Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2021

99 www.MountPl easantPodcas t . com | www. ReadMPM. com | www. I LoveMountPl easant . com Hunter had TCS, Knighten spent hours researching, then told her husband what she found. They cried all night and from then on, decided to advocate for Hunter every step of the way. She was able to make an appointment with MUSC’s craniofacial clinic, where Hunter received an official diagnosis. The following two weeks were tearful yet comforting as they had a team at the hospital working on solutions for Hunter’s specific needs. “Finding out my son has an entire team working with him was hard.” Knighten said. “We had people from all different directions telling us what his future could hold.” Hunter’s parents shared the news of his condition with their family and eventually with the world. Accounts under @the_extraordinary_hunt on TikTok and Instagram have almost 6,000 views, showing the happy baby just being himself. He’s nine months old now, and, with the help of speech therapy and his bone conduction hearing aid, he has successfully mastered crawling and his recent first word: “Dada.” Knighten said TCS isn’t something she and her husband are frightened about anymore. They’re just focusing on helping their son “live his best life.” “We get stares sometimes, and it’s okay,” Knighten admitted, holding back tears. “It’s okay that other children are curious about what’s on his head, and we’re happy to answer questions. We know he looks different, and we think it’s awesome because how boring would this world be if everybody was exactly the same?” Knighten emphasized the importance of parents fighting for their child’s health, and her advice is to follow their instincts. People can live their whole childhoods without a proper diagnosis of TCS, resulting in delays with education or prolonged breathing problems. Since Knighten and her husband shared Hunter’s story with the world on social media, they’ve received around five direct messages from other parents, telling them they know their child has TCS, and they’re unsure of what to do. “The first thing I say is to love your baby,” Knighten said. “Those first two weeks we were bombarded with so much knowledge on TCS, it became overwhelming, and we forgot for a quick second we had a newborn baby who just needed to be held and loved.” Knighten reminisced on their time with Hunter thus far and said having him in her life has opened her eyes to how beautiful everyone in this world is. She shared her thoughts that differences are beautiful, and we should all embrace them. health and wellness The Common • 210 Coleman Blvd., Mt. Pleasant • 843-884-4814 www.ragamuffinchildrensboutique.com DANCE SHOP | PUMPKIN PATCH | GAME DAY | HOLIDAY | COTILLION | COORDINATING OUTFITS | PICTURE PERFECT | LOYALTY PROGRAM Their very own Shop! Just for Girls and Boys Sizes 7-16 All the Top Brands in Shoes! Full Service Shoe & Dance Shop Their very own shop! Just for 7-16 Girls and 8-20 Boys PREPPED AND POSED FOR ANY OCCASION! Locally owned and operated for 67 years! @RagamuffinChildrensBoutique @Strideritemountpleasant @Radical Rags ® Voted Best Children’s Boutique!