Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Baby Born With Brain Outside Skull Had Little Chance Of Survival -- But No One Told Him That
Right on schedule, Sierra Yoder went into labor. It was Halloween night, and she was wearing an orange T-shirt with a pumpkin covering her belly. It was embellished with her new son鈥檚 name and his expected birth date: 鈥淏entley. Due 10/31/15.鈥 Yoder and her husband, Dustin Yoder, hopped into the car and headed for the hospital 鈥 but without any bottles, without any diapers, without a car seat in which to bring their newborn home. They had packed one onesie 鈥 light blue with stars 鈥 and matching pants and warm, fuzzy socks. The couple expected to bury their son in it very soon. (Bever, 6/20)
Doctors told Dustin and Sierra Yoder that their son, Bentley, would be 鈥溾榠ncompatible with life.鈥 He was born with a rare condition called encephalocele, which caused his skull to form incorrectly, forcing part of his brain to grow up and out of his skull. The Yoders expected to bury tiny Bentley shortly after his birth; he was given little chance of survival. (Caren, 6/20)