The Real Stories
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Little Dezhia

Little Dezhia

Kidz Kare received a call to start nurse visits after little Dezhia was 4 months old. At that time she had only gained 4 oz since birth.

Dezhia had been born with Down’s syndrome and would require heart surgery in the future once she was strong enough.

On her first visit, the nurses fell in love with this quiet, happy little sweetheart. It was hard to believe that she was four months old and only 7lbs. Our goal was to get her to 10 lbs before her heart surgery.

We visited her and her mom and brother at their home, teaching mom the importance of scheduled feedings, increasing the calories in each feeding, proper positioning for the feedings to stay down and also meeting developmental milestones.

Over the months we monitored Dezhia, we provided formula at times, supplyed a chair so she could sit up for the first time, provided food for the family and pictures for her mom to put on the wall. Our nurses felt that we could help both the family and the baby when they needed it.

Finally in March, She travelled to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and had her heart repaired. Her mom was at her side from dawn to dusk and the Kidz Kare nurses travelled to the hospital to visit our little girl. She smiled so brightly. She made it through the surgery without a single complication and returned to Richmond within a week.

Dezhia is now doing great but Kidz Kare continues to monitor her to help her family maintain her weight and remain on target in meeting her developmental milestones.