Toddler channels her inner Wonder Woman

By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org

The first time Jordan and Ashlyn Smith’s infant daughter stopped breathing, she was in the pediatrician’s office.

It wouldn’t be the last time for the little girl considered by her parents to be a tiny Wonder Woman.

Adalyn Smith was barely 3 months old when she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in December 2023.

“What we thought would be a rough couple of weeks quickly turned into something much more serious,” said Ashlyn Smith, who lives with her husband and baby girl in the Evansville area.

After first being treated at another hospital, Adalyn was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children, where she spent weeks in the pediatric intensive care unit, much of that time on a ventilator.

“From the moment we arrived in the PICU, she was surrounded by a dedicated team of doctors and nurses determined to find out why she couldn’t breathe without support,” her mom said.

It wasn’t just COVID affecting her. Adalyn eventually was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a rare, neurological disorder that leads to impaired speech, motor skills and breathing.

The disorder, which primarily affects girls, is caused by a gene mutation but is rarely inherited. In Adalyn’s case, it has also led to seizures, which is what landed the little girl back in the Riley PICU earlier this summer.

Though they last only about a minute, the seizures leave little Adalyn and her parents exhausted.

“Sometimes she turns blue when she has them. We have oxygen at home to give her, but my husband had to revive her a few months ago.”

Ashlyn Smith is hopeful that clinical trials for a new gene therapy will yield positive results, but for now she loves her daughter through all of the good and bad days and shares her gratitude for the care she receives at Riley.

“We love Riley; we recommend it to everyone,” Smith said, noting that her daughter has multiple specialists caring for her, including neurologist Dr. Laurence Walsh, pediatric neurology physician assistant Allison Church, dietitian Taylor Parrish, developmental peds and genetics.

In the PICU, Dr. Vanessa Monroig has seen the family through some challenging days, Smith said, but she is indebted to the entire team.

“Riley is the only place I can breathe when we get there. The team in the PICU is so professional and comforting, and they know what to do without panicking,” she said.

“Riley has saved my daughter’s life on many occasions. No mother ever wants to see a nurse press the Code Blue button, but when it happened to us, the team rushed in, knew exactly what to do, and acted without hesitation. Their skill, compassion and dedication have given us more precious time with our girl.”

Despite her challenges, Adalyn, who turns 2 next month, can communicate with her eyes and her smile, her mom said.

“She is bubbly, and she likes to laugh and squeal.”

The Wonder Woman photo session her mom set up in her studio captures a hint of a smile behind the little girl’s sparkling blue eyes, and that’s enough for today.

“Thanks to Riley, she’s getting the very best chance at a beautiful life.”