Danielle Roeder, Age 8
MISSOURI
Mayo Clinic
Dopa Responsive Dystonia (DRDDRD)
Danielle Roeder of Willard, Mo., developed like any healthy baby until she was 6 months old. That’s when she began to regress, gradually losing all muscle control until she could no longer move her head, legs, arms and hands. When she was old enough to speak, all she could manage was a tiny, strained whisper.
Her doctors were dumbfounded. One incorrect diagnosis after another was given. Desperate to help their child after she had been wheelchair bound with no muscle control for five years, Danielle’s parents made one more attempt to find an answer. They took her to the Mayo Clinic, where a diagnosis was made that would change their lives forever. Danielle was diagnosed with a genetic disorder known as dopa responsive dystonia (DRDDRD). Immediate treatment brought incredible results. That night 6-year-old Danielle held her head up by herself and moved her arms and legs for the first time since she was an infant.
