THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 7, 1996 TAG: 9606060177
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 92 lines
Isabelle Martin weighed only 2 pounds, 14 ounces at birth almost two years ago.
Born three months too early to Kathy Martin, the tiny infant had to reside in an incubator in Virginia Beach General Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for seven and a half weeks.
But today you would hardly recognize Isabelle, now a rambunctious tow-headed toddler who keeps her parents on their toes. Kathy Martin smiled when she recalled those shaky early days.
``She's doing remarkably well,'' said Martin, who has three other children with husband, Trent. ``She was only in the hospital one time for a respiratory virus when she was 5 months old. She's doing fine.''
The Martin family was enjoying cake, goodies and punch with more than 100 other parents and their premature offspring Saturday at Virginia Beach General Hospital's second biannual Neonatal Intensive Care Unit reunion.
These were the babies who, just a generation ago, would not have survived. Dr. Steven Warsof, perinatologist, said that one of President John F. Kennedy's children had been born premature in 1962 and weighed 5 1/2 pounds. He did not live, even with the expert medical care given to him.
``Almost every one of these babies here weighed less than 5 pounds,'' said Warsof with a wry smile. ``The advancements in perinatal medicine are available to everyone today.''
Warsof, medical director of the hospital's Tidewater Perinatal Center, surveyed the stimulating scene before him: Energetic toddlers and chubby babies screamed with delight as they took turns rolling around the gym mats spread on the floor. The Health Education Center looked more like a day care center on this day, with children kicking oversized beach balls and shaking hands with clowns. You couldn't really tell who had been born premature and who had not.
``It's a beautiful sight, isn't it? It's great to see how well they're doing,'' Warsof said.
The infant unit opened in October 1992 and averages 225 to 250 babies in critical care or acute care a year.
Jordan Whitesidewas one of the unofficial stars of the reunion. Born Oct. 6, 1995, at 26 weeks gestation, she weighed only 1 pound, 12 ounces. Her twin, Jasmine, did not survive, said mom Andrea. Jordan, adorable in a white dress and matching headband, went willingly into anyone's arms.
The unit's manager, Paige Crunk, held the placid Jordan as she greeted former patients.
``Isn't she just beautiful?'' Crunk asked visitors. ``We put on these reunions for selfish reasons - we want to see the babies come back. It's very gratifying.
``These babies are in the hospital for months,'' she added. ``The parents become friends with the nurses and with each other. They even have their own support group.''
Many preemies are developmentally and physically delayed, but some progress at amazing rates. Take Ross Robbins. The 13-month-old was born at 32 weeks, weighing a little over 4 pounds. Now, the robust baby tips the scales at 27 pounds. Mom Beth Robbins smiled and shook her head while watching Ross zip across the room.
``No one can get over that he was premature,'' said Robbins. ``Even the pediatrician can't believe how big he is.''
Preterm babies come in all sizes, but still need special care because of their early arrival.
For example, there's Erin Kannard's daughter, Sarah, 1. Although Sarah weighed 9 pounds, 1 1/2 ounces at birth, she was still premature, being born one month early due to mom's diabetes. She stayed in the neonatal unit for 10 days. Sarah weighs in at a robust 32 pounds now.
``I don't know where she gets it, either,'' said a laughing Kannard, smiling at Sarah who was trying to do somersaults on the mat.
Dr. Robert Balcom is the unit's medical director and Dr. Art Payne a neonatologist in the unit.
Payne was trying to calm a fussy Anna Wexel, who had weighed 3 pounds, 9 ounces when she was born on July 17 last year. He rocked her, cooed at her and held the baby close as he talked with mom, Brenda Wexel. Payne himself had been born weighing just 3 pounds, 11 ounces in 1963.
``When you look around here, it makes you realize how lucky you are when a pregnancy goes well,'' he said, tears welling up in his eyes. ``And what a miracle it is. It makes me happy to see so many healthy babies.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Colleen Ladrido, 1, gets into the party spirit with her father,
Ernie, during the ``preemies'' reunion. Colleen was born after 31
weeks at 3.2 pounds.
Trent Martin plays with his daughter, Isabelle, at the reunion for
prematurely born babies held at Virginia Beach General Hospital.
Photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Isabelle, now 2 years old, weighed only 2 pounds, 14 ounces when she
arrived nine weeks early. The picture at right was taken in August
of 1994. by CNB