{"id":27877,"date":"2026-08-04T23:53:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T18:53:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27877"},"modified":"2026-08-04T23:53:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T18:53:52","slug":"mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions-then-doctors-discovered-a-rare-condition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27877","title":{"rendered":"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><b>Jeannie Hochstetler<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had a \u201cno concerns\u201d pregnancy in 2024 and was thrilled to become a mother for the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, when the 28-year-old Indiana native gave birth to her son on January 29, 2025, she was left <\/span><b>searching for answers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to why he did not cry or failed to form an expression instead of celebrating.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Riley<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, now a year and a half old, has been diagnosed with a condition that affects facial movements and occurs in approximately <\/span><b>one in 50,000 newborns<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-highlights\"><span class=\"h2\">Highlights<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"bullet-wrapper\"><i class=\"bullet\"\/><\/span><span>Jeannie Hochstetler noticed something was different when her newborn did not cry or show facial expressions, leading doctors to uncover a rare condition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"bullet-wrapper\"><i class=\"bullet\"\/><\/span><span>The child has undergone multiple procedures and therapies since his diagnosis while continuing to achieve developmental milestones in his own way.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"bullet-wrapper\"><i class=\"bullet\"\/><\/span><span>His mother has shared his journey online to raise awareness and highlight his resilience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHearing that my baby would never smile at me was hard,\u201d Hochstetler said in a recent interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>A mother has revealed how her toddler\u2019s rare condition leaves him with a mask-like face<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"01-6a72243d7ead7__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=01-6a72243d7ead7__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=01-6a72243d7ead7__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01-6a72243d7ead7__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01-6a72243d7ead7__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/video\/7649565491547114783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Riley did not cry after birth, Hochstetler, according to her July 26 interview with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Newsweek<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, believed \u201che needed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/infuriating-chat-support-replies\/\" class=\" staff-link\">little support<\/a> adjusting to the outside world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, she recalled that she soon saw doctors place him on oxygen, with one of them \u201cstanding above him with his chin in his hand for what seemed like hours.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLooking back, I realize he knew something was wrong. He just didn\u2019t know what.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"02-6a72243f82863__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=02-6a72243f82863__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=02-6a72243f82863__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02-6a72243f82863__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02-6a72243f82863__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/photo\/7661787324489026846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Riley was then transferred to a NICU at a local hospital 40 minutes away.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Assessment there revealed that the child had small, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/shocking-interesting-human-body-pics\/\" class=\" staff-link\">webbed hands<\/a> and was also missing his right pectoral muscle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, doctors were unable to open his mouth very far, so he was given a feeding tube.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Riley was diagnosed with a rare congenital condition called Moebius syndrome<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"03-6a7224415b92b__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=03-6a7224415b92b__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=03-6a7224415b92b__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/03-6a7224415b92b__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/03-6a7224415b92b__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/photo\/7661787324489026846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Hochstetler, one of the doctors in the ward suggested that Riley could have Moebius syndrome, a rare congenital condition that causes<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/justin-bieber-suffers-facial-paralysis\/\" class=\" staff-link\"> facial paralysis<\/a> and also explains his other observed complications.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the specialized care requirements of the potential condition, Riley was transferred to a larger NICU three hours away.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"04-6a7224435ab30__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=04-6a7224435ab30__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=04-6a7224435ab30__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/04-6a7224435ab30__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/04-6a7224435ab30__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/video\/7616156925406743839\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hochstetler described seeing her baby being loaded into helicopters for the transfers as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/parenting-memes-kidsaretheworst\/\" class=\" staff-link\">a wild introduction to parenthood.<\/a>\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Riley was three weeks old when he was officially diagnosed with Moebius syndrome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that babies with this condition can experience difficulties with speech, hearing problems, and motor delays, in addition to an inability to form facial expressions and difficulty swallowing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The mother had to wrestle with the fact that her baby would never smile<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"05-6a72244513144__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=05-6a72244513144__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=05-6a72244513144__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/05-6a72244513144__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/05-6a72244513144__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/video\/7649565491547114783\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI remember feeling grief because this was not the parenthood I envisioned,\u201d Hochstetler said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI also felt sadness for my baby and all the things he had already endured and would have to endure,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mom remembered being told that each case of Moebius syndrome is different and that \u201cwe would just have to wait and see how severely Riley was affected.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Riley is missing his seventh cranial nerve, which is responsible for facial movements, and he also has restricted eye movement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"06-6a722446aa423__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=06-6a722446aa423__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=06-6a722446aa423__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/06-6a722446aa423__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/06-6a722446aa423__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/video\/7643619236954295582\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At 18 months old, he still uses a G-tube for feeding, but Hochstetler hopes to introduce oral feedings once his swallowing ability becomes stronger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The toddler underwent strabismus surgery at 13 months old to correct his crossed eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, he also underwent surgery to correct his eyelashes, which were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/brain-glitch-confusing-perspective\/\" class=\" staff-link\">obstructing his vision<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Furthermore, after multiple hearing tests, Riley was confirmed to have mild hearing loss in his left ear.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Hochstetler<\/b><b> remains hopeful for Riley\u2019s future, hoping therapy will help him reach his full potential<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"07-6a7224488dc3f__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=07-6a7224488dc3f__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=07-6a7224488dc3f__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07-6a7224488dc3f__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07-6a7224488dc3f__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/photo\/7661787324489026846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The mom gushed about her son\u2019s laugh while speaking with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Newsweek<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, calling it her \u201cfavorite sound\u201d in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She also said he has learned to use his voice to express agitation, while she has become adept at reading his<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/body-language-tips\/\" class=\" staff-link\"> body language<\/a> to understand how he is feeling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHis condition is non-progressive, which means what he\u2019s born with won\u2019t get worse. With therapy, a lot of things can improve,\u201d Hochstetler said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She added: \u201cHe is so adaptable and clever\u2014he figures out how to do things in his own way. He amazes me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"08-6a72244a32b13__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=08-6a72244a32b13__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=08-6a72244a32b13__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/08-6a72244a32b13__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/08-6a72244a32b13__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/photo\/7661787324489026846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hochstetler called Riley her \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/cute-blessed-pics\/\" class=\" staff-link\">biggest blessing,<\/a>\u201d noting that she is \u201cincredibly thankful\u201d to be his mom.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHe has been through so much in his short life, and yet he still is one of the happiest babies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The mom has been raising awareness about Moebius syndrome on social media<\/b><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"09-6a72244bde7ad__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=09-6a72244bde7ad__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=09-6a72244bde7ad__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/09-6a72244bde7ad__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/09-6a72244bde7ad__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/video\/7616156925406743839\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known as Jeannie Bontrager on TikTok, Hochstetler uses her platform to share updates about Riley\u2019s life and educate others about the rare condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In one video, she revealed that although Riley is fed through a feeding tube, he still enjoys tasting new foods.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"10-6a72244dabba4__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=10-6a72244dabba4__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=10-6a72244dabba4__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/10-6a72244dabba4__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/10-6a72244dabba4__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"post-content-media-source\">Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jeanniebontrager\/photo\/7661787324489026846\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">jeanniebontrager<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In another post, Hochstetler showed Riley crawling across the floor like any other toddler, captioning it: \u201cHypotonia isn\u2019t stopping him from exploring.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hypotonia, or abnormally low muscle tone, can make a child appear \u201cfloppy\u201d or \u201clike a rag doll,\u201d Hochstetler explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She added that hypotonia is a common symptom of Moebius syndrome and, while it may delay Riley\u2019s mobility, it is not expected to prevent him from reaching any developmental milestones.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>\u201cThe world is a better place because he\u2019s in it,\u201d a netizen said about Riley<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a14f3088-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a14f3088-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t 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Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1671387-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1671387-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1671387-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1671387-png__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon 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data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a17dac0a-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a17dac0a-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a17dac0a-png__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a17dac0a-png__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"191\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1967af3-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1967af3-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1967af3-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1967af3-png__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1967af3-png__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"146\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1b051b3-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1b051b3-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1b051b3-png__700\" 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class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1c88429-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1c88429-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1c88429-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1c88429-png__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1c88429-png__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"225\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1e60a7a-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1e60a7a-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1e60a7a-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1e60a7a-png__700.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1e60a7a-png__700.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"192\" alt=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"6a722a1fc6e94-png__700\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?image_id=6a722a1fc6e94-png__700.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Mom Knew Something Was Wrong When Her Baby Couldn\u2019t Form Expressions, Then Doctors Discovered A Rare Condition\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/mom-knew-something-was-wrong-when-her-baby-couldnt-form-expressions\/?media_id=6a722a1fc6e94-png__700\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a722a1fc6e94-png__700.jpg\" 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However, when the 28-year-old Indiana native gave birth to her son on January 29, 2025, she was left searching for answers to why he did not cry or failed to form an expression instead of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27878,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/fb_image_6a7224bdf1b55.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27877"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27877\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27878"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}