Logan

Logan Leonard was just two days old when he was diagnosed with a serious health condition. Attentive nurses at Huntington Hospital identified the problem — ensuring Logan could receive prompt diagnosis and treatment.

Tests revealed that little Logan had Hirschsprung disease. One in every 5,000 newborns has this condition. These infants lack special nerve cells, called ganglion cells, in their intestinal muscles and — as a result — suffer potentially serious obstruction, which can in turn lead to infection and other serious problems. Symptoms appear in the first 48 hours of life.

Logan’s parents, Elizabeth and Daniel, are thankful for the quick thinking of our staff. “You hear stories of hospitals sending babies home, not recognizing symptoms,” says Elizabeth. “I’m so grateful Huntington Hospital had the expertise. They discovered everything immediately and everyone came together to help our son.”

Logan would need several surgeries — the first at only five days old. Steve Chen, MD, medical director, pediatric surgery, performed the delicate procedure, known as an ileostomy, which involves removing the colon and rectum and attaching an external pouch.

Ten weeks of care in our neonatal intensive care unit followed, after which Logan was ready to go home with his parents. Our team ensured that they were well prepared to care for their son, until he could return for the next phase of his treatment. This involved removal of the external pouch. Logan then remained in our pediatric unit for two months while his digestive system learned to adapt.

The vast majority of patients with Hirschsprung disease make a full recovery, when treated appropriately. “Logan’s thriving,” says Elizabeth, “and I can’t describe how grateful we are. Everyone was so kind. There are no words to thank them for what they did for our son.”