Speaking of her disability, Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter Dannielynn had strabismus, causing an inward eye turn. She wore an eye patch but struggled with consistent use.
You must be aware of Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me. The documentary just hit Netflix. The best part about this show may feel like different things to different viewers. However, most can agree on the fact that the never-before-seen clips stand out as content that provides a fresh perspective on Anna‘s rise to fame. The entire doc is quite emotional, to say the least.
For those who are unfamiliar, Anna Nicole Smith was a massive name, particularly in the ’90s. Her prowess in modeling, acting, and TV cannot be understated. You might remember her from her iconic Playboy and Guess shoots. Oh, and she married J. Howard Marshall, this billionaire oil tycoon, before he passed away in ’95. Tragically, Anna Nicole Smith herself died at the young age of 39 due to a drug overdose, just five months after giving birth to her daughter, Dannielynn.
Speaking of Dannielynn, she’s not in the spotlight much in the new Netflix doc. But if you’re interested to learn more about her, including her disability, we’ve got you covered.
Previously, we touched on Anna’s money.
Dannielynn Birkhead: What Disability Did Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Have?
Can you believe she’s already 16? Time flies, doesn’t it? Dannielynn Birkhead was born on September 7, 2006, in Nassau, Bahamas. Initially, she had a different name—Dannielynn Hope Marshall Stern. Anna Nicole Smith announced the birth on her website and claimed that her lawyer, Howard K. Stern, was the father. But here’s the thing: Before Anna Nicole’s untimely demise, she texted Larry Birkhead, an entertainment photographer, and revealed that he was actually Dannielynn’s dad. Larry found out about the birth through Anna Nicole’s online announcement. His emotional rollercoaster is difficult to express in words.
It goes without saying, life can often be complicated and messy. Anyway, that’s the scoop on Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter.
Talking about her disability, she was diagnosed with strabismus — also known as hypertropia and crossed eyes. It’s a disorder where one of her eyes turns inward. Her father was familiar with this issue of hers from an early age. He subsequently took her to the doctor.
While it is not considered a full-fledged disability, strabismus is quite common among children. It affects about 5% of kids. In fact, it messes with their ability to align their eyes properly at the same time. To help Dannielynn, the doctors prescribed an eye patch for her to wear and fix the problem.
Larry was really proactive about making the eye patch a normal thing for her. He even got her a cool pirate doll to show her that wearing patches was okay. But, as Dannielynn got older and more aware, she would sometimes take off the patch, making it tough for Larry to keep up with consistent usage.
This pic made me ugly sob. Dannielynn Birkhead (the late Anna Nicole Smith's daughter) w/ her father Larry… she is so beautiful and her mother would be so proud of her. Her top is printed w/ photos of her mother's iconic Guess photo shoot! pic.twitter.com/cmwm7CB0vy
— Hunter's mom. (@PurpleTurtles33) May 8, 2023
Now, when it comes to fixing strabismus, surgery is an option, but Larry wasn’t too keen on it. You see, he had some personal experiences with loved ones going through medical procedures and, understandably, felt reluctant. He wanted to try everything else before even considering surgery as a last resort.
People speculated whether Anna Nicole Smith’s drug dependency during pregnancy might have affected Dannielynn’s condition. But Larry consulted with doctors, and they assured him that it was unlikely. You know, those medical folks said they didn’t fully understand what caused strabismus, but it was more likely to be genetic factors.
Despite all the challenges that came with her eye condition, Dannielynn received ongoing medical care, support, and loads of love from her dad. He was there for her every step of the way.