Taking on the world: Lonnie Lu ’s experience with laryngeal cleft

Lonnie Lu and her mom at Boston Children’s Center for Airway Disorders. Not every little girl gets a visit from a Disney princess on her birthday, but Lonnie Lu received just such a surprise when Princess Elena stopped by her party last month. Her admiration may go beyond a love of colorful dresses. Minus one evil sorceress and an enchanted kingdom, the character’s tale of strength and resilience might as well be Lonnie Lu’s story, too. A mother’s intuition Now age 4, Lonnie Lu came into her parents Patti and Ricardo’s lives at 7 months old, when the couple decided to foster her and her older sister, Maya. “It was clear right away that something was wrong,” remembers Patti. “She was throwing up many times a day.” Meanwhile, the little girl had trouble eating — and trips to the beach were challenging because she would swallow and then aspirate water when she paddled in the ocean. Yet multiple visits to specialists near their home in Florida failed to identify the problem. Frustrated, Patti did what most modern parents do: She looked for answers online. There, she found some clues to her daughter’s condition. “Based on what I read, I asked Lonnie Lu’s ear, nose and throat specialist if he thought she might have a laryngeal cleft,” she says. Sure enough, an endoscopic procedure confirmed her suspicion. Care and support But the family’s journey was just beginning. After surgeons in Florida were unable to successfully repair the cleft, Patti retu...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Center for Airway Disorders Dr. Reza Rahbar laryngeal cleft Source Type: news