Hayes is a 3-year-old boy who is full of life and curiosity. He is extremely observant and always wants to explore the world around him. He loves playing and talking with other kids. His favorite things are robots and playing outside. Hayes loves to make others laugh and will do anything for a giggle! He also loves to eat—especially chips and dip!
At 6 months old, Hayes developed esotropia and was seen by an ophthalmologist. At 9 months old, he received surgery to address the issue. He was also diagnosed with hypotonia which was affecting motor skills. He began early intervention and continued to progress. Later, he started having febrile seizures. As a last resort, their neurologist offered Hayes’s family the option to do a muscle biopsy. This result included a diagnosis of mild mitochondrial myopathy. Recently, Hayes and his family traveled to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Mitochondrial Medicine Program to learn more about this condition.
“There are still a lot of unknowns regarding Hayes’ health,” says his mom, Jessica. “One thing I do know for sure is that Hayes is determined. He is determined to walk, run, skip, hop, and jump. He will face anything that comes his way—with a beautiful laugh and smiling face.”