Teddi Mellencamp, 39, revealed the shocking news that her five-month-old daughter Dove will need neurosurgery after being diagnosed with a rare condition called Lambdoid Craniosynostosis, in an honest and touching Instagram post on July 6. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star shared a precious close-up pic of her baby girl in the post and explained that the condition happens when “one of the lambdoid sutures at the back of the head fuses before birth”. She also admitted to having major “anxiety” over the whole worrisome situation.
“Dealing with anxiety, especially when in the ‘public eye,’ isn’t easy; and going into July it’s at an all-time high,” she began the caption. “I was torn as to whether I should share this information, but as someone who tries to be as transparent as possible, and knowing I have a platform to reach others in similar situations, I would like to update you all. Our sweet baby Dove was diagnosed with Lambdoid Craniosynostosis and has to undergo neurosurgery at the end of the month.”
Lambdoid Craniosynostosis happens when “the bones of an infant’s skull grow together too early, leading to problems with brain growth and head shape”, according to Children’s National. If it’s left untreated, there could be serious complications that include “head deformity”, “increased pressure on the brain,” “seizures,” and “developmental delay,” the website further explained.
Teddi went on to admit that she initially though Dove had the same condition that her older brother Cruz, 5, had called Torticollis, which is when problems with muscles in the neck cause the head to tilt down, but soon found out she didn’t. She also thanked the medical team working with Dove and asked her fans for prayers.
“We are so grateful to have an amazing team of doctors and surgeons who have caught this early and will be working on her,” she wrote in the caption for the post. “Originally, like Cruz before her, we thought Dove had Torticollis and would likely need a doc band for re-shaping. Instead a CT scan showed Lambdoid Craniosynostosis (Lambdoid craniosynostosis is a very rare type of non-syndromic craniosynostosis and occurs when one of the lambdoid sutures at the back of the head fuses before birth).”
She added, “The recovery is about a week in the hospital and a couple weeks at home with a very high success rate. So although we are filled with nerves as neurosurgery sounds scary, we have our faith that she will be ok. Please keep baby Dove in your prayers and if you have had a child with this same surgery, please let me know below, as I would love any additional insight and support. Sending 💕 to you all.”
Before she revealed the news about Dove, Teddi has happily shared many adorable pics of the tot on her Instagram since her birth in Feb., but she never mentioned any health concerns until now. The reality star is also a mom to her son Cruz and daughter Slate, 7, with her husband Edwin Arroyave, 43.