EA TEF Awareness Month Is Here Again!
January is EA TEF Awareness Month. If you’re not sure what EA TEF Awareness Month is about, Different Dream is the right place to fill in your knowledge gap. The word “gap” was carefully chosen because EA TEF (short for Esophageal Atresia/Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula) is a birth anomaly caused by a gap in the esophagus and trachea of a newborn.
Different Dream makes a big deal about EA TEF Awareness Month because my son was born with the condition in 1982. During past awareness months, I’ve shared our story. Some of those posts will be featured during January. But for me, the most exciting part of this year’s awareness raising are the stories new guest bloggers who are parents of kids with EA TEF are sharing. Posts from bloggers like Matt Allen, whose son was born with with EA TEF just a month ago. Tips from moms of toddlers and young children. Their stories put flesh and bones and faces on the life-threatening medical condition that affects 1 in every 4000 newborns.
I hope you find EA TEF Awareness Month to be informative and encouraging. I hope it offers a peek into life for kids with EA TEF and their parents. Most of all, I hope that if you’re the parent of a child with EA TEF find this page. I hope you will leave a comment in the box below to introduce us to you and your child. And I hope you’ll find the support and encouragement you need to be the advocate your child needs.
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By Jolene
Jolene Philo is the author of the Different Dream series for parents of kids with special needs. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. She’s also the creator and host of the Different Dream website. Sharing Love Abundantly With Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and at Amazon.
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I am the mommy of an amazing 2 year old little boy who was born with tef/ea. TYPE C. I felt alone and depressed when my son was born, as i had never heard of tef and was not made aware by my doctors he would be born with this defect…We had a rough start but today he is thriving healthy and eats mostly everything.(except for grapes or hotdogs I Don’t dare ?)…if I had to do it all over again? I would! Our boy is the best gift from God!
Hello my name is Tonya from Los Angeles California. My daughter is 10 months old. Born with EA/TEF type a with VACTERL syndrome. She had her surgical repair at 3 months old we spent 171 days in the NICU she’s had 4 dilations. She is the perfect happy baby.