Pediatrician supports family through cerebral palsy diagnosis

This piece is sponsored by Sanford Health.

The movie “Out of My Mind” was released at the end of 2024, but it already has made it to the top of 10-year-old Avery Hill’s list of favorites.

It follows the story of Melody, a young girl with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair and medi-talker. Because people underestimate her, she has to prove that she’s not that different from the other kids.

And as a young girl with cerebral palsy, Avery can relate.

Avery was born premature at just 29 weeks. A few days into her stay at Sanford Children’s Boekelheide Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, her doctors discovered she was suffering from two brain bleeds. It would take two months of around-the-clock care to help her heal.

As a nurse herself, Avery’s mom, Mindy Hill, knew in the back of her mind that cerebral palsy was a possibility because of Avery’s premature birth and brain bleeds.

“But everything kind of goes out the window when it’s your kid. I know how things work, but when it’s personal, it’s easy to just forget it all,” Hill said.

“At those early follow-up appointments, we were told she was growing and doing well. So her diagnosis felt like a shock.”

The first years of Avery’s life were full of specialty care appointments. She saw neonatologists, gastroenterologists, physical therapists, cardiovascular specialists, surgeons, neurologists and more.

As they made their way through the web of specialty care required to meet Avery’s needs, there was a constant: her primary care provider.

“We got right in with Dr. Bauer after Avery was born,” Hill said. “He has been incredible.”

Dr. Barry Bauer is a board-certified pediatrician with a breadth of expertise that makes him an asset to families like the Hills who have children with complex care needs.

“As a general pediatrician, it’s my responsibility to understand my patients’ medical conditions or developmental concerns, as well as their family and social situation, so that I can provide the best care possible,” Bauer said.

“He is incredibly knowledgeable,” Hill added. “Even when it comes to things that are just specific to Avery.”

All primary care providers strive to understand what makes each patient unique and, especially in Avery’s case, that understanding is crucial.

“As a child with complex needs grows, additional issues may arise,” Bauer said. “Having a primary care physician who is familiar with them and their health history can go a long way.”

To help with her mobility, Avery has undergone a couple of surgeries the past few years, and she regularly has physical therapy. But thanks to early interventions, the Hill family is in maintenance mode.

“Dr. Bauer is completely thorough with all her care,” Hill said. “And now that she’s 10, we can follow up on all those little steps we took early on and make sure that we’re still covering every single base.”

For Hill, Bauer’s ability to keep track of Avery’s complex health history is foundational to the trusting relationship they’ve built over the past decade. For Avery, it’s more about his personal qualities.

“He’s funny,” Avery said. “And you can talk to him about anything – not just doctor stuff.”

For a kid who has spent a lot of time thinking about doctor stuff, it’s nice when she can just be a kid.

Find care that does more for kids at sanfordhealth.org.