Docs Puzzled By Toddler's 'Disappearing' Brain

This seems unreal to me!

3-year-old boy from New York is living without a cerebellum – the part of the brain responsible for motor control, balance, coordination and emotional control.

Chase Britton’s doctors are bewildered by his condition – but even more puzzling – is the fact that his mother says she has ultrasound pictures that show it was there at some point during her pregnancy, wgrz.com reported.

"That is actually a fundamental part of the dilemma," said Dr. Adre du Plessis, chief of Fetal and Transitional Medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. "If there was a cerebellum, what happened to it?"

Chase is also legally blind and missing his pons, which is the part of the brain stem that controls functions like sleeping and breathing.

Doctors are not sure if Chase’s case is the end result of a fetal injury or a genetic abnormality.

The Brittons, who have an older son, Alex, had another son, Trey, who died four weeks after he was born in 2006. But doctors assured them Trey’s condition was not genetic, and they were safe to try again.

"We knew this is what we wanted to do," said Chase’s mother, Heather Britton. "And they said flukes don't happen twice."

Chase was born at 35 weeks after a complicated pregnancy. His doctors said he was healthy – but throughout his first year, Britton said things “seemed off.”

"We knew he was developing a little slower, we thought it was because of the pregnancy," she said.

Chase’s parents aren’t sure if he will ever be able to live without assistance. Right now, his vocabulary is limited, but he continues to accomplish more each day – like potty training and learning how to use an iPad.

“Our geneticist in Buffalo told us to start a college fund, because you never know,” Britton said. “So, that’s our hope for him.”

Yet he is still obviously sleeping and breathing. On top of that potty training and learning to use an Ipad!

When it comes down to it, maybe sometimes science can't explain everything. A wild case for sure, and I wonder if they will test the poor boy to the brink trying to find out what is going on.

www.foxnews.com...

Unreal stuff.
The brain is such a miraculous thing - other ‘parts’ learning to take over the function of parts damaged.
What an incredible story, though I have to add I feel pretty sorry for the Mother and Family.
It must be hell for them.
Wait - learning an IPad - and he’s blind.
Hold the horses here - I better go read the whole article, something isn’t right.
Thought then again legally blind isn’t blind blind.
Oh bother. How horrible.

peace

I would suppose you can live wtihout a cerebellum. Done TONS fo reading about he human brain, have it all memorized Just a fascinating part of the human body i love learning about! Its yuor brain stem, connects to just above the spinal chord, thats responsable for vital signs and blood circulation, heartbeat, blood to brain, things like that. The cerebellum is important!
Thier was a semi famous case, in the 1880's? Gage was the guys name..thick metal railroad spike went through his skull, left side of his face, upwards breaking through the skull and scalp top of his head, frontal lobe reagion of brain..(front to middle of brain, top). he survived..but his persanlity greatly changed as a result of the damage, using foul language for no reason, being unking and uncourteous.. but nonetheless he survived! they even madea death mask/statue of his head and fracture.
As for the cerebellum disappering that is unusually odd* it was thier then its not? only thing i can think of, is osme kinda weird genetic thing gone wrong, maybe a stroke(unlikely) or broken arty causing brain cells to die thier?

reply to post by silo13


I thought the same thing you did until realized it was legally blind.

I feel for the parents as well. Having lost one child, having another to take care of, then a special needs child. They definitely have an overflowing plate.

It is amazing how we can adapt to survive!

The cerebellum is directly underneath the back of the brain, the optical lobe. interesting the kid still has some kinda sight! which is awesome nonetheless

reply to post by ziggy1706


I have heard stories like this and about other types of severe injuries that should have all but left the person in a vegetative state but didn't. It is unreal how our bodies can sometimes overcome things science can't explain.

What would happen if he turned into a zombie??

Are you now telling me shooting them in the head doesn't work anymore!!

I'm sure I've read of cases before where individuals skulls were for the most part filled with spinal fluid, a small portion of brain tissue.

the rest of the normal brain tissue's were found to be spread throughout the body, between the other organ's etc

don't ask me where I read this though