Josiah's birth defect?

[HarleyQuinn]

Does anyone know what exactly it was? I remember Michelle saying he had a minor one, but then never said what it was. I saw a post floating around Tumblr that said the medical records were sealed on it, and I was just curious if anyone knew?

 

And yes, I know it's none of our business, but I'm just curious.

[LaLele]

Total speculation, but when someone says a minor birth defect corrected with surgery at 6 months, my guess is cleft palate. He doesn't look to have a cleft lip repair scar, but you don't have to have a cleft lip to have a cleft palate

[HOTW]

It could have been anything there are a lot of defects that are repairable, but since he went to a plastic surgeon acccording to their book it could be one of many. Having as many kids as she has cleft palate or hypospadias are high on my list of suspects of possible issues

[PennySycamore]

Total speculation, but when someone says a minor birth defect corrected with surgery at 6 months, my guess is cleft palate. He doesn't look to have a cleft lip repair scar, but you don't have to have a cleft lip to have a cleft palate

Cleft lips are apparently almost unheard of anymore due to better prenatal nutrition, but not so cleft palates although they may be less common that they were before. Both conditions interfere with the baby's ability to feed. Even if you bottle-feed, you will probably need a special nipple and, if you breastfeed, then you'll almost certainly need the help of a knowledgable lactation consultant.

[nachtmusik]

I was born with a 'hole in the heart' (in my case, VSD or a ventricular septal defect). Things like that are apparently considered minor. I was held in the hospital for 6 weeks after I was born and it was gone. Maybe he had something like that? Or maybe even jaundice. Would J'Chelle refer to that as a minor birth defect? I believe I've heard described that way before, but I was also born with it (I had a lot of health issues as a child, heh) and I think they just called it an illness, not a defect.

[lagenialester]

Could have been a hemangioma. They're vascular tumors (strawberry birthmarks) that tend to grow until a kid is about a year old and then they shrink until they are anywhere from about 5-10 years old. My daughter has one. Recently they've discovered a medication that helps slow growth, but when he was born surgical removal would have been the most likely option.

[Jana814]

I always wondered what his birth defect was also. I wonder if orgionaly she was suppose to have a homebith w/ him cause she had homebirth's the previous 2 before him and then didn't because of the birth defect.

[PennySycamore]

I was born with a 'hole in the heart' (in my case, VSD or a ventricular septal defect). Things like that are apparently considered minor. I was held in the hospital for 6 weeks after I was born and it was gone. Maybe he had something like that? Or maybe even jaundice. Would J'Chelle refer to that as a minor birth defect? I believe I've heard described that way before, but I was also born with it (I had a lot of health issues as a child, heh) and I think they just called it an illness, not a defect.

My premie daughter has a VSD which was repaired when she was maybe 2 weeks old or about 4 months before her due date. AFAIK, the repair was NOT considered minor surgery, but then she was so premature. At least the docs knew enough by then that they understood that premies that age did feel pain and so the baby would need anesthesia. She was so premature that she did not even have breast buds yet. Another mom whose premie had undergone the same surgery worried whether the scar would affect breast development. It wouldn't have because the scar was more midline and the surgeon knew what he was doing. Neither of our daughters lived long enough to worry about breasts, though.

I can see J'chelle minimizing the surgery if Josiah did have VSD.

[singsingsing]

Could have been a hemangioma. They're vascular tumors (strawberry birthmarks) that tend to grow until a kid is about a year old and then they shrink until they are anywhere from about 5-10 years old. My daughter has one. Recently they've discovered a medication that helps slow growth, but when he was born surgical removal would have been the most likely option.

I had one of those and it never fully went away. I still have it, it's just really small and the same colour as the rest of my skin. I never knew they could be bad enough to require surgery.

[DefrauderDaughter]

If Michelle knew he would have a birth defect before he was born, and since I'm about 99% sure they didn't get diagnostic testing other than an ultrasound done, the list of birth defects he could have had that were detectable is narrowed down Occulta, which is a very mild form of spina bifida. It can be harmless, and we wouldn't have noticed it just by watching the show, Gastroschisis, which is when a portion of the intestines protrude through the stomach of the infant, next to the belly button. It's corrected with surgery but can cause problems with absorption of food and digestion problems, but again, we would likely not notice or hear about that. VSD is my best guess though, and it's more common than Occulta or Gastroschisis.

[HarleyQuinn]

But why would she mention it then not say what it is? If it was just "minor" what's the big deal?

[shedemei]

Maybe it was worth mentioning in context, but she wanted to protect his privacy?

[gustava]

Maybe it was worth mentioning in context, but she wanted to protect his privacy?

"Privacy" and "Duggar" are contradiction in terms.

[lagenialester]

I had one of those and it never fully went away. I still have it, it's just really small and the same colour as the rest of my skin. I never knew they could be bad enough to require surgery.

Oh yeah, they definitely can! It's a fairly common birthmark with a wide spectrum of severity. (Even some internal ones, especially on the liver) My daughter's is on her nasal tip, underneath the skin but still visible. Even with medication it is still separating her nasal tissue, causing permanent damage that will need to be repaired after the growth stops.

Lots of people have the relatively harmless ones! That's why I wouldn't be surprised if he had something similar to yours. If they're not on the face or internal, a lot of doctors will recommend the "wait and see" method, using medication or surgery if it causes unexpected issues.

(PS: My daughter also has a PDA, a different kind of heart condition. I would not EVER classify that as a minor birth defect, even though it is as far as congenital heart defects are concerned.)

[nana sew dear]

A friend's son had extra digits right below his thumbs. They were removed when he was only a couple weeks old.

[Wenny]

Hernia?

[gustava]

Not being snarky. What determines a "birth defect"? Anything other than absolute perfection?

[16strong]

A friend of mine growing up was born with club foot. That's another option.

Personally, I don't think it was a big deal, even if they do hide it. If Josiah could grow up and survive ALERT camp, I'd say he's pretty damn healthy.

[txmommyof4]

He could have had a tail, an extra nipple, lots of things, really.

I always wonder (no, I am not speculating this was his issue) what would they do if they had a baby with both male and female genitals? In their oh so gender rigid world I can imagine their heads exploding!

[Trynn]

I think Josiah was born with an extra head.

Eta: whoops, forgot I wasn't in the start your own rumor thread.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Hernia or descended testicle was my thought--didn't know the plastic surgeon part.

[HarleyQuinn]

He could have had a tail, an extra nipple, lots of things, really.

I always wonder (no, I am not speculating this was his issue) what would they do if they had a baby with both male and female genitals? In their oh so gender rigid world I can imagine their heads exploding!

I figure it can't be something on his head/face since he got it fixed at 6 months, and that picture in my avatar he looks much younger than 6 months.

But it's funny you mention the genitals thing, that's actually what the post I was reading that initially got me thinking was about. That's what they were speculating happened.

[Jana814]

A friend of mine growing up was born with club foot. That's another option.

Personally, I don't think it was a big deal, even if they do hide it. If Josiah could grow up and survive ALERT camp, I'd say he's pretty damn healthy.

Got that right!

[Feberin]

Hernia or descended testicle was my thought--didn't know the plastic surgeon part.

I always heard rumors that it was a undescended testicle. It would explain why they don't talk about what actually happened but just call it a birth defect. Also haven't we seen pictures of baby Josiah at different points on the show plus that family picture freejosiah has as an avatar. I know at one point Michelle listed all her birth experiences and they showed pictures of that child as a baby. So have to think it's nothing on his head or face.

[txmommyof4]

I figure it can't be something on his head/face since he got it fixed at 6 months, and that picture in my avatar he looks much younger than 6 months.

But it's funny you mention the genitals thing, that's actually what the post I was reading that initially got me thinking was about. That's what they were speculating happened.

Alright, i have to admit, I did wonder a bit if that could have been his issue, as well, I was just afraid too straight out say it. Whatever it was I feel like it's something she is ashamed of or she would tell. I can just see her bragging about god's special little miracle with the heart defect and how god and god alone healed her baby (the surgeons were just a vessel of his healing powers). However, if it's something that could make you question that strict line between man and woman it would have to be quietly swept under the rug.