What began as concern over birthmarks on her newborn’s back unfolded into a journey of unexpected medical challenges for one mother online.
In a TikTok video, mother Mackenzie Dodd summed up the whiplash of noticing something minor about her newborn baby, only to discover a shocking diagnosis. Dodd, 31, told Newsweek about her daughter’s medical trajectory, and how she has had to adjust from typical parenthood to being a “medical mom”—that is, having a child with one or more medical complexities.
“I wonder why she has so many birthmarks on her back,” Dodd captioned the video of her newborn. “Spinal cord injury … Little did we know.”
What initially appeared to be a cluster of birthmarks on her newborn’s back was, in fact, a critical indicator of a significant spinal cord injury, launching Dodd and her family into the complex world of pediatric disability.
Dodd recounted the earliest moments of her unease when her husband noted the birthmarks.
“As soon as my husband glanced at me, I felt a pit in my stomach,” she said. “He asked the nurses, and they assured us it seemed to only be birthmarks.” Despite the initial reassurances, though, their gut feeling persisted.
The gravity of the situation became clear as they prepared for discharge from the hospital.
“We were getting ready to get discharged when the lead peds [doctor] decided she needed an ultrasound, which confirmed something wasn’t ‘right,'” Dodd said.
“We then were told she needed to be transported to a bigger hospital an hour away. They did an emergency MRI and a neurosurgeon came in and told us the news. She was 1 day old when she got her diagnosis.”
The diagnosis revealed that her daughter had a spinal-cord injury. She suffered from Tethered Cord Syndrome, a neurological disorder where the spinal cord is abnormally attached to surrounding tissue. She also had Caudal Regression Syndrome, involving the abnormal development of the lower spine and spinal cord. This meant a future far different from what Dodd and her husband had imagined for their newborn.
‘She Is Thriving’
This unexpected journey profoundly reshaped Dodd’s perspective on motherhood and health-care advocacy.
“This journey has changed my perspective on motherhood completely,” she said. “I have two older children that are neurotypical and never needed a doctor other than for checkups. It’s given me a glimpse of the disability world—and being able to advocate, educate and push for inclusion has been so close to my heart ever since.”
Dodd’s experience has fueled a deep commitment: “I urge any and every parent to advocate for their child’s health,” she added.
Now 3 years old, Dodd’s daughter continues to navigate her complex medical needs, yet thrives against the odds.
“We are still learning all about her disability, and her future is still fuzzy, but she is thriving and doing so much better than doctors said,” Dodd said. The family’s life is marked by frequent medical appointments, sometimes over three per week.
Despite the constant medical oversight, Dodd said that her daughter is, at her core, a typical toddler.
“She is still a 3-year-old learning about the world, and it’s so beautiful to see the relationship she has with her brothers, and seeing them protect and nurture that side of her as well,” she said. This sibling bond is a highlight amid the challenges.
Dodd documents her journey on TikTok as a “medical mom” sharing the importance of parental intuition and persistence in advocating for a child’s health.
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