A Mosaic Baby: A Six Sigma Story

A baby is born to Chinese American overachievers. A significant diagnosis is missed by her obstetrician and the baby's pediatrician both of whom practice at a prestigious academic medical center. The parents recognize the child is not developing normally. She is taken to be evaluated by a world renown pediatric neurologist. He makes the diagnosis. The baby is found to be a mosaic. The failure to have made the diagnosis leads to concerns of likely lawsuits for medical malpractice. The defensive maneuvering to control potential loses is explored and the political environment at a major academic medical center is revealed. There is the opportunity to gain insight into the personalities and motivations of many who have supporting roles in the story. The relationship between the doctor and the baby's parents is based on a symmetric genuine deep affection. The serial observation of the baby leads to a startling finding. The search for a rational explanation of what is found leaves everyone, including the reader, with alternatives for the baby's future.