TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Together Against RSV
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Holiday Hub
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

Baby born with severe birth defect is now all-smiles after surgery!

3 min read
Baby born with severe birth defect is now all-smiles after surgery!

Thanks to an amazing surgery, a little boy no longer has to live his life with a severe facial birth defect

One of the most amazing feelings for a new parent happens the moment they look into their baby’s eyes for the first time. We count fingers and toes, check for signs of a birth defect, and bask in the joy of the moment.

But Valeka Riegel sadly could not experience this joy for months after giving birth. 

Her baby boy Zakary was born with a birth defect that caused a huge mass to cover more than half of his face, including his eyes. 

The birth defect, known as an encephalocele, resulted in a sac that spanned nearly his entire face – from his forehead to his upper lip. 

The defect was first detected when Riegel came in for her fifth month ultrasound. Doctors initially suspected it was a cyst on her baby’s cheek. But after an MRI, they found that it was a rare birth defect.

An encephalocele occurs when a baby’s skull does not close normally during development. Because of this, a gap allows brain tissue to escape and collect in a sac-like protrusion. 

Baby Zakary spent four months in the NICU to prepare for the nine-hour surgery…

birth defect

Screenshot: TODAY

Baby Zakary was delivered via a C-section at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center by a team of 22 doctors on December 2016.

Upon seeing her little one for the first time, Kiegel admitted in a blog entry on the hospital’s website that she was in shock. 

“Only a large protrusion and tiny little lips — no eyes, no nose, no eyelashes. Yet you were still beautiful to me,” wrote Kiegel.

She was worried he would have difficulty breathing. 

After a nine-hour surgery, including a craniotomy, encephalocele removal and repair, they faced other hurdles. 

Baby Zakary is now a year old, thriving and free of the birth defect

Baby born with severe birth defect is now all-smiles after surgery!

screenshot: TODAY

The procedure included reducing the swelling and removing the breathing tube. After five days, and countless hours clocked in by dedicated hospital staff, they headed home.

“I don’t know what lies ahead for our journey, but I do know we will cherish every moment we are granted together,” the overjoyed mum wrote.

“We can endure all things if we are willing to accept life as it truly is – perfectly imperfect,” she went on.

birth defect

screenshot: TODAY

As of this writing, Baby Zakary is now a year old and thriving after surgery. Though he has some catching up to do developmentally, he will no longer need neurological intervention. 

He will only need one minor surgery to remove excess skin on his face. With a positive attitude and loving parents, we have no doubt Zakary will grow up handsome inside and out!

sources: TODAY, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital 

READ THIS ALSO: Can this common vitamin really prevent miscarriages and birth defects?

Partner Stories
Not Just a Bite – The Hidden Costs of Dengue for Families in Singapore
Not Just a Bite – The Hidden Costs of Dengue for Families in Singapore
Mom, Is Your Baby's Mouth Ulcer Keeping You Up at Night?
Mom, Is Your Baby's Mouth Ulcer Keeping You Up at Night?
Gentle Relief for Mummy and Baby
Gentle Relief for Mummy and Baby
Busting Eczema Myths: The Truth About Managing This Skin Condition
Busting Eczema Myths: The Truth About Managing This Skin Condition

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Bianchi Mendoza

  • Home
  • /
  • Health
  • /
  • Baby born with severe birth defect is now all-smiles after surgery!
Share:
  • SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

    SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

    SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

  • Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

    Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

    SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

    SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

  • Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

    Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
  • Family Occasions
  • Lifestyle
  • Normal Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
  • Trying To Conceive
  • News
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it