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From Wheezes to Giggles
SBL Speech Therapy helps little Iveigh breathe, swallow and smile with joy.
The joy CJ and McKayla Tippit felt during the birth of their daughter, Iveigh, quickly turned to fear and uncertainty when Iveigh presented with breathing and swallowing issues just days after delivery. More than a year later though, Iveigh is happy, healthy and developing well, thanks to help from Sarah Bush Lincoln Speech-Language Pathology Services.
Iveigh’s smile lights up the room, and the high-pitched squeals she lets out when playing are a pleasant contrast to the high-pitched sounds she released when breathing as a newborn. Her parents remember that noise like it was yesterday, even though more than a year has passed since they have heard it. “She sounded awful when she breathed; there was just a terrible wheezing sound,” CJ said.
“We fed her breastmilk the first few weeks, but she was having issues swallowing and breathing,” McKayla explained. “She threw up a lot and sometimes choked on her vomit.”
Because Iveigh could not consistently keep food down, Iveigh had a feeding placed tube to receive nutrients directly into her stomach. Doctors initially believed Iveigh had a milk allergy and recommended alternatives, but those did not help either.
Iveigh was diagnosed with laryngomalacia, a voice box disorder in newborns in which tissues above the voice box fall over the airway, causing noisy breathing. Just weeks after birth, Iveigh underwent surgery to remove the tissues that were causing the issues.
In July of 2024, McKayla and CJ began taking Iveigh to SBL Speech Therapy, where Speech Language Supervisor Michelle Meyer, M.S., CCC/SLP, worked to strengthen Iveigh’s throat muscles and motor skills. She later worked to find the right bottle and introduce food by mouth. By April, Iveigh was fully cleared to eat by mouth, and her feeding tube was removed shortly thereafter.
“Michelle was fantastic throughout the entire process,” McKayla said. “She also took time to play with Iveigh and make her feel comfortable.”
“All the advice Michelle gave us was terrific, and it helped make us more informed,” CJ said.
Iveigh smiles widely every time she sees Michelle, and her parents feel the same way. “This is our first child, and we went through so much those first few weeks that I was very sad and emotional,” McKayla said. “We are grateful to everyone at Sarah Bush Lincoln, including the ENT Clinic staff, who have helped Iveigh.”
For more information about SBL Speech-Language Pathology Services, call 217-258-2568.