Patient Stories

Sedaya Mayfield was six months old and weighed barely five pounds when she was admitted to Hospital for Special Care (HFSC). Born with Larsen’s Syndome, a disorder of the development of the bones caused by a genetic mutation, Sedaya was the smallest baby admitted to HFSC at the time. She has undergone more than 20 surgeries to address abnormal curvature of the spine and other challenges associated with the disorder, including multiple orthopedic deformities.

Sedaya’s small chest and lungs, combined with her small stature and the curvature of her spine have resulted in respiratory challenges. She relies on a power wheelchair for mobility, has a tracheostomy (a hole in the front of her neck and into her windpipe created surgically to provide an air passage) and requires high flow oxygen therapy at night to improve her oxygenation.

Hospital for Special Care’s pediatric unit, the only long-term acute care unit for children in Connecticut, had been her home since her 2007 admission. The physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and staff on the unit provided 24/7 medical care for Sedaya and also nurtured her growth and development.