‘She’s one in a million’ mom says about Dayton toddler born without a tibia

Published: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 @ 6:03 PM
By: Brooke Spurlock - Breaking News Staff

18-month-old Gwen Carroll and mom Megan

DAYTON — A Dayton toddler who was born without a tibia, a very rare condition, is just like any other child.

18-month-old Gwen Carroll was born with the bone in her lower right leg missing, along with two fingers on her right hand and three fingers on her left hand.

Gwen’s mom Megan says she’s one in a million and unfazed by any limitations she’s perceived to have.

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“She’s got a great personality, nothing is going to hold her back. She’s going to achieve anything she wants to achieve,” she said. “She’s incredibly headstrong. When she wants something, she’ll push straight through to get it, all the while smiling at you.”

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Doctors at Dayton Children’s had to amputate Gwen’s leg and fit her for a prosthetic limb.

They also say a child born missing a tibia is extremely rare and only happens in one-in-a-million births.

“The decision to do multiple limb lengthening surgeries or amputate depends on how stable the hip, knee and ankle are in the child,” Dr. Michael Albert, division chief of orthopedics at Dayton Children’s Hospital, said. “In Gwen's case, her knee was dislocated and she had a significant club foot, so amputation with a prosthetic was a better option because in today's world prosthetics are pretty awesome and can allow a child to do almost anything that other kids can do. "