A Mother’s Experience: Bringing Up Her Sons with Albinism
Like many other parents, Patricia Williams took great pleasure in taking and posting pictures of her newborn son, Redd. But when she started showing his photos to people, she got an unexpected surprise.
Unexpected Results: Type 1 Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA1)
Redd, Patricia’s son, was born in 2012 and had white hair. But she and her husband, Dale, didn’t become aware of some of his oddities until he was two months old. Redd would flutter his eyes back and forth, a sign of albinism that is frequently observed. In his quest for information, Dale resorted to Google and found that their son had multiple indicators of albinism, including as white hair, pale complexion, and tracking eyes.
Memes and Bullying as Albinism’s Challenges
Redd attracted notice from the moment of his birth due to his distinctive features. Upon seeing a baby with blue eyes and white hair, the hospital staff became very excited. Patricia didn’t give it much thought at first because she, her husband, and their first child, Gage, were all fair-haired.
Redd’s eyes become blue and his hair whiter, but it was obvious that his illness would never go away. Patricia gave birth to their second son, Rockwell, who also suffered albinism, in February 2018.
The family encountered difficulties when Redd was the target of bullying at school because of his appearance. His older brother, Gage, started to take care of him. The most horrifying occurrence, though, was when Redd’s baby photos were pilfered and used as cruel social media memes.
Taking Up the Cause of Albinism Awareness
At first, Patricia and Dale attempted to get the pictures taken down, but they quickly came to a dead end. Rather, they decided to support increasing public knowledge about albinism in order to counteract misinformation about the condition and bullying.
Patricia became a spokesperson for albinism awareness as a result of the attention garnered by the viral memes. Her son’s looks sparked curiosity in her from others, and she became aware of how little was known about albinism outside of its restricted cinematic representation.
A Path of Development and Acceptance
Redd switched from a private to a public school for blind children after having eye surgery to treat his strabismus. Ultimately, it was a wise decision to have the surgery because Redd’s condition much improved. Redd was able to more easily integrate with his friends after the surgery as opposed to drawing unwelcome attention by wearing an eye patch.
Clearing Up Myths Regarding Albinism
Patricia used the occasion to dispel a myth that is frequently held about albinism. She clarified that a common misconception is that people with albinism have red eyes. In actuality, their absence of pigment causes their eyes to lean toward light blue.
Living Well and Accepting Life
Redd and Rockwell are both doing well and enjoying life to the fullest these days. This extraordinary family has faced many obstacles and achieved many victories along the way, and they are overjoyed with their development.