Before she can even utter “viral,” she is already a well-known figure on the internet.
Born in December, Ayla Summer Mucha has become a TikTok sensation after her parents started using the app to spread awareness of her illness, which causes her to have a “permanent smile” from birth.
In addition to being excited to see their baby, Cristina Vercher, 21, and Blaize Mucha, 20, were shocked to learn that Ayla’s mouth was not “normal.” Bilateral macrostomia, an extremely uncommon syndrome in which the corners of the mouth do not correctly fuse together while still in the womb, had occurred in the child.
Vercher, a resident of South Australia, told Jam Press, “Blaize and I were not aware of this condition nor had I ever met someone born with a macrostomia.” “Therefore, it was quite shocking.”
Only 14 examples were reported in a 2007 comparative analysis that was published in the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal. The illness is still so uncommon that the doctor at Flinders Medical Centre had never seen it before, though it’s likely that cases have increased since then.
Additionally, the excessively big mouth opening was not detected by the ultrasound images, which surprised the doctors after the C-section.
According to Vercher, “a cesarean is an uncomfortable experience as it is.” “I was already feeling overburdened.”
The new mother claimed that because Ayla “was so tiny,” the issue was “obvious” when she first met her kid.
“We were immediately concerned,” she claimed, adding that physicians wouldn’t tell them about the problem for hours.
It took many hours for a doctor to respond, which added to the anxiety of the encounter, Vercher said. “This led to additional challenges because the hospital lacked support and expertise for such a rare condition.”
She added, “As a mother, all I could think about was where I went wrong, especially after being so pedantic throughout my entire pregnancy.”
As they awaited the results of genetic testing, a variety of physicians informed them that it was beyond their control as parents and not their fault. The physicians eventually determined that Ayla had the illness.
However, macrostomia is more than simply a physical defect; it can also have an impact on an infant’s functioning, particularly when it comes to latching and sucking. Patients with macrostomia are frequently advised to have surgery because of the effect it has on face functionality.
“We know this involves a skin closure that results in minimal scarring, but we have not yet received the exact specifications of the surgery,” Vercher stated. “As a couple, the difficulties we will encounter after surgery are concerning.”
However, the hardship did not cause the family to lose hope. In an attempt to learn more, they made the TikTok account @cristinakylievercher a few months later to spread awareness of the illness.
They post sweet videos of Ayla laughing and giggling like any infant or wearing a fluffy pink robe on their account, which has over 118,000 followers. In one video, Ayla is shown getting dressed in a flowery dress and being showered with love. The video has received 47.4 million views.
“She’s quite cute! One commenter commented, “These baby videos are so adorable.”
“As a mother, I respectfully ask. Another person said, “Would you create more content to inform us about her condition? She’s gorgeous. I’d love to learn more.”
Only 14 cases have been reported, according to what I recently read on Google about doctors. She is truly unique. Another person said, “Be proud, mama.”
However, like anything else on the internet, Ayla’s visage is also ridiculed in the comments, which other TikTokers swiftly removed.
“Oh my god. How adorable you are! One user commented, “Ignore all those hurtful remarks; your little cuteness is just too sweet.”
Another added, “I’m sorry to see those careless remarks, but you are a strong woman with a lovely daughter.”
Vercher stated that she hopes people can “be kind and accepting of all people,” even though the family is aware of the remarks.
“As you would hope, people paid the same respect to you or your children if such events were to occur in your life,” she stated, pointing out that anyone could experience circumstances “like this.” “There are divisions on social media. Unfortunately, you have no control over other people’s personalities.
However, the love that has been showered onto the family surpasses the negative.
She expressed gratitude that the video was left up, saying, “I have spoken to a number of mothers going through similar experiences.” “We are so proud that we will never stop sharing our experiences and favorite memories.”
