‘Out of the Critical Zone'

After some setbacks, patient Londyn Robinson thrives at MWPH

June 10, 2025

Londyn Robinson is nearly 2 years old but has never lived anywhere but a hospital room. But now all that's changing. 

Grandmother Nayesa "Ganny" Walters has converted her home office in Upper Marlboro into a very special nursery.

Parents Kiera and Richard Robinson have been studying for weeks with Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital's (MWPH) education staff to learn how to manage her medical needs, including a feeding tube and a ventilator.

Born prematurely, Londyn began her medical journey at UM Capital Region Medical Center and later continued it at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where she stayed for almost a year.

So when Londyn arrived at MWPH nine months ago, the Robinsons were relieved. "We were waiting to come here," Kiera said. "Because we knew when she got here, we would be out of the critical zone. She's been critical for so long – more than half her life."

Although Londyn has had setbacks during her time at MWPH and returned for stints of acute care at the University of Maryland Medical Center, her parents said she has made great strides. Londyn uses a ventilator and a feeding tube. However, the toddler is spending some time off the ventilator, which is improving her mobility. She no longer uses Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), which delivers nutrients via the bloodstream. Now, Londyn can drink milk.

"Once we transitioned here, it's just more so trying to get her adjusted to some bit of normalcy," Kiera said. "It's been a long learning experience," Richard added. That normalcy was important. Kiera worried about how living in a busy acute care hospital would affect Londyn.

"She just would flinch anytime any medical hands would touch her," Kiera said. Kiera said the slower-paced environment of MWPH has helped Londyn open up more, making her noticeably happier and more at ease.

"So now, she's reaching for people, and she's smiling when she sees people," Kiera said. Kiera said the slower-paced environment of MWPH has helped Londyn open up more, making her noticeably happier and more at ease.

Recently, Londyn smiled as she watched intently from her crib while her parents were interviewed. "She's real nosy," Kiera said with a laugh.

Kiera and Richard said they appreciated the little touches at MWPH, like how Londyn had her own costume on Halloween. "There are playrooms and walking paths. We're able to get her out of the room. That is what encouraged us," Kiera said.

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"The one thing we can say, the moment we walked in here, we're like, we can breathe because it doesn't feel like a hospital setting," Kiera said. "You hear alarms, but it's less subtle in there. Londyn's around people now, where she was in a room by herself most of her life."

Kiera and Richard said a lot will change for Londyn when she arrives home in Prince George's County, but some things will remain, like her comfort toys. "It's part of her little history. We couldn't hold her a lot when she was first born," Kiera said.

A nurse at the University of Maryland recommended that Kiera keep a plush toy close to her for several hours and then put it in Londyn's crib. The thinking is that the baby will smell their mother and know that family is nearby. Londyn has a big collection of them, but her favorite is a white plush reindeer. "

"It encourages them to fight. So since then, she has never let them go," Kiera said.

Kiera and Richard were overjoyed on a recent Tuesday afternoon as Londyn left the MWPH amid a cheering section of nurses and hospital staff. But Londyn has many medical challenges ahead.

It's something Grandma Nayea kept in mind when putting together Londyn's new room. She purposely chose the first-floor bedroom for Londyn. Nayea arranged the space with care, ensuring easy access to all of Londyn's medical equipment. Nayea and Kiera focused on making the room both comfortable and practical, mainly because Londyn will have home nursing care.

Richard and Kiera have taken two weeks off from work to ease Londyn's transition, and Londyn will now be able to spend more time with her older sister, Europe.

They admit they are on "pins and needles" about the next few weeks, but her recent progress has given them so much hope.

"Just last week, she was off the ventilator for two, three hours; she's doing 12 hours now, so we don't know day by day with her," Kiera said.

Londyn will continue her treatment with MWPH's outpatient program.