Patient Stories
Meet Martha: “Doctor, My Neck is OK!”
When Martha Haythorn, 9, first saw Pediatric Neurosurgeon David Wrubel, M.D., at the weekly Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Neuro Spine Care for Kids program last December, she immediately turned her neck from side-to-side, then up and down, and said “Doctor, my neck is OK!” In reality, Martha’s spine was not OK. She was easily exhausted and experienced episodes of incontinence.
While living in Nebraska, several medical practitioners, as well as Martha’s family, missed her subtle, spine-related symptoms. Martha has Down syndrome—a condition requiring regular orthopaedic care—and it was clear she needed an orthopaedic care specialist.
In January 2008 Martha’s father, Trace, changed jobs and relocated the family from Nebraska to Atlanta, where Martha was evaluated by Robert Bruce, M.D., Children’s Orthopaedic Surgeon. Dr. Bruce ordered an X-ray for Martha that detected a more serious problem, prompting an immediate referral to see Dr. Wrubel. Martha had a rare neurological spine disorder called os odontium and a compressed spinal cord, which would require surgery.
Martha’s mother, Mary, said, “When you sit in a pediatric neurosurgeon’s office with your child, you know there is a very serious medical issue requiring careful attention. It can be quite scary. Fortunately, Dr. Wrubel spent extra time with us to ensure we had a complete understanding of Martha’s condition, then we all worked together to decide on the best medical plan to pursue for her.”
Dr. Wrubel performed Martha’s surgery at Children’s at Egleston, and it was a success. She is recovering well and feeling much better.
Today, Martha is enjoying third grade, where she loves playing on the playground. She also enjoys reading, music, Girl Scouts, playing with friends and her brother Jacob and singing in her church choir. According to Mary, Dr. Wrubel has inspired Martha to pursue a career as a pediatric neurosurgeon.