“We can fix him.”

Our 10-year-old son Sam was always a skinny kid and a picky eater, never enough to cause serious concern. But gradually, things began to darken. Sometimes at family dinners, he would show a pained look, get up from the table and start pacing around. A few times he clutched his chest and began to panic — fear rising in the room — but just as quickly these moments would pass. Perhaps wanting to ignore the signs, my wife and I categorized these episodes as among the many kid behaviors that defy explanation. But once the daily vomiting started, I hauled Sam to our pediatrician. Sam’s accelerating weight loss was substantial enough to merit a barium swallow X-ray study, “just in case” there were abnormalities in his swallowing function. We can fix him, she said. Come see us. I remember that moment vividly — the radiologist gently maneuvering Sam in front of the machine, collecting images, then flashing the bad news to me through a worried glance. Something was very wrong. A terrifying journey was about to begin. Sam was diagnosed with achalasia, a neurological disorder of the esophagus that essentially causes it to stop working. The squeezing motion of the esophagus that pushes food toward your stomach gradually shuts down, permanently. So does the opening and closing motion of the muscular gateway to the stomach that allows food in and keeps stomach acid out. With achalasia, that gateway eventually slams shut, leading to complete blockage of the esophagus. Sam’s dia...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our Patients’ Stories achalasia Aerodigestive Program Dr. Rachel Rosen Dr. Sam Nurko Source Type: news