INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) – An Indiana family is feeling extra thankful this holiday season for the doctors who helped both of their kids not only recover from serious surgery but thrive afterward.
Elisa Montalvo, 8, and her 5-year-old brother, Julian Montalvo, both needed the same operation on their skulls because of a birth defect called craniosynostosis, which can cause the skull to grow abnormally.
“People are like, ‘That’s crazy. How did you feel?’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t even remember,‘” Elisa said.
The family moved from Ecuador in 2016 when Elisa was 6 months old. Doctors soon told the little girl’s parents that she needed to see a neurosurgeon.
“Naturally, we were a little bit scared. We had no idea something was off,” father Francisco Montalvo said.
Three years later, the same news came again with Julian.
“It was kind of an odd situation for us because we never thought we could have the same thing in both kids,” mother Victoria Montalvo said.
Because the condition threatens the brain’s development, both siblings had to undergo surgery when they were less than 1 year old. Julian’s journey was even harder than his sister’s, as he needed multiple procedures.
“The brain is growing, but because the seams have fused, it means there is not enough room for the brain in there. So, we have to make some room,” said Dr. Laurie Ackerman, a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
No matter the complications the siblings’ condition came with, Ackerman says they never overshadowed the future she and her team saw for them.
“We see down the road kids who are doing well, having a great life, happy parents, going to school, doing normal things,” she said.
Both Elisa and Julian are now thriving. Elisa is at the top of her class, plays tennis and dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Julian loves to play basketball and wants to be like his dad when he grows up.
“I want to be an engineer when I grow up because I really like fixing things,” Julian said.
Ahead of the holidays, the family is giving thanks to the doctors who helped save the siblings’ lives.
“I’m very thankful for the doctors that helped me when I was little get through that stuff, and I’m really thankful for my parents,” Elisa said.
Researchers say one in every 2,500 babies is born with craniosynostosis in the United States. The condition can be caused by genetics in some cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
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