Mother’s Intuition and a Rare Diagnosis

A North Carolina mother, Serena Murison, experienced an unexplained intuition during her pregnancy that her unborn child might face challenges in walking. Despite repeated confirmations of a healthy pregnancy, Serena felt a persistent concern that her child would not walk. According to her statement to Newsweek, her pregnancy seemed normal, with no detectable issues.

“There were no red flags, nothing abnormal on ultrasounds, nothing anyone could point to medically,” she explained. “I just had this deep, persistent knowing that something was different. I couldn’t explain it, and honestly, I didn’t have any evidence to support it. I just knew.”

Serena wanted to believe the doctors’ assessments. An NIPT test, a blood screening for chromosomal conditions, also showed no issues. Many dismissed her concerns as mere pregnancy anxiety, yet the feeling that her son wouldn’t walk persisted.

“Everything objectively said that I was carrying a healthy baby, so I tried to convince myself that what I was feeling was just anxiety,” she reflected. “But the feeling never really went away.” Despite everything appearing normal, Serena couldn’t shake off the sense that there was more to the situation.

After birth, her son Rudy was diagnosed with LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy. This rare neuromuscular condition can result in significant muscle weakness and developmental delays starting from infancy. A 2023 study in Neurology: Genetics highlighted that standing and walking-related functions are often severely impacted. Another study from 2024 involving a Swiss cohort found that many with the severe congenital form never achieve independent walking.

The condition varies widely in symptoms and outcomes. “It finally gave us an explanation for why his body worked differently and why he would not walk independently,” Serena said. “Getting that answer was devastating, but it also put a name to something I had somehow felt long before there was any way for me to know.”

Reflecting on her experience, Serena noted the importance of acknowledging a mother’s instinct while balancing it with medical advice. “I don’t think I had some magical ability to diagnose my child before he was born,” she shared. “I couldn’t have known he had muscular dystrophy, but I knew my baby, and something in me was paying attention before I had the language or evidence to explain why.”

For other parents experiencing similar unexplained concerns, Serena advises speaking up even without concrete evidence. “Ask the question; keep paying attention,” she urged. “You can trust what you’re noticing without needing to know exactly what it means yet.”

Editors of the original Newsweek story: Sirena Bergman and Emma Lee-Sang.