West Virginia Family Finds Rare Brain Condition in Four Children, Undergoes Multiple Surgeries
The Higginbotham parents discovered that four of their six children have Chiari malformation and tethered spinal cords, leading to several operations in New York.
Paul and Ashlee Higginbotham, parents of six, first learned that their youngest daughter Austyn had Chiari malformation, a rare brain-skull mismatch, prompting brain surgery in March 2023 performed by pediatric neurosurgeon Jeffrey Greenfield at NewYork-Presbyterian. Follow-up imaging soon showed that three older daughters—Amelia, Aubrey (aged 7 at surgery) and Adalee (aged 11 at surgery)—also had Chiari malformation combined with tethered spinal cords, conditions that affect a minority of patients.
Greenfield carried out the necessary decompression and cord-release surgeries for Amelia in October 2023, for Aubrey in November 2023, and for Adalee in March 2025. Each child experienced rapid post-operative improvement, though the older girls sometimes report lingering discomfort. The family now describes a “new normal” with the children active and smiling, while doctors note that ongoing monitoring remains important.
