Double Aortic Arch

Whiz Kid

Whiz Kid: Emily Rawlinson

Whiz Kid's age: 18 months

Whiz Kid's accomplishments: Emily Rawlinson’s parents truly treasure every moment with their little angel. Like many first time parents, they dote on their daughter’s every word and act. While every parent treasures their little miracle, Emily, age 18 months from East Hampton, is a true miracle.

Emily was born 10 weeks prematurely. From birth she has defied the odds. Born at only 3 pounds, this little beauty has been a fighter from the start. At 2 weeks of age, the left side of Emily’s brain developed hydrocephalus and she was subsequently diagnosed with a bilateral intraventricular hemorrhage. Eighty-five percent of children who receive this diagnosis require a permanent shunt to help relieve a build-up of spinal fluid. Thankfully, Emily will never need this! Two weeks after her birth, specialists at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center placed a special type of catheter called a McComb Reservoir in her head to help relieve spinal fluid swelling and allow the ventricles in her brain to return to a normal size. The McComb Reservoir was only used three times to relieve pressure and after several scans by neurosurgeons showed that her brain had stabilized, the reservoir was removed on July 26, 2011.

Unfortunately, this is not the only battle that Emily has had to take on.  At age 8 months, she was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called a double aortic arch. With this condition, a vascular ring traps the trachea and esophagus. Fortunately, Emily underwent a successful surgery to correct this and is currently doing well.

Emily is a little fighter! As her mom Alison describes, “She is resilient and outgoing with a feisty personality,” and she is always positive.  Even at her young age, she seems to approach every challenge in her short life with an attitude of perseverance! With Birth-to-Three services, daycare, love and support from family and friends, Emily has repeatedly made or exceeded developmental milestones. Like every mother, Alison only wants the best for her daughter.

She says, “I want her to grow up and make good progress in her development. And no more surgeries! I’m proud of her because she has handled everything she has been through with such strength and she never complains when she is not feeling well.” 

To those who know this family, it is safe to say that Emily has gained her strength from her parents who have also been pretty light on the complaining and pretty strong in handling every obstacle thrown their way.

Learning Pediatrics: Vascular ring and Double aortic arch

Vascular ring is a malformation of the aortic arch that results in vascular branches or major blood vessels encircling the trachea and esophagus. In the double aortic arch (one of the most common vascular ring malformation patterns)It is most often due to persistence of the double aortic arch "right-sided aortic arch is present" after the second month of fetal life.

MRI of Cardiovascular Malformations

Human malformations and related anomalies

Radiological Imaging of the Neonatal Chest

Fundamentals of Pediatric Surgery

The aortic arch and its malformations, with emphasis on the angiographic features