William Edward Seipel
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William Edward Seipel was born November 11, 1998, at the Medical College of Georgia in
Augusta. He was a post-term baby (41 5/7 weeks) and was delivered via c-section after many
hours of unproductive labor. At some point prior to delivery William asphyxiated in the
womb causing damage to most of his major systems. He was resuscitated for 30 minutes
before he could breathe and be transferred to the Neonatal ICU where he stayed for his
first 42 days. His heart, kidneys, liver, adrenals, and musculature all recovered from the
damage due to lack of oxygen, but his nervous system can not. As a result he has
significant damage to his cortex and some of the other structures of his brain. The
doctors predict he will have severe cerebral palsy and delayed development. His specific
diagnosis is Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.
One of the immediate ramifications of his injury was his inability to suck or swallow.
Since he could not control the secretions in his upper airway he received a tracheostomy
in his first week of life. William has had a number of incidents where his respiratory
function has deteriorated dangerously, including a stopped-breathing incident in January
1999 and an unexplained decrease in function to 4 breaths per minute in April 1999. In
late May William began work with a new speech pathologist who recommended use of a
Passy-Muir valve (pictured). The first day he wore the valve, William's family heard him
make his first noise: a cry at nearly 7 months. The speech pathologist estimates William
is 40% of the way to decannulation. Prior to the Passy-Muir valve, he was being trach
suctioned approximately 5 times per hour. With the valve he rarely has to be suctioned at
all (he only wears the valve when awake).
In January 1999 William had surgery for a fundoplication and to place a gastrostomy tube
for feeding. The tube has since been replaced by a Mic-Key button. He is still on a number
of medications for hypertonicity, hypertension, reflux, digestion and secretion control.
In April William was treated for Infantile Spasms and he discontinued all of his
anti-seizure medications in May. He still has some residual seizure activity, but it is
below a level that the neurologist wants to treat medically.
At age 8 months (July 1999) William has made significant progress. With aggressive
therapies he has improved his movement and vocalization. He can move his head from side to
side and bring his legs up under him when prone. Occasionally William will turn himself
over. He will cry when annoyed or disturbed.
- Please feel free to email
us Seipel@prodigy.net
Bob & Julia Seipel
