An EA/TEF update on families who told their stories in previous EA/TEF Awareness Months means a lot to our community. Today, busy mom and guest blogger, Kelly Simpson is back with an update on her son Oliver, whom readers met during EA/TEF Awareness Month, 2023. I hope you enjoy hearing about his progress in the past year as much as I did.

Oliver’s Story

• Normal ultrasounds and no issues caught or seen during pregnancy.
• Born at 39 weeks.
• C-section due to coning.
• Born unable to swallow: OBGYN and Oliver’s doctor on call decided to have Oliver transferred to Norton’s Children’s Hospital in Kentucky.
• Diagnosed with Tracheoesophageal Fistula (EA/TEF) Type C.
• EA/TEF repair two days after birth.
• 19-day stay in the NICU.

Life after the NICU:

• At 6 weeks Oliver started to have problems swallowing milk. His pediatrician suggested an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor. A swallow test confirmed narrowing of the esophagus. Esophageal dilation (stretching of the esophagus) at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and again at 12 weeks.
• At 6 weeks he was also diagnosed with tracheomalacia or floppy trachea, which leads to extra movement with crying, laughing, or coughing. Most kids sound like a goose, and cough is deep sounding like a bark.
• At 4 months, he was escorted to Norton’s Children for respiratory distress. He was placed in the ICU for a week with aid from a ventilator.
• At 6 months old, he had a second ICU stay for a week for respiratory distress, aid from a ventilator.
• At 10 months old, he had a 4-day ICU stay for respiratory distress.
• Received an airway clearance vest to help keep his airway clear.
• Age 3 included multiple cases of pneumonia
• Age 4 saw multiple cases of pneumonia

An EA/TEF update since last year’s story:

• Oliver is almost 5 years old.
• He is healthy and in the 98^th percentile for both weight and height. What a blessing!
• He has not needed an esophageal dilation since he was 12 weeks old.
• Eats and drinks normally with no restrictions.
• Does require a little extra water with meals just in case.
• Loves to run!
• Starts Kindergarten in the Fall!

What a wonderful EA/TEF update!