A baby born with a permanent smile is causing quite a stir on TikTok, where her parents have created videos to raise awareness about bilateral macrostomia.
Ayla Summer Mucha, the daughter of Cristina Vercher and Blaize Mucha, apparently developed bilateral macrostomia while she was still inside her mother's womb. However, her parents had no idea their daughter would have a permanent smile because Cristina's tests and ultrasound did not indicate this ultra-rare condition.
Cristina had a natural birth with Ayla in December 2021, and she saw, for the first time, that the corners of her baby's mouth were not fused. Doctors told her that Ayla's mouth did not form the normal way while she was pregnant, per Daily Mail.
Rare Condition Document Just 14 Cases Globally
There are only 14 individuals around the world with bilateral macrostomia, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine. Bilateral macrostomia is so rare that Ayla is the first baby with a permanent smile whom doctors at the Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia saw up close and personal.
Cristina said it took several hours for the doctors to validate and determine some answers about Ayla's condition because there was insufficient data and information available. They also took a genetic test to confirm the cosmetic abnormality to devise a medical solution.
Ayla's permanent smile may have affected her ability to suck and latch when she needs to breastfeed or bottle-feed. Thus, the parents were advised to consider surgery for their daughter.
Doctors will still determine the specifications needed to close Alya's mouth with little scarring. On the other hand, the parents are worried about additional challenges to their baby's development post-surgery.
To help them deal with this medical dilemma, the parents created a TikTok account to raise awareness and find more answers about bilateral macrostomia. Cristina has over 134,000 followers, and her videos about her daughter have drawn millions of views.
@cristinakylievercher Living for these moments. #trending #viral #fyp #hitthisup #cute #baby ♬ Accidentally in Love - KiD RAiN
The family has received a lot of love and support for their efforts to raise awareness, but they have also read unkind and disrespectful comments about their baby's appearance. Despite this, Cristina said she would not stop sharing their experiences or documenting special memories of their baby with a permanent smile, which she can watch when she's big enough in the coming years.
Lucia, a Baby With a Permanent Smile
In 2012, mom Rebecca Hitchen from Leeds in the U.K. gave birth to Lucia, who had Goldenhar Syndrome and bilateral macrostomia. She relayed to the British Psychological Society that, as with Cristina, there were also no indications of her baby's physical deformities on the ultrasound during her pregnancy.
She had questions about why her daughter's condition was not detected during her prenatal tests. She also wanted to learn about the causation, if it was her age, diet, or habits that may have led to the condition.
Since 2019, Lucia has had two operations on her face to correct her permanent smile, and her mother said her development had exceeded all expectations. The child is growing up as an outgoing, confident girl who excels in school.
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