later, the baby was still alive. They actually got to bring him home, but he was often sick and had to be brought back to the hospital. He was on a ventilator for a respiratory virus, but he actually recovered and began thriving.
Bentley hospitalized with a virus.
Now the doctors were already shocked, but it didnt end there. The boy was using his brain as it was encased in a sac type membrane which protruded from his head. Everyone was even more shocked when Bentley turned seven months and was a very cheerful child!
He looked especially cute as hair began growing around the brain sac.
Bentley, the happy baby.
Nevertheless, a lot of health issues were still expected. The Boston Childrens Hospital performed a procedure in order to expand the boys cranium. The hope was that his brain would be able to slip back into his head.
Bentley post-op.
It would be a month after surgery and Bentley could actually hold his head up. The boy ate a lot and the parents said he was back to being his usual self, smiling big and happy.
Bentley back to his cheerful self
Doctors are now forecasting a hopeful future for Bentley!
Check out the wonderful story of Bentley:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIjbu6vMOTI]