The Hyper IgM Foundation Blog 

Lachlan Paradis is a 5-month-old baby boy, living in Canada. He is the only child to loving parents, Michelle Crowder and Brent Paradis. Lachlan was diagnosed with X-Linked Hyper IGM Syndrome (XHIGM) at birth. His mother, Michelle, has a long family history of X-Linked Hyper IgM Syndrome, which can be passed along on the X chromosome, and mainly affects males. This led Michelle to ask her doctors for testing while she was pregnant to see if she was a carrier. The test came back positive, which meant that her son would have a 50/50 chance of having XHIGM. Michelle’s medical team had Lachlan’s blood work sent for testing at birth. They received the results at two weeks of age and started treatments right away. Children with XHIGM have a genetic defect on their T helper cells which leads to a breakdown in communication with the B cells. The result is the inability to produce antibodies and effectively fight off viruses and infections. Treatments for children born with XHIGM include infusion of Immunoglobulin G (antibodies) either intravenously (IVIG) or subcutaneously (SCIG), as well as prophylaxis antibiotics. Currently, the only known cure for XHIGM is a bone marrow transplant.

Five months later Lachlan has been doing well on his IVIG and has been healthy while getting treatments and antibiotics. Michelle’s experience so far has been smooth, she says: “People around me are very helpful with information, personal experiences, and support.” Michelle reached out to the Hyper IgM Foundation shortly after her son was diagnosed. She joined the Foundation’s online support group and connected to other parents and patients around the world. Michelle says that “Deciding on a bone marrow transplant is the hardest decision, and the HIGM support group has so much information and experience to draw from.” While she waits to know if a transplant is in Lachlan’s near future, she keeps her son safe with antibiotic treatment three days a week and monthly infusions. The rest of the time it is all snuggles, kicking, laughing, feeding, and sleeping. “Lachlan’s smile and soft snuggles have helped us a lot through the tough times,” Michelle says. Hyper IgM Syndrome does not define him. He is a beautiful baby boy, with bright eyes and a smile that makes everyone around him happy.

Written by Abbie Allred.