Hi, I know the title sounds a bit so let me explain.
My Niece (aged 28) lives in Spain and had her first baby (a little girl) in early August. During one of her scans the doctors thought the baby might possibly have Downs Syndrome. Not exactly sure why, but they obviously picked something up. Niece went for further testing, sorry, with the distance and not terribly regular contact, I'm not sure what tests she had, although I think it was a blood test. I'm pretty sure she didn't have a CVS and almost certain it wasnt an amnio. Anyway, she was eventually told that the baby was okay.
My Mum lives in Spain most of the year and has recently returned there after being here since the end of June, so has now seen the baby for the first time. Mum confided to me on the phone yesterday that she is concerned about the baby as apparently her tongue lolls quite far out of her mouth, quite unusually. Neither Mum nor I have noticed anything like this before in a young baby. Incidentally, we were sent a DVD of the baby soon after she was born, and my Sister noticed it too.
Mum said that she's just picked up that something's not right with the baby. I won't dismiss this immediately, as she did the same with my DS1 when he was very young. He had a very deep unusual cry, and Mum always said to her it didn't sound right. It emerged when my DS1 was a toddler that he had Neuromuscular Dysfunction. Similar to a Cleft Palate, although more to do with the structure of the muscles in the palate rather than the palate itself. He had three lots of surgery between the ages of 3 and 5.
So, back to my Niece's baby, based on what I've said, is there anything that 'leaps out' at anyone reading this? I said to Mum it could be something and nothing, perhaps something she'll grow out of? Or, based on the concerns in pregnancy, could it be an indicator of very mild Downs? Mum said that the baby doesn't look as though she has Downs.
Apparently, there are no baby clinics as such in Spain, like we have here, and according to my Niece she didn't have midwife visits after the birth. She even had no pain relief as the hospital had 'run out'!! (imagine the horror).
Just wondered what others think? Perhaps a midwife or nurse or someone 'in the know' will see this. It's always worth a try with Mumsnet. My Niece is going to take it up with her Doctor, but I'm a little concerned that it might get dismissed as nothing when there could be a problem.
Long. Sorry.