VIDEO: This Child Defies Death and Wins Battle with Life

They say the child is the one who picks the parents. When Sheena got pregnant she thought she’s the luckiest woman alive. But at birth, her son Nickolas was born with a case of anencephaly. The majority of children with anencephaly die within hours of being born, but Nickolas fought for life and he has won the fight so far.

Here are some additional details about anencephaly, according to Wikipedia.

Anencephaly is the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp that occurs during embryonic development. It is a cephalic disorder that results from a neural tube defect that occurs when the rostral (head) end of the neural tube fails to close, usually between the 23rd and 26th day following conception. Strictly speaking, the Greek term translates as “no in-head” (that is, totally lacking the inside part of the head, i.e. the brain), but it is accepted that children born with this disorder usually only lack a telencephalon, the largest part of the brain consisting mainly of the cerebral hemispheres, including the neocortex, which is responsible for cognition. The remaining structure is usually covered only by a thin layer of membrane – skin, bone, meninges, etc. are all lacking. With very few exceptions, infants with this disorder do not survive longer than a few hours or possibly days after their birth.

Anencephaly can often be diagnosed before birth through an ultrasound examination. The maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP screening) and detailed fetal ultrasound can be useful for screening for neural tube defects such as spina bifida or anencephaly.

In the United States, anencephaly occurs in about 1 out of every 10,000 births. Rates may be higher among Africans with rates in Nigeria estimated at 3 per 10,000 in 1990 while rates in Ghana estimated at 8 per 10,000 in 1992. Rates in China are estimated at 5 per 10,000.

Research has suggested that, overall, female babies are more likely to be affected by the disorder.

Read Nickolas’ full story below, provided by The San Francisco Globe.

Any child would be lucky to have a mother who is as loving as this one. Sheena Coke has been through a lot as a mother. Most parents don’t want to think about the possibility of something going wrong with the birth of a child, but Sheena had no choice in the issue when her son Nickolas was born with a case of anencephaly, or being born without a brain.

The majority of children with anencephaly die within hours of being born, but Nickolas is a fighter and at the time of this recording he was celebrating his second birthday. With the love from his mother and his grandmother, baby Nickolas is making his mark on everyone around him.

Anencephaly is, unfortunately, likely a death sentance. Even if the child does not die immediately, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that it permanently rules out the possibility of ever gaining awareness of their surroundings. Unfortunately Nickolas passed away a little over a year after this video was filmed, but his memories will always be with his mother.

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