Tori Roloff Talks Son Jackson's Injury On Disneyland Vacation
Little People, Big World star Tori Roloff and her husband, Zach Roloff, did not have the best time while on their family vacation to Disneyland.
On Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, Tori took to Instagram to vent about a rough day she and her husband had with their 20-month-old son Jackson. Sharing photos of her family at the "Happiest Place on Earth" — with Jackson wearing a Mickey Mouse ears hat and herself donning a Minnie Mouse ears headband — Tori began simply, "What a day."
She noted that, while their day had started off on a good note as they drove to Disneyland, things quickly "went south" when they joined the line for the Peter Pan ride. Tori explained that young Jackson is "prone to nursemaids elbow" — though whether or not the condition is the result of her son's dwarfism or is "just a Jackson thing," Tori's not sure.
"He was pulling away from me in line and it happened," she recalled. "I knew right away that we were in trouble and Jackson would need to see a doctor."
According to Mayo Clinic, nursemaid's elbow is a dislocated elbow, which can be caused when a child is "lifted or swung by their forearms" and it can cause "extreme" pain. It's reportedly important to seek medical attention quickly, as complications like fractures and pinched nerves can arise. Mayo Clinic notes that kids are more likely to experience a dislocated elbow since "young children's elbows are much more flexible than those of adults." Heredity can also be a factor.
After Jackson dislocated his shoulder, Tori admitted that she was "so bummed," adding, "Bummed because we had to leave my favorite place on earth before we got to do anything and bummed that my poor boy was in pain." Fortunately, she shared, "by the time a doctor saw him it had already been reduced and he was using his arm again." And soon enough, she and her family were able to return to Disneyland.
"It was a good reminder for myself. I tend to put a lot of excitement and expectations on Disney because it's such a special place to me," she told her Instagram followers. "But it was a good reminder that things don't always go according to plan and you have to roll with life. I am so thankful Jackson was such a champ today. He rallied harder than anyone and we were still able to enjoy moms favorite place! Love you Disney. Thanks for the magical day!"
Unfortunately, Jackson's Disneyland injury wasn't the first time the kiddo hurt his arm. In June 2018, Tori sought medical attention for her son after he "hurt his arm ... playing and trying to walk like one year olds do." Though Tori speculated at the time that Jackson might have had nursemaid's elbow, Jackson was "stuck in a splint" while they waited for doctors to determine just what had happened.
As noted by Us Weekly, both Jackson and his father, Zach, have achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism. Before giving birth, Tori had spoken out about her worry for her son after learning he'd be born with dwarfism. "I have the best resources at the palm of my hands and I was fortunate to have some background knowledge," she shared. "I can only imagine the fear of a parent who has no experience with dwarfism."
According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, people with achondroplasia "have abnormal bone growth that causes the following clinical symptoms: short stature with disproportionately short arms and legs, short fingers, a large head (macrocephaly) and specific facial features with a prominent forehead (frontal bossing) and mid-face hypoplasia."
Infants with dwarfism often have "weak muscle tone," or "hypotonia."
Zach's mother, Amy, also has achondroplasia. His father, who is also a "little person," has diastrophic dysplasia (via Heavy).
Tori and Zach, who married in July 2015, welcomed baby Jackson into the world in May 2017.
"We'll hope to just give him a healthy, happy life ... and support him in every way. Hopefully he can experience as much of the world as Tori and me have been able to and hopefully much more," Zach said about his son in a vlog shared by Little People, Big World network TLC after Jackson's birth. "He might have to take two steps for everyone else's one step, but hopefully we'll be able to raise him in a way where that won't stop him."
So far, it seems like nothing's getting in the way of baby Jackson living his best life.