Dawn and Rob Rodriguez of Arlington, Texas, both knew from the beginning of their life together that they wanted to have at least two children. When Dawn became pregnant in 1995, her first two trimesters were uneventful. A sonogram during her last trimester indicated the fetus was small; Dawn was given additional sonograms and stress tests, but she didn't worry because she did not think that they were very accurate predictors of possible outcomes. When her doctor estimated that the fetus was slightly more than 4.5 lbs. and that the amount of amniotic fluid around the baby was low, the decision was made to induce labor. Camille (Cami) Rodriguez was born December 22nd, 1995, two and half weeks prior to Dawn's original due date. The couple rejoiced in the arrival of their daughter.
Six months later, Cami's pediatrician suggested a possible diagnosis of CdLS and recommended that the family see a geneticist for an evaluation. The geneticist provided the Rodriguez family with a working diagnosis of CdLS and directed them to the CdLS-USA Foundation. Dawn and Rob provided a medical history and photographs of Cami (then age 1) from which Dr. Jackson, Medical Director of the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Council, was able to confirm the diagnosis of CdLS.
"When we found out what Cami had (CdLS), we didn't consider not having more children. Rob and I questioned the possibility of recurrence although we were not really concerned about that. We wanted to have another child," Dawn shares. The couple consulted with Dr. Jackson at the CdLS International Conference in Minnesota in 1998. He reassured them that the ratio of recurrence within the same family is small and told them of the Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein - A (PAPP-A) test if Dawn were to conceive again.
The Rodriguez's did wait more than four years before adding to their family. "Maybe longer than we might have normally," Dawn admits, "We wanted to see how Cami was developing; to make sure that she was doing o.k. in terms of medical issues, determining if she would walk, doing all that we could to help her." When considering the possibility of adding another child to their lives, Dawn and Rob questioned if they would have the time and energy to deal with two small children and all of their respective needs. Rob and Dawn involved their extended family in the discussion of determining "when" and "if" to have another child. The family agreed with the couple's reasoning and supported their decision. Dawn's mom also attended the consultation with Dr. Jackson during the Minnesota conference and was able to have her questions answered regarding recurrence.
Dawn conceived again in the fall of 1999. Due to Cami's diagnosis, Dawn was considered "at risk" during this pregnancy. As a result, she sought a genetic counselor and obtained a level-2 sonogram. Dawn recognized the significance of the sonogram results the second time around. While Dawn did experience high blood pressure during this pregnancy, no problems were noted with the physical development of the fetus or the fluid levels. With Dr. Jackson's information, Dawn obtained the PAPP-A test through her local physician and the sample was sent to NDT Laboratories in New York. The test indicated that there was a decreased likelihood of the second child having CdLS. Dawn and Rob stated that they used these tools to keep a special eye on the baby; however, they did not alter their birth plan or seek additional services from the hospital. Hailey Rodriguez was born June 15th, 2000.
Dawn reports that Cami loves her little sister and is not upset about having to share space and attention. Dawn and Rob explained previously to Cami that there was to be a new baby in the house. Dawn showed Cami her growing stomach and Cami would laugh with joy and show her belly also. Reports from the family note that Cami's new favorite pastime is to get close to Hailey and just look at her. She "loves being a big sister," according to Rob and Dawn. Now that Hailey is here, she is helping Cami develop and vice versa. Hailey watches Cami's high energy and physical development and it "speeds her up a little." One problem is trying to wean Cami from bottle use when Hailey still drinks from one. Dawn notes that "it is hard to look down the road to see if problems will arise when Hailey can do things that Cami cannot."
After Hailey's birth, Rob and Dawn could see the benefits of having that extra time between children. They expressed that the needs of a new baby and a child with special needs are many and that it was good for Cami to have special attention a little longer than originally planned.
A special note of thanks to Dawn, Rob, Cami and Hailey Rodriguez for sharing their story.