By Cory Jonak, Former Intern & Current Volunteer Throughout the course of our lives, we all will inevitably experience moments that have lasting impacts on us. While some of these moments are explicit and stand out, others can be more subtle and happen in an instant. However, no matter how small or big these moments,…
Thoughts from the International Conference on Ectodermal Dysplasias
In May I had the honor of representing the NFED at the 6th International Conference on Ectodermal Dysplasias. This conference was held in breathtaking Oslo, Norway on May 27-30. The sessions were both a wonderful opportunity to learn, and a way to network with experts on ectodermal dysplasias from around the world. There were 101 participants…
Ronan, Our Unborn "Celtic" Legend…What a Shock and a Joy!
By Dennis Claire, D.P.M., Father of Denny and soon to be Ronan Well before she was pregnant, my wife said, “If it’s a boy, he’ll be named Ronan.” Our first son, Denny, had a name which was predestined through generations of naming a son in the family Dennis. I didn’t want to break Irish tradition, and…
Growth and Nutrition for Children with Ectodermal Dysplasias
(This is an excerpt from A Family Guide to the Ectodermal Dysplasias Syndromes, published by the NFED.) Growth abnormalities are common in children with ectodermal dysplasias. Weight deficits are present at an early age and persist throughout adolescence. Height deficits are seen primarily in children with ectodermal dysplasias other than hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED). Parents…
My Smile – 23 Years in the Making – Part 3
By Jacob Moss This is part 3 of my dental implant story. Part two left off after I finished up my upper jaw bone graft. As previously stated, following the bone graft there was a period of about six months before it could be determined if the graft was successful. During that time I returned to…
Overwhelmed With Love and Belonging!
By Terri Andrews I was born in a little rural area in Alabama in 1959. Not much was known about ectodermal dysplasia nor the type of ectodermal dysplasias I was born with called ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting (EEC) syndrome. If I received any type of major treatment or surgery, I had to travel at least 100 miles, which was not…
The True Meaning In Life Is To Plant Trees, Under Whose Shade You Never Expect To Sit!
By Ashli Matus-George Allyson Kelso’s Aunt Founder, Rally for Ally When Ally was born on December 22, 2004 in Oxnard, CA, it was an exciting time. A new baby, Christmas for her three-year-old big sister, Morgan. My then fiancé, Tom, and I were recently engaged and planning a wedding, Kristin had a thriving career, and…
The Battle of Hair
By Terri Andrews When I was a little girl, my hair was slow to come in and grow. Once it did grow, it was so blonde it looked white and stuck up everywhere. It was hard to manage. My momma would put Vaseline on my hair just to try to lay it down. When I…