Siblings thank doctors at Riley Children's Hospital after both recover from life-saving cranial surgery

INDIANAPOLIS — This November, a Hoosier family is thankful for the doctors who helped both of their kids not only recover from serious surgery, but thrive after.

Both brother and sister needed the same operation on their skull because of a birth defect called Craniosynostosis.

“So many people are like, 'That’s crazy, how did you feel?" and I'm like I don’t even remember,” Elisa Montalvo told WRTV.

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When you see the 8-year-old and her 5-year-old brother, Julian, you would have no clue what the young siblings have already been through.

“In 2016, we moved from Ecuador, Elisa was six months old, and very quickly after the first pediatric checkup they told us you need to see a neurosurgeon,” explained their dad Francisco. “Naturally, we were a little bit scared, we had no idea something was off.”

Three years later, news came again with Julian when an ultrasound confirmed he had a similar condition.

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“It was kind of an odd situation for us because we never thought we could have the same thing in both kids,” said their mother, Victoria.

The condition can cause the skull to grow abnormally, threatening the brain’s development.

“The brain is growing but because the seams have fused it, means there is not enough room for the brain in there, so we have to make some room,” explained Dr. Laurie Ackerman, a Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at Riley Children’s Hospital.

She was among the team who helped operate on both kids.

They both underwent life-saving surgery before they were just one years old and for Julian, the journey was even harder.

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“Julian underwent a couple of procedures, one of which was a little more complicated,” said Dr. Ackerman.

He had to have a second cranial reconstruction, and in February 2020, he had plates put in place, held in by screws.

His father Francisco spent months turning those screws a quarter turn each day.

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No matter the complications the conditions came with, Dr. Ackerman told WRTV they never overshadowed the future she and her team saw for the siblings.

Both kids are now thriving and both are bilingual.

Elisa is at the top of her class, plays tennis, and dreams of becoming a veterinarian. Julian loves to play basketball and wants to be like his dad when he grows up.

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“I want to be an engineer when I grow up,” Julian said. “Because I like fixing things."

Now, both are giving thanks to their team of doctors at Riley Children’s Hospital who helped save their lives.

“You can focus on having your kids and trying to have life go on as normal as possible because you’re in great hands,” said Francisco.

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“I’m very thankful for the doctors that helped me when I was little get through that stuff and I’m really thankful for my parents,” added Elisa.

According to the CDC, the condition Elisa and Julian were born with can be caused by genetics in some cases.

Researchers say one in every 2,500 babies is born with it in the U.S.