When You Become Your Child's Advocate Overnight

What happens when the child you've dreamed of suddenly receives a diagnosis you've never even heard of? For Deborah, it was Angelman syndrome.

In this episode of Inside the Children's Hospital Podcast, Katie Taylor sits down with Deborah Trejo, Art Therapist, to share the powerful story of her daughter Maya's journey to an Angelman syndrome diagnosis. After months of feeding difficulties, developmental delays, seizures, and countless unanswered questions, Deborah and her family finally received a diagnosis just one day after Maya's first birthday.

Deborah opens up about the emotional realities of medical motherhood—from surviving the uncertainty of the diagnostic process to learning how grief and joy can exist together. She shares how finding community through the Angelman Syndrome Foundation, connecting with other parents, and embracing art as a tool for healing helped her navigate one of the most difficult seasons of her life.

As both a mother and an art therapist, Deborah also reflects on maintaining her identity beyond caregiving, advocating fiercely for her daughter's needs, and celebrating every milestone along the way. Her story is an honest reminder that while a rare diagnosis may change the path a family expected, it can also reveal extraordinary resilience, purpose, and hope.

Whether you're a parent navigating a rare diagnosis, caring for a child with complex medical needs, or a healthcare professional supporting families through uncertainty, this episode offers compassionate encouragement and a reminder that you are never alone.

In This Episode, We Discuss: Deborah's journey from children's hospital volunteer to art therapist Maya's first year and the road to an Angelman syndrome diagnosis Early signs including feeding difficulties, developmental delays, and seizures The emotional experience of waiting for answers after neurological testing Receiving a rare diagnosis and processing grief as a family The importance of connecting with other parents and diagnosis-specific support organizations How art became a source of healing and resilience Balancing motherhood, career, and personal identity Becoming a strong advocate for a child with complex medical needs Finding joy while navigating the realities of medical parenting Episode Timestamps 00:00 Meet Deborah Trejo

01:30 Maya's first year and the journey to diagnosis

05:30 Birth during COVID and early medical concerns

08:00 Developmental delays, seizures, and meeting neurology

11:25 Receiving the Angelman syndrome diagnosis

13:00 Processing grief and surviving the unknown

19:15 Becoming an art therapist through lived experience