After an operation where the skin is opened there will always be a scar. This is just one part of getting to the problem that a patient is faced with. With esophageal atresia and or esophageal atresia with a tracheoesophageal fistula surgery is usually going to take place under one of the arms either in a straight line incision or a half moon shaped incision that follows the shape of the ribs . There is no other way to approach the birth defect and there can be other problems that can develop as a baby goes from infancy to child hood to adolesence into the teenage years and into adulthood. It is important for parents to keep an eye on the scars and also if the scars become irritating as the child grows. For girls as they develop breasts many of the girls will notice that one breast may be smaller than the other and one breast may be higher than the other. This is to be expected because the muscle that gives support to the breast has been cut to get to the esophagus and or esophagus and trachea to repair the problem. This can really weigh on a a girl if she is not made aware of this because she is the one who looks at her body all the time and may compare this to her sister, mother or friends and think she is ugly because of this. This has been an emotional problem for many girls when they think of marriage and dating. One of the questions I have always asked girls when they were older was can I ask you a personal question about your body and you don't have to answer if it is to personal. How do you feel about your body your scars and your breasts. Every girl said the same thing as well as some of the guys .. My body is so ugly and I don't even look at myself when I get undressed. Many older girls in there late teens and 20's were even afraid to date because they felt no one would or could love them because of their body scars. A young girl in her 20's was very open and frank with me about her body back in 1995. She was in mental and physical agony because of the scars all over her body and didn't know how to explain this to the man she was getting ready to marry She just knew that he wouldn't love her after they were married and felt she was betraying him by keeping this to herself. She decided she had to not only tell him before they were married but she had to show him her body of scars to let him know what he was going to have to look at every day the rest of his life if he married her. This girl just agonized over this and we both shed many fountains of tears over the phone. She would say to me I am so ugly that I can't even dress in front of a mirror and look at myself how can anyone else. She went on to tell me how she had told him she had to talk to him and explain to him that she has been keeping something hidden from him from her past and she had to tell him and show him what her past was and if he could except her the way she is before they get married. She went on that before she started to undress in front of him she just started shaking and crying and she said I have to show you something and he kept saying what are you doing this for. She was crying as she completely undressed in front of him with her head down and eyes closed with tears streaming down her face. He said to her, what are you trying to show me from your past and what have you been hiding. She said, look at my ugly body full of scars. That is what I wanted you to see before we get married. Can you look at this body and touch and love this scarred body and say you love me for me scars and all. She told me that he held her in his arms the rest of the day and he told her that his love for her was much deeper than the scars on her body and her physical appearance.

There is another physical problem with these scars besides the development of the breast in both boys and girls as well as one being higher than the other. Curvature of the spine called scoliosis has developed after surgery. Keep an eye on this. Have your child take their shirt off and stand straight. Then tell them to keep their legs straight and bend over to touch their toes and stay in that position. Look at the ridge of bones in the middle of the back and look to see if these bones are in a straight line down the back. If there is a curve to the line of bones they have scoliosis and you want to have your doctor evaluate this. Scoliosis can cause breathing problems and pressure on the heart in severe cases. Mild scoliosis is something that many of our kids have, but it is not a major problem that is debilitating to prevent them from leading a full and active life.

The scars on those having a gastrostomy for feeding or any ostomy site has made many girls and boys ashamed of their body and it has been very painful for them to deal with this. Many have been made fun of and starred at because it looks like they have two belly buttons and this has caused a lot of emotional pain to both children and adults. Our job as parents is to first of all be aware because most of us don't think about this because our only goal was to have our baby survive and many of us are proud of the scars on our children me included. Explain why the scars are there and this is what mothers and fathers all of the world have to do to save the life of their child. Let your child know that their scars are battle scars between their life and their death and to wear them proudly and that they fought the good fight and won by being able to go home with mommy and daddy. Tell your child that mommy and daddy were fighting next to you on the same side with the doctors to bring you home.

To help ease the itching, hardness and thickness of scars try putting vitamin E on them to help soften them up. Massage the area to help loosen the scar tissue also. This may take many years but many have said it was worth the effort and they had a better appreciation for their body. For any person to deal with their body it is a very personal time. Going swimming, bathing or showering with others can cause a lot of emotional pain and discomfort. Try and reassure them when they are ready and comfortable with their body you will be there for them.