1 / 2

Preston Natividad, just before his 5th birthday, enjoys a nice day at home as his parents pack up their possessions before relocating their residence on Friday, Feb. 24, in South Ogden. Preston's parents, Miranda and Paolo, have made extensive sacrifices to try and help their son.

MATT HERP/Standard-Examiner

2 / 2

This MRI image shows massive stroke damage to Preston Natividad's brain. The image, taken at 6 1/2 months alerted doctors to his severe disability. He was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. The condition is a type of epilepsy with multiple different types of seizures that cause stiffening and dropping of Preston's head and limbs.

Photo supplied/Miranda Natividad

❮ ❯

SALT LAKE CITY — Preston Natividad, a 5-year-old from South Ogden who underwent a hemispherectomy, is reportedly recuperating as expected.

Preston’s surgery, originally scheduled for March 28, was rescheduled for April 7 at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Moments after the five-hour surgery was completed, his mother, Miranda Natividad of South Ogden, posted on Facebook that “Nugget,” as she calls him, was okay.

“Right brain was successfully disconnected,” she said.

RELATED: Love learned through long trial with child’s severe disability

RELATED: Northern Utah: Five-year-old with epilepsy finds happiness in life

Preston has a combination of conditions that cause developmental delays and more than 100 seizures a day — up to 10 in an hour, said his parents. 

He has been diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. The condition is a is a type of epilepsy, with multiple types of seizures that cause stiffening and dropping the head and limbs.

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome is seen in only 4 percent of all pediatric epileptic patients, Miranda Natividad said.

In her Facebook post, she also reported some findings from the procedure. “There was more tissue damage than from just the stroke,” she said.

Story continues below image. 

MATT HERP/Standard-Examiner

Aside from epilepsy, Preston has delayed intellectual development, cerebral palsy, neurocognitive disorder and partial paralysis of the upper body muscles. Doctors believe he experienced a stroke around the time of his birth.

In an effort to reduce the number of seizures, the boy was scheduled for the rare surgery in which doctors disconnect the two sides of the brain.

His parents and doctors are hoping his seizures will stop as a result of the surgery.

The family was very thankful for everyone’s thoughts and prayers.

You can reach reporter JaNae Francis at jfrancis@standard.net or 801-625-4228. Follow her on Twitter at @JaNaeFrancisSE or like her on Facebook at facebook.com/SEJaNaeFrancis.