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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kim Maddox's granddaughter, Ariel, was born with cleft lip and palate.</li></ul><ul class="summary-list"><li>A pediatrician told Kim that Ariel would die because she had so much trouble eating. </li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kim Maddox. It has been edited for length and clarity.When my granddaughter Ariel was born, she came home to my house. My son and Ariel's mother knew that caring for their new baby would be a massive challenge: Ariel had been diagnosed with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/cleftlip.html">cleft lip and palate</a> by <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/reproductive-health/how-many-ultrasounds-during-pregnancy">ultrasound</a>. From the beginning of Ariel's life, I have been her primary caregiver. I learned how to feed her with special <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/parenting/best-baby-bottle">bottles</a> that had an extended nipple and reached all the way to the back of her throat. Still, when she ate, <a href="https://www.insider.com/bobbie-new-european-style-baby-formula-replaces-black-market-2021-6">formula</a> would spill from her nose and mouth; we were lucky if half of what we fed Ariel made it into her tiny belly. <div type="image" title="Kim Maddox's granddaughter before surgery" height="360" width="480" msid="94652032" hostid="261"></div>One day my husband called me, panicking. He was at the pediatrician with Ariel's mom. The pediatrician told them that Ariel <a href="https://www.insider.com/pediatric-feeding-disorder-how-to-get-insurance-coverage-2022-6">wasn't gaining weight</a> and that she was going to die. I left work and flew to the pediatrician, but when I got there the doctor told me to calm down. I saw red. I'd just been told my baby was dying, and they had the nerve to tell me to calm down? I told her she was fired, and I took Ariel to the emergency room. <h2>I started driving 15 hours for better care</h2>At the ER, doctors weighed Ariel and reassured me that she wasn't dying. The doctor told me we were doing everything right, but that we just had to do it more often. Ariel's feeds took about an hour and a half, and we had to feed her every two hours. I was so relieved, but that experience with the pediatrician showed me I would need to be very active in Ariel's care. Before that, I had tried to do research, but I hadn't known where to start. A family friend who is a firefighter told us to get in touch with <a href="https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en">Shriners Children's Hospital</a> in Ohio. It was a 15-hour drive from our home in Georgia, but once you've heard somebody say your child is dying, it doesn't matter how far you have to drive.Ariel had her first surgery at Shriners when she was 3 months old to correct her lip cleft. Formula still came out of her nose when she ate, but it was a much smaller amount. When we walked through the door for a follow-up appointment, the doctor said Ariel was a perfect weight. After that, I knew she would be OK.<h2>Now, Ariel is thriving</h2>Since then, Ariel has had more surgeries. Today, she's a typical 4-year-old who loves telling stories, playing ball, and swimming. When you look at her, you wouldn't even know she had cleft lip and palate. She has the tiniest lisp when she's tired or excited, but the doctors say she'll grow out of it. <div type="image" title="Kim Maddox's granddaughter posing with a ball" height="650" width="867" msid="94652033" hostid="261"></div>My heart breaks for other parents and caregivers who are where I was in those early days: knowing they need help, but not knowing where to turn. Now, Ariel and I have a personalized support team at Shriners. When I call, they put me right through to anyone I need to talk to, whether it's a nutritionist or a therapist. I tell other parents to remember why they're advocating. Ariel empowered me. This is about my grandbaby, my angel. No one is going to tell me whether she lives or dies. If you give up on her, as that pediatrician did, you're not worth having around. I'll find someone who moves heaven and earth to make sure she's alive and thriving.

My granddaughter was born with a cleft lip and palate. I fired the pediatrician who told me she would die.

(Pinki was born with a <keyword id="48915" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cleft-lip">cleft lip</keyword>. The picture on the left is her before the corrective surgery and the picture on the right is her after the surgery. <keyword id="1711279" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Smile-Train-India">Smile Train India</keyword> assisted with her surgery as well. Image is for representational purposes only) 
 
It’s a sad reality that every year over 35,000 children are born with clefts in India and over 10 lakh children continue to live with untreated clefts and have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. 
 The sadder part is the fact that <keyword id="128844" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cleft">cleft</keyword> repair surgery is not only simple but also the transformation it gives is immediate. It takes all of 45 minutes of surgery to correct this birth defect, giving people born with it a second chance at life. 
 
However, acute <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=poverty&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">poverty</a> and ignorance is what prevents most of these children and their families to get these corrective surgeries. 
But not, anymore. 
 
In partnership with Smile Train India, the world’s largest cleft charity, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bajaj&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bajaj</a> Finserv, successfully completed 10,000 free<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=cleft&amp;sortorder=effectivedate"> cleft</a> lip and palate re-constructive surgeries for <keyword id="4989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="underprivileged-children">underprivileged children</keyword> across India, ensuring that these kids have a reason to smile. 
 
Mamtaa Carrol, Smile Train’s Vice President and Regional Director for South Asia said, “When children born with clefts are provided the corrective surgery at the right age, they not only get a new smile and social acceptance but also the opportunity to go to school, learn a trade, get a job and become contributing members of the society. The impact of this simple surgery is both immediate and long term.” 
 With the help of 170 partner hospitals in its network, Smile Train has provided over 4,50,000 free surgeries over time.While Smile Train India has been actively involved in conducting free <keyword id="3366416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="cleft-lip-and-palate-surgeries">cleft lip and palate surgeries</keyword> for underprivileged children who are forced to live with this congenital defect due to poverty and ignorance for some time now, Bajaj Finserv has been partnering with the charity for the last 2 years in a bid to enable children to grow up to be confident individuals and not face social stigma due to a defect that can otherwise be successfully treated. 
 
Speaking about the initiative to fund cleft surgeries, Sanjiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv said, “Following in the footsteps of the Bajaj Group, Bajaj Finserv and its subsidiaries, viz. Bajaj Finance Limited, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited, support organizations and institutions that further the cause of social empowerment. It involves providing high quality services which are also cost effective, be it in health, education or any other field, to the weaker sections of society, without discrimination. Our partnership with Smile Train, which shares our belief in empowerment, is helping thousands of children, reach their full potential. This surgery not only provides a child with the precious gift of smile, but also a fresh opportunity for a productive and 
happy life.” 
 
It's heartening to see corporates with a big heart, going out of their way to help the poor and needy. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

This
company tied up with an NGO to bring smiles to 10,000 underprivileged children

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Presenter and disability rights campaigner Adam Pearson costars in "A Different Man" with Sebastian Stan.</li><li>The movie centers on two men with neurofibromatosis (NF), a rare genetic condition.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a24-movie-release-dates-coming-soon-2023-3">A24</a>'s latest dark thriller "A Different Man" is a twisted exploration of the inner and outer self, featuring a standout performance from British actor Adam Pearson.The movie stars <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sebastian-stan-physical-transformation-stops-self-judgment-2022-3">Sebastian Stan</a> as Edward, an aspiring actor living with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-was-diagnosed-neurofibromatosis-years-later-so-was-my-son-2023-6">neurofibromatosis (NF)</a>, a rare genetic condition that causes typically benign tumors to grow on nerve cells throughout the body and on the skin.Frustrated by the way he's judged and mocked for his appearance in his daily life, Edward agrees to participate in an experimental drug trial that can heal him. The procedure is a success and layers of his skin come off over time, revealing a new face and new alter-ego that he names Guy.But the novelty wears off after Edward meets the charismatic Oswald (Pearson), who was also born with neurofibromatosis but navigates the world with confidence. As the pair get to know each other better, Edward finds himself envious and longing for the identity he gave up.Although Pearson, 39, is primarily known for his work as a presenter and award-winning disability rights campaigner, "A Different Man" marks his latest acting credit. Here's everything to know about him.<h2 id="71687468-efc3-4df0-85f6-40f6cf8e6866">Pearson was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 at 5 years old</h2><div type="image" title="Adam Pearson at the Deauville American Film Festival in September 2024." height="2000" width="3000" msid="113535958" hostid="261" sizebytes="133972"></div>Pearson has an identical twin brother named <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/585814/pearson-twins/">Neil Pearson</a>, who also has neurofibromatosis. NF manifests in different ways for the siblings; <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://people.com/a-different-man-star-adam-pearson-facial-disfigurement-opened-doors-exclusive-8713453">Adam</a> has facial differences and Neil experiences poor short-term memory and epilepsy. As of 2024, Adam told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://people.com/a-different-man-star-adam-pearson-facial-disfigurement-opened-doors-exclusive-8713453">People</a> magazine that he's undergone 39 procedures to remove his excess tumors that continuously grow back.In a 2014 interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/apr/13/scarlett-johansson-screen-stigma-disfigurement">The Observer</a>, Adam said that he was bullied in school growing up because of his appearance.He told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://vocal.media/longevity/having-faith-and-living-with-neurofibromatosis">Longevity</a> that "TV was always plan A for me," but he studied business management at the University of Brighton as a backup plan.Adam went on to make a name for himself as a presenter on the documentaries "Horizon: My Amazing Twin," "Adam Pearson: Freak Show," "The Ugly Face of Disability Hate Crime," and "Eugenics: Science's Greatest Scandal." He and Neil were also the subjects of the 2019 short documentary "The Pearson Twins."While working in TV production, an opportunity arose for Adam to have a role in Jonathan Glazer's 2014 sci-fi film "Under the Skin" starring <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scarlett-johansson-movies-ranked-critics">Scarlett Johansson</a>. He went on to appear in a few more shorts and movies, including writer and director Aaron Schimberg's "Chained for Life."Throughout his burgeoning career in entertainment, Adam has also used his platform to advocate for disability rights and destigmatize NF."I go into everything with a clear head and a full heart," Pearson told People in a recent interview. "If people want to talk, let's talk. I know some in the disabled community say, 'It's not my job to educate you about disability.' But we're the experts. I think if I'm not educating, I'm being reckless and irresponsible."<h2 id="ee865ac7-4d04-4bee-9a03-0200e1b008c2">Pearson's role in 'A Different Man' was written for him</h2><div type="image" title="Adam Pearson sings into a microphone as Oswald in &quot;A Different Man.&quot;" height="4000" width="6000" msid="113535956" hostid="261" sizebytes="2081508"></div>After meeting Pearson through "Chained for Life," Schimberg ended up penning the script for "A Different Man" specifically with him in mind for the character Oswald."I was inspired to write a role to show off his range, also as a sort of homage to him," the "Different Man" writer and director said in the film's press notes.Schimberg, who has a corrected bilateral cleft lip and palate, credited Pearson with changing "my view about my own disfigurement because I've always lived in fear of the judgment of others."Schimberg also said that he wouldn't have considered making "A Different Man" if Pearson passed on the role.Pearson, for his part, praised the writer-director for writing a role for him that doesn't typecast actors with disabilities, which is something he's previously <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ciSi_e7RU">called out</a> in Hollywood."Aaron knows how to write for me, and he knows what I'm like in real life," Pearson said in the press notes. "It's always good to broaden one's portfolio of characters — as a disabled actor, you run the risk of getting typecast anyway. It was a real joy to be involved in this, and to get the band back together.""A Different Man" is now in theaters.

Everything to know about Adam Pearson, Sebastian Stan's scene-stealing costar in the A24 thriller 'A Different Man' 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava have been wiped from the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Instagrams.</li><li>Voigt resigned as Miss USA 2023 in May, and Srivastava resigned as Miss Teen USA two days later.</li></ul>There are over 4,000 posts on the Miss USA Instagram page. But once a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-miss-usa-michigan-us-army-officer-2024-8">new queen was named</a> on August 4, nearly all evidence of the two women who recently resigned their crowns vanished.One of those women is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-noelia-voigt-resigned-from-title-2024-5">Noelia Voigt</a>, who relinquished her Miss USA 2023 crown in May. She held the position for seven months, but the only post from her reign acknowledges her resignation.The same is true on the Miss Teen USA page, where any glimpse of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-teen-usa-resigns-after-miss-usa-gives-up-crown-2024-5">UmaSofia Srivastava</a>, who resigned her title two days after Voigt, has also disappeared.It's just the latest development in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-pageant-scandals-queens-laylah-rose-organization-2024-7">drama surrounding Miss USA</a> and its CEO, Laylah Rose. Now, it's causing many to wonder if the pageant hopes to sweep all its scandals under the rug as its leadership stays silent.<h2 id="dfde6ff4-7d2a-48b6-88b1-2d7ba08e519a">Vanishing act</h2>Voigt and Srivastava have said little about their resignations, citing nondisclosure agreements that forbid them from speaking out about the organization.Still, their mothers, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-miss-teen-usa-mothers-speak-out-resignations-2024-5">Jackeline Voigt and Barbara Srivastava,</a> previously spoke to Business Insider about what they had witnessed their daughters go through under Rose's leadership."Our daughters were happy and excited to have the job of their lives when they won those crowns," Barbara Srivastava told BI in May. "And to expect this is the payment on their self-esteem and their confidence, being bullied by a 46-year-old woman who just wants to be in the limelight herself — this is unacceptable.""Noelia was shaking just to see a text or a call or an email from Laylah," Jackeline Voigt said during the same interview. "Because it was so abusive, so aggressive, the communication."In an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/an-open-letter-from-ceo-laylah-rose-on-miss-usa-302158718.html">open letter</a> shared on May 30, Rose said the allegations of a "toxic environment and bullying are not true.""To be clear, such behavior is not accepted, and we can assure you that if such behavior ever occurred, we would take immediate steps to protect our titleholder and provide access to appropriate resources," she added.As news of the disappearing Instagram posts began to spread on August 9, Jackeline and Barbara sent a statement to BI."While both of our daughters have moved on from this, we are disappointed to learn that the Miss USA Organization has chosen to erase their presence in its entirety from official social media," the statement read."This includes all official appearances, their community service with official partners of the Miss Universe Organization and Miss USA, from Smile Train and BestBuddies, as well as all of their personal platforms — which they worked so hard to cultivate, support, and promote — and which were the inspiration for both ladies to compete and reason for their winning the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA 2023 crowns."The Miss USA organization didn't respond to a request for comment.While Voigt and Srivastava are the first to resign in the pageant's history, it's not typical for Miss USA to remove Instagram posts from the reigns of past queens.On the Miss USA page, BI counted more than 80 Instagram posts of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rbonney-gabriel-miss-usa-universe-rigged-controversy-scandal-2023-9">R'Bonney Gabriel</a>, who won Miss USA in October 2022, and 90 posts of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-morgan-romano-meet-new-miss-usa-and-engineer-2023-1">Morgan Romano</a>, who assumed her title after Gabriel won Miss Universe in January 2023. There were also over 200 posts featuring Miss Teen USA 2022 Faron Medhi on its Instagram page.Now, there are monthslong gaps between posts that previously featured Voigt or Srivastava.Other than a post acknowledging <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6oN3xnrNQh/">Voigt's resignation from May 6</a>, the only photo that remains of her and Srivastava on the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pages is one of them holding a check for a collaboration with Best Buddies, a longtime Miss USA sponsor, and Supermodels Unlimited, a pay-to-play magazine owned by Miss USA employee Kimberly Clark.Neither of the pageant queens are tagged, and they're barely discernible in the photo, which features a caption written by Rose.<h2 id="abde0298-c639-454f-b005-6232ac8e4a2c">Forgotten sponsors</h2>Among the deleted Instagrams are posts made in collaboration with sponsors, who paid for Voigt and Srivastava's travel, meals, and more in exchange for promotion.Voigt's sister Natasha Mihm accompanied her to High Point Market in April as her plus-one. Since Voigt had studied interior design, Mihm said it was a perfect partnership."In exchange for Noelia being there and promoting them, High Point Market covered everything," Mihm said. "Miss USA did not cover a single thing, and that was in exchange for posts for the Miss USA page — and that's all gone now.""It was a really nice and natural partnership that was mutually beneficial," she added. "People at the market were super excited that Miss USA was there. I don't understand why that partnership is just wiped now."Ben Muller, the vice president of marketing and communications for High Point Market, told BI that "we loved having Noelia here to support her aspirations in the design industry." He declined to comment further on the Miss USA organization removing her Instagram posts.But Mihm said removing them was "really strange.""It just feels very juvenile to me," Mihm said. "As someone who loves Noelia and has seen her go through this experience and worked so hard to get to that point, it's really sad. She gave something to the brand while she was there, even though she resigned.""It feels like they're trying to erase the whole narrative in a way that feels like they don't have to answer for it," she added.<div type="image" title="Noelia Voigt and Uma Srivastava" height="1000" width="1444" msid="112574739" hostid="261" sizebytes="87748"></div>Maria Montgomery, Miss Kentucky 2009, took Voigt and Srivastava to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in February for a sponsorship trip with Smile Train. She volunteered for the Miss USA organization and acted as their supervisor."It was a magical experience," Montgomery said. "Smile Train took really great care of us and covered a lot of funds to have all three of us in a resort. Each day, we went out to different homes to visit patients who had cleft-lip surgery or were going to have surgery through Smile Train.""It's a trip that Miss USA has taken every year for the past few years, and the girls have always said it's one of their top experiences," she added. "To see it firsthand was really special because both of these girls are bilingual. They were on the same level with these kids. We were there to help them, but these girls also had their lives touched just by being around them."Montgomery said she found it sad that the special memories from that trip were now erased from the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA Instagram pages."It's obviously, on a personal level, very disrespectful," Montgomery said. "But it also makes me feel like they want to hide that there were ever issues for girls to resign.""It's very unfair for the differences these girls have made in other people's lives," she added. "The last thing we need to do is hide or silence either of them."In a statement sent to BI, Nicole Bell, Smile Train's vice president of public relations, said the nonprofit extended "appreciation and gratitude to Noelia and Uma for their time and dedication to raising awareness about Smile Train.""For questions regarding what Miss USA decides to do with content on their various platforms, we defer to Miss USA," Bell added.<h2 id="3b58efbd-55b5-40c8-ad19-c5c2c26dd500">Bringing up the past</h2>The Miss USA Instagram page still has plenty of pictures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-new-queen-miss-hawaii-savannah-gankiewicz-2024-5">Savannah Gankiewicz</a>, Voigt's runner-up at Miss USA 2023, who took over the title after she resigned.Gankiewicz made headlines after appearing on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1212225506878511">NewsNation</a> the week before the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-usa-alma-cooper-army-west-point-pageants-2024-8#:~:text=Alma%20Cooper%2C%20a%20US%20Army,graduated%20in%20the%20top%205%25.">Miss USA 2024</a> pageant, praising the organization. She said the allegations that Rose harassed Voigt and Srivastava were "completely false" and that it was Rose who had been "bullied.""Miss USA is an organization about empowerment, and that's exactly what it does," she added.<div type="image" title="Savannah Gankiewicz and Laylah Rose" height="1024" width="743" msid="112574740" hostid="261" sizebytes="78644"></div>Following the July 28 interview, Voigt posted a statement on her Instagram story saying she was "very disheartened to see a video today of someone completely invalidating my and UmaSofia's experiences.""UmaSofia and I are unable to speak on our experiences at all, which is disappointing and difficult to deal with when false narratives are being created from all different directions," she added. "If the intention is to empower women, why the need to invalidate their feelings and experiences and question the character of those who are now formerly part of the organization, who have stepped away and lost their dream or their career?"Srivastava also posted a statement on her Instagram story, saying she would "not stand for someone impugning my or Noelia's character.""Claiming that Noelia and I were not victims, but rather perpetrators of anything remotely close to 'bullying,' in the words of the current representative, is unfortunate, but reaffirms that my choice to distance myself from this organization was the right one," she added.Gankiewicz's mother, Yvienne Peterson, added to the drama. In screenshots reviewed by BI, Peterson sent pageant fans direct messages about Voigt, including one that called her a "rude bitch" and "little troll." She also left public comments on Miss USA fan pages attacking people who supported Voigt and Srivastava, claiming her daughter was always meant to win Miss USA."What I am is a bitch and I proudly own it," she wrote in one on July 30. "I have to head out and continue to build my empire."Peterson and Gankiewicz did not respond to a request for comment on this story. However, in an interview with BI the day after her NewsNation appearance, Gankiewicz said she supported Voigt and Srivastava and "everything they went through.""I am sorry that that is what they experienced, but now it's time to just empower an organization that they believed in," she added. "So it's time to spread love and show the new delegates and new winners that they, too, can keep going for this dream."

Miss USA erased Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastava, the pageant queens who resigned, from its Instagram pages

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="306134" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Wendy-Williams">Wendy Williams</keyword> mispronounced "corona" during her show on Tuesday, and fans on Twitter are beyond confused. </li><li>Williams was discussing President Donald Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis, and his tweet in which he told Americans to not be afraid of the coronavirus. </li><li>"We are frightened of cornova," Williams said in the clip, which had viewers puzzled. </li><li>"We’re 7 months into this pandemic and Wendy Williams called covid 'cornova' twice today," one Twitter user wrote. </li><li>Another user just asked, "What the hell is CORNOVA?" </li></ul>Wendy Williams mispronounced "coronavirus" during an episode of her talk show on Tuesday, and fans were beyond confused. During the segment, which quickly began to circulate on Twitter, Williams discussed President Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis, as well as his <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1313186529058136070">tweet in which he urges followers, "Don't be afraid of Covid."</a>Williams read his tweet aloud, but instead of saying "Covid," or even "corona," she instead said what sounded like "cornova." "We are here, out in the field. We are frightened of cornova," Williams added, again mispronouncing the term. On Twitter, fans were confused about Williams' pronunciation. Some even pointed out that the pandemic has been going on for months, and that Williams has had plenty of time to nail her pronunciation. And others were just amused at Williams' mistake. Representatives for Williams didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment. This isn't the first time a segment on Williams' show has caused a stir online.In January, Williams <a href="https://www.insider.com/wendy-williams-sorry-mocking-joaquin-phoenix-cleft-lip-2020-1">faced backlash after making fun of Joaquin Phoenix's cleft lip</a> on her show. She later <a href="https://www.insider.com/wendy-williams-sorry-mocking-joaquin-phoenix-cleft-lip-2020-1">apologized for her comments</a>. <ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/wendy-williams-sorry-mocking-joaquin-phoenix-cleft-lip-2020-1">TV host Wendy Williams apologized after facing backlash for making fun of Joaquin Phoenix's cleft lip</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/wendy-williams-on-felicity-huffman-if-she-was-black-itd-be-14-years-2019-9">Wendy Williams on Felicity Huffman's 14-day sentence: 'If she was black, it'd be 14 years'</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/meghan-markle-wanted-to-model-for-wendy-williams-talk-show-2019-7">Wendy Williams said Meghan Markle once applied for a job to her talk show</a></li></ul>

Wendy Williams botched the pronunciation of coronavirus twice on her talk show, and fans are beyond confused

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="20922" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="vitamin-A">Vitamin A</keyword> toxicity is relatively rare but can occur if someone is taking high dose supplements. </li><li>Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include muscle and bone pain, headaches, nausea, and hair loss. </li><li>If you think you have vitamin A toxicity, stop taking all supplements, and reach out to your doctor for a blood test.</li><li>This article was <a href="https://www.insider.com/insider-medical-review-board" target="_blank" rel="noopener">medically reviewed</a> by <a href="https://www.samanthacassetty.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samantha Cassetty</a>, MS, RD, <keyword id="52652" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="nutrition">nutrition</keyword> and wellness expert with a private practice based in New York City.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamin-a-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vitamin A</a> is a fat-soluble vitamin that has an important role in eye, skin, immune, and prenatal <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health">health</keyword>. However, taking in too much of it can have toxic effects on the body — a condition known as <a href="https://www.aimu.us/2017/12/15/hypervitaminosis-a-symptoms-causes-diagnosis-and-management/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hypervitaminosis A</a>.Here's how to recognize the symptoms of vitamin A toxicity and how to treat it.<h2>What is vitamin A toxicity? </h2>Vitamin A toxicity happens when you have too much vitamin A stored in your fat and liver. This can occur from either <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532916/#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20in%20the%20US,to%20accumulate%20in%20the%20body." target="_blank" rel="noopener">topical or oral use</a> of vitamin A. You can experience either <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532916/#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20consumption%20of%20high,vitamin%20A%20toxicity%20%5B8%5D." target="_blank" rel="noopener">acute or chronic vitamin A toxicity</a> depending on how long you have been exposed to it. <h3>Acute toxicity</h3>"Acute toxicity appears within hours or days of consuming excess vitamin A," says <a href="https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hs/ns/childress.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Allison Childress</a>, PhD, a licensed dietitian-nutritionist, assistant professor at Texas Tech University, and Chief Clinical Dietitian at the Nutrition and Metabolic Health Institute.For acute toxicity to occur in adults, you have to consume about <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/156482650102200304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 times</a> the recommended daily allowance at once. That would be about 8,000 grams. For reference, one whole sweet potato has 0.001403 grams of vitamin A. Therefore, acute toxicity of vitamin A is extremely rare, and almost never occurs from eating food alone. Those who experience often recover.<h3>Chronic toxicity</h3>"Chronic toxicity is over a longer duration of time such as months or years," says Childress.Chronic toxicity occurs when you regularly ingest less than ten times your recommended daily intake over the course of months to years.Chronic toxicity of vitamin A is more common than acute toxicity, and people generally make a full recovery.<h2>Vitamin A toxicity symptoms</h2>Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity range from mild to severe. Here are some of the common symptoms you may experience if you have vitamin A toxicity, according to Childress.<h3>Acute toxicity symptoms </h3>Symptoms of acute vitamin A toxicity include: <ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/home-remedies-for-nausea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nausea</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/home-remedies-for-headaches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Headaches</a></li><li>Blurred vision</li><li>Liver damage</li></ul><h3>Chronic toxicity symptoms</h3>Symptoms of chronic vitamin A toxicity include: <ul><li>Alopecia — which is a condition that causes your hair to fall out</li><li>Itchy skin</li><li>Muscle and bone pain</li><li>High levels of fat in the blood, sometimes <a href="https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0501/p2207.html#:~:text=Often%20there%20are%20no%20signs,fatty%20bumps%20on%20their%20skin." target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulting in yellowish bumps on the skin</a></li></ul>Eating excessive amounts of beta-carotene — a form of vitamin A that is found in fruits and vegetables — can cause <a href="https://uamshealth.com/medical-myths/if-you-eat-too-many-carrots-will-your-skin-turn-orange/#:~:text=The%20surprising%20fact%20is%20eating,on%20the%20palms%20and%20soles." target="_blank" rel="noopener">skin discoloration</a> and give your skin a yellow-orange tint. This symptom is not harmful, though it may be a sign of developing toxicity. It may take up to months for your skin to return to its natural hue.<h2>Complications of vitamin A toxicity</h2>Pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid taking too much vitamin A, as it can cause birth defects.For example, the common acne drug isotretinoin — commonly known as Accutane — is a vitamin A derivative, meaning <a href="https://www.aocd.org/page/Accutane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it acts like an extremely potent form of vitamin A</a>. This drug is known to cause birth defects, which include <a href="https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/isotretinoin-accutane-teratogen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cleft lips as well as ear, eye, and mental defects.</a> A 2007 <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/fullarticle/654339" target="_blank" rel="noopener">review</a> suggests that 18% to 28% of children that are born while their mothers are on Accutane will have some type of malformation. "If you are taking Accutane you should be closely monitored by a physician," says <a href="https://www.leahynutrition.com/about-taylor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taylor Leahy</a>, MS, MPH, a registered dietitian-nutritionist based in College Station, Texas. She also says if you could become pregnant you should stop taking the drug as soon as possible.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532916/#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20consumption%20of%20high,vitamin%20A%20toxicity%20%5B8%5D." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Long-term complications</a> of vitamin A toxicity include:<ul><li>Bone damage that can lead to osteoporosis and hip fractures</li><li>Cognitive issues that can cause headaches, nausea, and vomiting</li></ul>"Anytime you are concerned about your vitamin levels you should talk to a dietitian or your healthcare provider," says Childress.<h2>Causes of vitamin A toxicity </h2>Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is stored in your <a href="https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/fat-soluble-vitamins-a-d-e-and-k-9-315/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fat tissues and liver</a>. "People with liver problems are at a high risk of vitamin A toxicity," says Leahy. If your liver is not functioning correctly, your body won't be able to properly absorb vitamin A, which can lead to toxicity. Getting vitamin A from your diet — from fruits, meats, and dairy products — rarely leads to toxicity. Vitamin A toxicity occurs <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000350.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most commonly</a> in people that take vitamin A dietary supplements. Most people shouldn't take vitamin A supplements unless directed by their doctors. "Our bodies only need a small amount of vitamin A," says Childress. "And, most people do not need a supplement because we can easily get all the vitamin A we need by consuming a balanced diet." <h2>Treatment </h2>A person might be tested for vitamin A toxicity based on the symptoms they present. If a doctor suspects vitamin A toxicity, "they will ask about the history of the person's dietary intake and do a blood test to look at a person's serum retinol status and retinyl ester that is circulating in the blood," says Leahy. Most symptoms of vitamin A toxicity can be treated by "stopping any additional supplementation and monitoring the overall vitamin A intake from dietary sources," says Leahy.Once it's stopped, symptoms usually go away completely in <a href="https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/nutritional-disorders/vitamin-deficiency-dependency-and-toxicity/vitamin-a-toxicity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one to four weeks</a>. The length of <a href="https://www.aimu.us/2017/12/15/hypervitaminosis-a-symptoms-causes-diagnosis-and-management/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recovery time</a> depends on how long vitamin A has been accumulating in your tissues. This means that symptoms caused by acute toxicity will have quicker recovery times. Although most symptoms can be treated, birth defects caused by vitamin A over consumption are irreversible.<h2>Takeaways </h2>You should always talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of vitamin A toxicity you should see your doctor. They can help you resolve any symptoms you may be experiencing and restore normal levels of the vitamin in your body.<h2>Related articles from <a href="https://www.insider.com/health-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Health Reference</a>:</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamin-a-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 science-proven benefits of vitamin A </a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamins-for-hair-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The best vitamins to help your hair's growth, thickness, and overall health.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/vitamin-b12-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 science-backed benefits of vitamin B12 and how to get enough of it</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-vitamin-e-good-for" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is vitamin E good for? </a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/what-foods-have-vitamin-d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 healthy foods rich in vitamin D</a></li></ul>

Vitamin A toxicity is rare, but taking supplements increases your chance of developing it

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many "ultra-maskers" are refusing to take off their <keyword id="9418" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="masks">masks</keyword> even though they're fully vaccinated.</li><li>Some want to signal respect for other people or avoid the flu. Others distrust <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-decide-when-safe-to-remove-mask-cdc-2021-5">the CDC</a>.</li><li>Several ultra-maskers said they'll continue to wear masks in public even after the <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword> is over.</li></ul>Adrienne Lenhoff started to panic at the airport last week. She was flying from Detroit to Florida to celebrate her grandfather's 100th birthday, almost a month after her second Moderna shot. But Lenhoff didn't expect travelers to crowd so close in line - or that middle seats would no longer be kept empty."I almost got off the plane," she told Insider.It didn't matter that the airline, Delta, was still requiring masks. Lenhoff would have worn one anyway. In fact, she wore two - and even that didn't feel like enough."Had I known that I was stepping onto a full flight, I probably would have had a face shield on also," Lenhoff said. She did fly in the end, she added, but mostly "sat there in panic mode."Lenhoff is 53 years old and owns a public-relations firm. Like many Americans, she said, she was surprised when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that fully <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-decide-when-safe-to-remove-mask-cdc-2021-5">vaccinated people could ditch their masks</a> at indoor and outdoor gatherings of any size - even with unvaccinated people present.Lenhoff said she plans to keep wearing her mask in public settings indefinitely, especially around those who haven't been vaccinated yet. She's worried about how long her vaccine protection will last, and whether new <keyword id="112799" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="variants">variants</keyword> will put vaccinated people like her in harm's way again."As restrictions get thrown out the window, or completely relaxed, you don't know if the person who's sitting next to you has had their shot or not, where they've been, who they've been exposed to," Lenhoff said. "So even somebody like me who has been vaccinated, there is no guarantee that I'm not going to get COVID."The current <keyword id="79555" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Vaccines">vaccines</keyword> reduce the risk of getting <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> by around 66% to 95%, depending on which you get. But many "ultra-maskers" - fully vaccinated people who want to keep wearing masks, even in settings where it's not required - lost trust in the <keyword id="6379474" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="cdc">CDC</keyword>'s recommendations after the agency told people not to wear masks at the start of the pandemic. So they're not changing their ways now.Some people who want to keep masking up are also concerned about endangering friends and family who aren't vaccine-eligible. Others worry that a bare face sends the message that they don't care about the people around them. Many of these ultra-maskers are considering making face coverings a permanent fixture in their lives, even after the pandemic is over."It will be a long time, if ever, before I won't have a stash of masks in my laptop bag or in my purse," Lenhoff said.<h2>Many 'ultra-maskers' have a hard time trusting the CDC</h2><div type="image" title="Walenski CDC US" height="2948" width="3980" msid="82881253" hostid="261"></div>Njeri Rutledge, a 50-year-old professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, attended a wedding just days after the CDC announced the new mask guidelines. Rutledge is fully vaccinated, but she kept her mask on the whole time, except when eating."I was the only person who walked in with a mask," she told Insider. "I felt very uncomfortable."She became even more frustrated, she said, when she saw maskless guests hugging and shaking hands."My husband kept trying to tell me, 'Well the CDC says it's OK,' but the problem is, I don't trust the CDC anymore," Rutledge said. "This is the same CDC who said, 'You don't need masks, save them for the doctors.' So they just don't have a lot of credibility to me."Several other ultra-maskers also told Insider that the CDC's initial flip-flopping on masks is the reason they aren't heeding the agency's advice now. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304407620303468?via%3Dihub">January study</a> found that requiring masks for public-facing US employees starting March 14 (instead of the patchwork of state mandates several weeks - or, in some cases, months - later) could have saved the lives of 34,000 people."They put people in a position where we were scrambling, sewing together underwear to make masks because they were all gone," Rutledge said.Before considering going maskless in public, she said, she's waiting until a larger share of the country is vaccinated - and her 11-year-old daughter can get a shot. As an African-American woman, Rutledge added, she's had to be extra careful, since the pandemic has disproportionately impacted communities of color. Black people have a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-race-ethnicity.html">nearly three times higher risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19</a> than white people in the US."The CDC and the politicians created an environment where everyone is responsible for their own behavior, their own safety," Rutledge said. "Well, if that's the case, then I'm going to choose to be as careful as possible."<h2>Some Americans still see masks as a sign of respect</h2><div type="image" title="mask black lives matter" height="2662" width="4001" msid="82881257" hostid="261"></div>For Leah Spingarn, a 25-year-old law student at Northeastern University, masks aren't just about safety - they're a statement of solidarity."I'm a young, healthy person with no pre-existing health conditions. I don't wear a mask because I'm worried I'm going to die," Spingarn told Insider. "But I'm very happy to wear one every day that it means someone feels a little more respected."Spingarn and others like her see masks as a sign of respect for immunocompromised people who either can't get vaccinated or for whom vaccines are less effective. Spingarn said that after watching her uncle suffer from ALS, she started to wonder why visitors at hospitals hadn't covered their faces before the pandemic. "Why aren't we wearing masks when we know we're around really, really sick people, and we know that there's a chance this could just make it better for someone else?" she said.Several ultra-maskers also cited the advantages of masks for people who often find themselves victims of harassment - including those who are nonbinary, transgender, and gender-nonconforming, or people with facial differences such as paralysis or a cleft lip. Mask mandates helped many of these individuals remain anonymous in society for the first time.Andrea Chin, a 32-year-old researcher in Seattle, said she feels safer behind a mask as an Asian-American woman."I've experienced neighbors and people in my community using racial slurs and threatening physical violence," she told Insider. "Wearing a mask makes me less nervous about someone spitting in my face, which did happen to me while living in California after the SARS epidemic."Spingarn is set to receive her second vaccine dose on Monday. Her university announced this week that by June, it will no longer require fully vaccinated students, faculty, or staff to wear masks indoors. But Spingarn said she plans to continue wearing a mask in the classroom, no matter what her peers do."You never know who's in the room," she said. "When you talk about COVID or you're making a decision about wearing a mask, you have no idea how that's hit the person next to you."<h2>Masks keep people safe from other seasonal viruses</h2><div type="image" title="plane flight masks" height="2656" width="3983" msid="82881262" hostid="261"></div>Like many people in the US, Tatyannah King knew several people who died of COVID-19. "The pandemic made me hyper-aware of mortality in a way that I didn't think twice about beforehand," King, a 25-year-old graduate student at Widener University, told Insider. "There are people I knew who have died not too long after contracting COVID, and yet they were around the same age as I am and just as physically healthy as I am."Even now that she's vaccinated, King is struggling to let her guard down."At first I was thinking, 'OK, we're finally starting to experience the end of this pandemic,'" she said. "But then when I see that people are still dying from it, even recently, it's a really tough pill to swallow."Plus, King added, she's gotten used to some of the benefits of mask-wearing - like not having to worry as much if people cough or sneeze next to her on airplanes."When the temperature checks and mask mandates went into place at the airport, I never saw a sick person on any of my flights," she said. She also plans to wear a mask at conferences in the future."At nearly every business conference I've been to, at least one person would already be sick and then somehow spread their cold to multiple people by the end of the conference," King said. "It's so common that it's almost a running joke at some conferences, like, 'Hey, don't forget to stock up on your Vitamin C or you're definitely going to get the flu.'"A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3591312/">2013 study</a> found that masks can reduce the number of viral influenza particles that people shed. Research has also shown that surgical masks reduce <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0843-2">transmission of other human coronaviruses</a>. Though the flu and cold are milder than COVID-19, King said, she'd happily wear a mask to avoid them."When I'm on flights from now on, until the day I die, I will be wearing a mask," King said, adding, "even if I look silly, I don't care - I just don't want to get sick."

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