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Re-energizing a Brave One-Year-Old
The surgical experts at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital helped this baby hurdle a rare
disease so he could get back to far more important things, like playing with his big brother.
To Lana and Dani Hook of Toms
River, it seemed their second child,
Daniel, was behaving very differently
than his older brother, Andre, had at
the same age. At less than a year old,
Daniel was experiencing frequent bouts
of constipation, along with periods
withdrawal and irritation. Daniel’s
parents were also concerned
that he might have some
developmental issues in terms of
learning how to crawl and walk.
Daniel’s pediatrician therefore
referred him for further evaluation
to Saad Saad, M.D., chief of
Pediatric Surgery at K. Hovnanian
Children’s Hospital at Jersey
Shore University Medical Center.
Dr. Saad quickly determined that
the little boy was suffering from
Hirschsprung’s disease, a disorder
of the colon that occurs in only
about 1 out of every 5,000
births and impacts boys five
times more than girls.
An Obstacle to Health
"In many ways, receiving the
diagnosis was actually a relief,"
Lana says. "At least we knew
what was wrong and that there
was a hopeful outcome."
Dr. Saad explains the disease
accordingly: "Hirschsprung’s disease
occurs when some of the nerve
cells that are normally present in
the intestine do not form properly,
or fully, while a baby is developing
during pregnancy. As a result, stool
cannot move forward through that
portion of the digestive tract, causing
a full or partial blockage." The disease
usually shows up as worsening
constipation and is often accompanied
by a loss of appetite and delayed
growth. Left untreated, it can lead
to more serious problems.
"An operation to remove the
intestinal obstruction and the portion
of the intestine that doesn’t function
normally is often necessary to treat
Hirschsprung’s," continues Dr. Saad.
"This was true with Daniel." Dr. Saad
performed the operation in early
2006 and attached a colostomy bag so that Daniel would be able to excrete
waste while he healed. Once the
healing is complete, Dr. Saad goes
on to say, "a second surgery — often
called a ‘pull-through’ surgery —
essentially reconstructs the rectum and
restores bowel functioning," allowing
the removal of the colostomy bag.
Taking the Necessary Steps
"We were scared to have our baby
undergo surgery," Lana says, "but
Dr. Saad prepared us well, and the
team at Jersey Shore trained us for the challenges ahead. We had to learn
to deal with follow-up care and the
colostomy bag at home. The bag
irritated Daniel’s skin, and it also
made him very fussy!"
Still, Lana was very pleased with
the first surgery. "I was so impressed
with the doctors and nurses — they
are amazing. And when we
returned six months later for
the second surgery, they
remembered us. We felt like
part of their family. I had
nurses by my side all night."
As for the second procedure,
Lana admits, "I was both nervous
and excited, as it meant the end
of the colostomy bag. Daniel
was a champ — he wasn’t
afraid. We were in the hospital
for a week, including a stint
in the Intensive Care Unit.
The nurses made him feel very
comfortable and made us feel
very reassured as parents."
Sunnier Days Ahead
With Daniel’s rare condition
now expertly dealt with by his
team of specialists, Lana and
Dani can rest a lot easier.
"With a sick child," Lana
shares, "you get thrown into things and you have to learn fast.
Now that Daniel has had his final
surgery, we’re looking forward to
seeing him run around and play
with his older brother. This has been
a rough road, but we feel blessed.
We’re very grateful to the skill
of Dr. Saad and to the team at
K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital."
 – Ryan Younger
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