Little People, Big World: Zach Roloff’s Latest Medical Emergency (And His Other Health Issues Explained)

Little People, Big World’s Zach Roloff recently underwent an emergency surgery to address a health issue he’s been struggling with for a while. Zach has been a big part of Little People, Big World since the show premiered in 2006. As one of the children of Matt and Amy Roloff, fans have watched Zach grow into a family man, getting married to his wife Tori and birthing three children: Jackson, 5, Lilah, 3 and Josiah, 10 months. However, just a few days before the premiere of Little People, Big World season 25, Zach was hospitalized after undergoing emergency surgery.

Apart from his marriage and relationship with his parents, Zach’s unceasing health issues have been a significant part of Little People, Big World. Zach was born with achondroplasia — the most common form of dwarfism and has been facing health challenges ever since he was a child. Sadly, multiple health issues accompany being a dwarf, and Zach once joked that surgery has become a routine for his family. Nonetheless, Zach has once again found himself dealing with another health scare, and his recent emergency procedure, which left the fan favorite bedridden, has gotten fans concerned about his health.

Zach Had Brain Surgery For A Shunt Revision

On February 9, 2024, Tori took to Instagram to provide an update about the health of her husband, Zach. The Little People, Big World star shared pictures of herself with Zach in a hospital room with the caption, “Not exactly how we saw our week going. Zachary had emergency shunt revision this morning. It’s been a scary 72 hours, but he is doing well and recovering.” Tori then thanked the fans for their prayers and support before praising the hospital’s medical team and Zach’s mom, Amy, for holding down the fort.

Zach’s emergency shunt surgery is medically described as the process of having a hollow tube surgically placed in the brain (or occasionally in the spine) to help drain cerebrospinal fluid and redirect it to another location in the body where it can be reabsorbed,” (via John Hopkins). Although the news of Zach’s surgery shocked most Little People, Big World fans, Tori had announced the procedure a day earlier in a since-deleted Instagram story where she explained she and Zach were nervous about the procedure. Nonetheless, fans will see Zach prepare for the surgery when Little People, Big World season 25 premieres.

Zach Suffered From Terrible Migraines

Although Zach’s shunt revision medical procedure happened quite recently, the Little People, Big World star first spoke about having terrible migraines in June 2017 during Little People, Big World season 17, episode 6. During the episode, Zach revealed he had been sick and secretly battling headaches and nausea. According to Zach, the symptoms had been happening for many months before he told his family about it. In the episode, Zach noted, “I don’t really talk about it because there’s already so much happening. Something’s wrong here. I don’t know what it is, but it’s something.”

At the time, Zach admitted the symptoms were so bad he felt like he would die. Zach’s concerns were very much shared by his parents, Matt and Amy, who both predicted the symptoms might be due to a shunt that was implanted in his head to help him drain fluid as a baby. Although Matt and Amy were concerned the shunt’s failure might lead to his demise and advised he had it checked, Zach downplayed their efforts, noting he didn’t want to worry his wife, Tori, saying, “Tori has already gone through enough. I don’t want to frighten her.”

He Was Diagnosed With Degenerative Disc Disease

Little People, Big World’s Zach Roloff looking serious and in a hospital bedCustom Image by César García
Zach has been battling several medical issues for most of his Little People, Big World stint. In 2019, during Little People, Big World season 19, episode 9, Zach complained about feeling a lot of pain in his back and legs. Speaking to the cameras, Zach explained, “There’s like a tightness to my thighs; there’s a weakness in my knees. Something’s not going right.” Zach, who couldn’t understand what possibly might’ve caused the syndrome, explained that for one second, he felt fine but would then be “paralyzed for a minute” immediately after (via Hollywood Gossip).

Due to the concerning symptoms, Zach made an appointment to see a doctor and was told to get an MRI, which Tori explained was scary because she couldn’t help him and didn’t understand what was causing the issue. Nonetheless, Tori and Zach soon learned his prognosis, which doctors revealed to be a multilevel degenerative disc disease causing spinal stenosis. Tori didn’t take the news well, noting, “I am scared. That’s the worst-case scenario in my head for him to have surgery,” after it was revealed Zach would have to undergo major surgery to address the issue.

Zach Had A Leg Straightening Procedure As A Child

After learning that his newborn son Jackson would have the same form of dwarfism he was born with, Zach explained he was well aware of the risks that come with the condition. Zach’s life has been filled with one medical issue and another, including undergoing leg straightening as a child. While speaking to Tori about what he went through, Zach explained, “I had to have leg straightening, so I had two casts on. Then I had to go back into surgery sophomore year of high school, they added screws to the leg.”

Meanwhile, Zach revealed he wasn’t the type to wish dwarfism on his child due to all the struggles involved. But he also wouldn’t wish his child was average height since “average-height [people] have issues, too” (via InTouch). Meanwhile, the couple’s second child, Lilah, has also been revealed to be born with dwarfism. After the health struggles Zach has gone through and the diagnosis of his kids, it looks like the Little People, Big World star and his wife Tori will have a tough time ahead. Nonetheless, the couple will have the support of the Little People, Big World fans.