How do I review my esophageal atresia after surgery?

       After esophageal atresia, the child can come to the hospital for a review once in 3-6 months, mainly to assess the child’s diet and development, by asking the parents the following questions: 1. Is there any recurrent vomiting?  2. Is there any recurrent cold and pneumonia?  3. Is there any weight gain? What is the increase?  4.Is there any supplemental food added? What is the status and progress of adding complementary foods?  Of course, some children who are growing exceptionally well and are not different from normal children, eating normally and adding complementary foods to keep up with their peers, may also delay the time to come for review, or come for review when the child has clinical symptoms such as recurrent choking and coughing, difficulty in swallowing, and recurrent vomiting.  When should I have an esophageal dilatation?  Children with esophageal strictures require an esophageal dilatation. In addition to asking the above questions, the objective criterion for determining esophageal stricture is the need to come to the hospital for an esophagogram, which is necessary before performing dilatation.  Therefore, the requirements for doing esophageal dilatation are to meet the following two points: 1. The presence of symptoms of esophageal stricture: such as recurrent choking, vomiting, recurrent pneumonia, low weight, difficulty swallowing and vomiting when adding a semi-liquid or normal diet; 2. Esophagogram, suggesting a significantly narrowed segment and a proximal dilated segment.  The procedure is as follows: 1.Esophagogram: can be done in the outpatient clinic, usually a day in advance appointment can be made, if the parents of children with inconvenient commute can contact me, I help to make an appointment in advance for the convenience of parents.  2.Children with clear esophageal stricture: make an appointment for hospitalization, explain precautions, and perform dilatation after routine preoperative preparation. Dilatation usually takes several times, once every half month to once a month, and usually takes about 6 – 12 times until the clinical symptoms disappear or improve significantly.