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What are Hemangiomas, anyway? Good question. |
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Hemangiomas may be present at birth or shortly after. They are more prevalent in girls than boys. No one knows the answer to this puzzle nor do they know what causes them. |
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Hemangiomas are benign (not cancerous), but they can cause serious breathing, vision, and physical development problems. | |||
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If hemangiomas interfere with a child's air passage, as it has with our Miss Raeleigh, a tracheotomy is the only life-saving factor. | |||
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The hemangiomas reverse themselves and sometimes do so by age two, but in Raeleigh's case, hers are so massive (lots of tumors) that she has had to endure steroids and chemo to try and retard the growth. The tumors are hard and burning up with fever, but, as Raeleigh's grandma says, "They never keep her from smiling and manufacturing 'sugar' for kisses!" | |||