Baby discharged after 9 months at L.A. children’s hospital’s intensive care unit

After spending more than nine months in the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a toddler from Apple Valley was discharged earlier this month to cheers from medical staff.

Judea “Juju” Monogan, who was born prematurely at 27 weeks and weighed just 1.5 pounds at birth, was treated for severe infant chronic lung disease, also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

He arrived at CHLA on Sept. 4, 2024, after care at two other hospitals and left the facility on June 9 weighing 22.88 pounds

“We have lived in the NICCU with Juju,” said his mother, Irish. “To go from thinking you would not walk out of here with your son, to then doing just that – walking out of here with your son — it is an indescribable feeling.”

The CHLA team lined the hallway to send the Juju, his mother and his dad, Terrell, off to their next chapter.

Juju, now 14 months old, had never been home. His mother had not returned to their home in more than a year, staying nearby with help from the Ronald McDonald House.

Dr. Narayan Iyer, Juju’s neonatologist, said the boy needed highly specialized care when he arrived at CHLA; A specialty team managed his treatment throughout the extended stay.

“Juju was born very premature and when he came to CHLA, he suffered from severe lung disease and needed very specialized care that we provide in our NICCU,” Iyer said. “He has a lot of growth and development in front of him, but we fully expect him to play T-ball like every kid by the time he is five.”

Iyer credited the family’s constant presence at Juju’s bedside as a key part of his recovery. Juju will continue to receive outpatient care through CHLA’s Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program.

“His recovery in part was due to their presence for him, and I applaud them.”