Meet Aaron.

When Aaron was born, he was rushed to emergency surgery after doctors realized that his esophagus was not connected to his stomach, therefore making it impossible to eat. During Aaron’s mom's pregnancy genetic testing was done and it was discovered that Aaron had a heart condition. With the heart condition and stomach issues, doctors at UCSF began to speculate that Aaron had CHARGE Syndrome and after doctors conducted more genetic testing, their theory was correct. It was also discovered that Aaron is profoundly deaf, meaning his only way of communication is through ASL. 

CHARGE Syndrome has affected Aaron’s everyday life but that has not stopped him from being a happy kid who loves Miss Rachel like most kids his age and enjoys wrestling with his brother. 

Aaron was just shy of a year old when he was referred to Coastal Kids by UCSF. After a lengthy back-and-forth stay in the hospital, Aaron’s mom was ready to be home with her family. Coastal Kids stepped in ready to help with two shift nurses to help ease the stress of caring for a child with medical complexities. Aaron’s mom says, “Coastal Kids has given us peace of mind and allows us to continue to have some sort of normal life outside of caring for a child with special needs. We still get to work, take care of our other child, and do errands, knowing that someone is here taking care of our baby.” She goes on to mention that “Coastal Kids has provided well-trained and caring nurses. We were most worried about finding a nurse who was comfortable with a tracheostomy and how to handle an emergency. Coastal Kids ensures that their nurses have great training, and it has made us feel very comfortable.”

Despite Aaron’s age and diagnosis, he has been a symbol of strength for his family. His joy no matter the situation has shown his parents that regardless of what the doctors say, Aaron does not limit himself, “He is still very happy and capable of anything” Aaron’s mom adds. Aaron, now two years old, loves to be outside following his older brother around, playing with his dogs, or watching ASL videos.

“Coastal Kids has given us peace of mind and allows us to continue to have some sort of normal life outside of caring for a child with special needs. We still get to work, take care of our other child, and do errands, knowing that someone is here taking care of our baby.”