An EA/TEF Update: Oliver’s Story
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 98th 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!
By Kelly Simpson
Kelly has lived her whole life in Kentucky. She and her husband, Jeremy, have a four-year-old son, who, born during a deployment, was diagnosed with tracheoesophageal fistula. She has always felt a calling to serve others and is living the dream as an Army wife, middle school teacher, and now, as an encourager to those who are living a dream different than they had planned.
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