Little People, Big World star Matt Roloff has had quite the medical journey throughout the series. He’s opened up about his struggles with addiction, navigated his divorce from Amy Roloff, and started a new life with his fiancé Caryn Chandler. Matt and Amy’s divorce has changed the Roloff family dynamic. Both Matt and Amy have begun dating new people, adding new people to the mix. Matt and his son Zach Roloff got into a major dispute over who would take over the Roloff Farms, ending with Zach and his family moving away to Battleground, Washington.
Matt has dealt with several medical issues on Little People, Big World. During an April episode of Little People, Big World season 25, Matt and Caryn opened up about his most recent health scare that shook the Roloff family. After going for a regular checkup, Matt had to undergo surgery, which he was not prepared for. Matt has a rare form of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia, which has contributed to his health problems. Matt has dealt with many medical problems before and during Little People, Big World.
What Happened With Matt Roloff’s Health In Little People, Big World Season 25?
He Had Another Surgery During The Season
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During Little People, Big World season 25, Matt had to have surgery to widen his esophagus. In 2023, Matt went for a routine doctor’s visit. At the appointment, Matt had to have an endoscopy to look at this esophagus. The procedure was scheduled because Matt was feeling like his esophagus would open and close. When doctors began the endoscopy, they found that Matt’s esophagus was too big for his body and that he would have to undergo another surgery. The doctors immediately notified Caryn as they thought they had perforated Matt’s esophagus.
Matt recalled the experience during Little People, Big World, stating, “I remember everyone being panicked. There was panic in the room.” While Matt has dwarfism, the doctors found that his esophagus was the same size as an average esophagus. This forced his esophagus to become kinked. “So [the doctor] said yours is longer than your body can handle, so it’s pushed to the side,” Caryn told Matt in a confessional moment, adding, “Poor little esophagus all crammed in there and kinked over.” Nonetheless, the doctors were able to stretch out Matt’s esophagus during surgery.
Since Matt’s most recent health scare, he seems to be doing much better. At the time, Matt took to Instagram to share that he was doing okay and only had to “take a few days off.” However, his post also revealed that he would need “more work to be done” in the future. It’s unclear if Matt has undergone further treatment for his esophageal problem since his 2023 surgery.
Matt Roloff Has Had So Many Operations
He Spent A Lot Of His Childhood In The Hospital
Matt has undergone several surgeries throughout his lifetime. On an episode of the podcast Reality Life with Kate Casey, Matt revealed that he had 15 corrective surgeries during his childhood. He spent a total of 700 days in the hospital as a child. Most of his surgeries throughout this time were on his limbs. Matt still uses crutches to walk and is unable to stand up straight. Because of changes in medicine, someone who was born with diastrophic dysplasia today would not have to go through as many corrective surgeries as Matt did.
“ I had a rough childhood. Not from a family perspective but just from orthopedic surgery, spending long periods — sometimes months — in a hospital with very limited access to your parents ,” he said. “ It was just the way they did it back in those days and going through some very painful operations. So I do think all of that sort of built up a muscle of resiliency and gave me a sense of can-do and tenacity .”
In 2016, Matt revealed on Little People, Big World that he could face paralysis if he did not have the required surgery. “This is serious business. I knew I was going to need surgery soon,” he said on the show. “Turns out, I can’t wait — it’s like walking around like a time bomb. I mean, even the slightest mistake can leave me paralyzed, so it’s pretty scary.” Thankfully, Matt’s neck surgery was successful.
Matt Roloff’s Form of Dwarfism Typically Means Health Problems
He Has One Of The Rarests Forms Of Dwarfism
Matt has diastrophic dysplasia, a rare form of dwarfism. According to John Hopkins Medicine, diastrophic dysplasia is a genetic disorder that affects cartilage, which alters bone growth and height. It is an autosomal recessive disorder, meaning that those diagnosed with it have an abnormal gene from both parents. This form of dwarfism can cause cervical instability, scoliosis, hip/knee flexion contractures, and hip/knee degenerative changes, among other symptoms. Matt’s mother, father, and sister were not born with diastrophic dysplasia, but his younger brother was.
Matt’s brother Sam was diagnosed with severe heart and lung problems right after he was born in 1964. His parents were unsure if they would be able to bring Sam home from the hospital, but they eventually did. Like Matt, Sam went through many medical procedures during his life. However, Sam tragically passed away in 1999 at 34 years old.
Do Amy & Zach Roloff Have The Same Form Of Dwarfism?
Amy & Zach Have A Different Form Of Dwarfism Than Matt
Amy and Zach have the same form of dwarfism, achondroplasia, which is one of the most common. Amy is the only person in her family who has had any form of dwarfism, but Zach is the only Roloff child to have dwarfism. His twin brother Jeremy, younger brother Jacob, and sister Molly are all average in height. Amy went through a lot of bullying during her adolescence, but her dwarfism did not require her to have any surgery. Zach has had several surgeries during his life and on Little People, Big World.
When Zach was an infant, he had a shunt placed in his brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid. In 2006, Zach experienced severe headaches and began vomiting. He was then hospitalized and had to have a three-hour-long surgery because of a fluid buildup due to a fault with his shunt. One year later, in 2007, Zach also had surgery on his knees to help alleviate pain. His legs were broken, and he had a rod placed in his legs to straighten them. Zach went through a near-death experience involving his shunt in recent years.
The Little People, Big World star had surgery to revise his shunt again in 2023. He began experiencing migraines and checked into a hospital. Zach and his wife Tori revealed on their podcast Raising Heights with Zach & Tori that he went into an “exploratory surgery” almost immediately. Doctors were able to find that Zach’s shunt had failed, and they began “manually draining the fluid” from his brain. They were able to replace the shunt, and Zach has been doing much better since.
Matt and the rest of the Roloff family have been through a lot on Little People, Big World. Their reality TV show has educated viewers on dwarfism and shed light on their family dynamics throughout the year. While Matt has had several health scares, it’s great that he’s doing better following his most recent hospitalization.
