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Twins may not share everything, but unquestionably they do share the common space they inhabit before they’re born. Perhaps this is one reason twins can be “tight.”
In the case of Abigail and Emily Ossi, however, this was not a good thing. Almost full term babies, these little girls were so tightly packed in the womb that they were unable to move freely. With so little room available in which to move around, their positioning was restricted, and as a result of the confined quarters both Abby and Emily were born with torticollis. That’s a big word that means the neck muscle is shorter on one side than the other. This, understandably, causes difficulty with movement and strength.
Abby’s condition was the worse of the two and because it was more severe, she developed a related condition called plagiocephaly. In this, the head becomes misshaped because it cannot move in both directions. This visible manifestation of little Abby’s problems was a daily reminder for her parents that there was something wrong with their beautiful baby.
A Star Band helmet designed to guide the shape of the head as it grows had only limited success as a corrective therapy and Abby’s physicians recommended surgery in hopes that would be the answer. Wolfson pediatric surgeon Dr. Loveless explained to the hopeful parents that the surgery would lengthen the sterno clyto mastoid on the left side of Abby’s tiny head– SCM being an easier and more common reference. It would eliminate the tilt so that Abby could hold her head level. The surgery was performed in the fall and Abby is responding well and on the road to full recovery.
In the birth of their twin daughters, the Ossi family had to go through things not found in healthy birth. But they are grateful nonetheless: for all they learned along the way and gained from their experience and, especially, for the commitment Wolfson physicians and other medical staff had to their tiny daughter’s well-being. They wanted little Abby’s success as much as anyone.
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