Moms always know best, but no matter how much they do for their little ones, there will always be people ready to judge their decisions. Brooke Atkins, a 33-year-old stay-at-home mom from the Gold Coast, faced harsh criticism after sharing her baby’s journey on TikTok. Strangers online called her a “monster” for choosing to have her son, Kingsley, undergo laser treatments for a port-wine stain birthmark on his face.
When Kingsley was born, Brooke noticed a large port-wine stain covering half of his face. While these marks are typically harmless, they can be linked to serious conditions like glaucoma and Sturge-Weber Syndrome, which Kingsley was diagnosed with. Brooke explained that these stains can darken and worsen over time, causing potential health issues, so she and her husband decided to treat it with laser therapy to prevent further damage.
Despite the medical reasons behind their decision, many online trolls accused Brooke of choosing the treatment for cosmetic reasons, with comments like, “That birthmark is barely visible, what you’re doing to him is horrible.” Others called her a “brainwashed mother” and said she was “making her kid insecure.” These hurtful remarks broke Brooke’s heart, even though she knew she was doing what was best for her son’s health.
Thankfully, for every negative comment, there were hundreds of supportive messages from others who understood the situation. Brooke wished people understood that the decision was about Kingsley’s health, not appearance. “The last six months have been incredibly hard for us, and reading these comments hurt,” she said.
Despite the criticism, Brooke remains a loving and devoted mother, and Kingsley is “the happiest, most loving boy you’ll ever meet.”
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