Keara Engle,  —

Keara Engle is located in south-central Pennsylvania and has lived there her whole life. Keara is a single mother and has two little boys, Cayden and Kyree. Her oldest, Cayden, was born in February 2018 and was diagnosed with infantile-onset Pompe disease shortly after. He was the first baby in Pennsylvania diagnosed via newborn screening. She hopes that her column, “Powering Through Pompe,” will bring comfort to those that are also dealing with Pompe disease. She remembers how scary it was when her son was first diagnosed and wants to help guide others through their journey.

Articles by Keara Engle

I’m Anxious to Meet My Son’s New ENT Specialist

While my 4-year-old son, Cayden, is no stranger to specialists, it’s always a bit nerve-wracking to meet a new doctor. No matter how many doctors we see, I always worry that Cayden will be too much for them to take on, due to his infantile-onset Pompe disease. We…

Toddlers Can Experience Chronic Pain, Too

Recently, I reached out to some other moms in our Pompe family to ask about a concern I’ve had for a while. I’ve noticed my 4-year-old son, Cayden, is complaining of pain more than ever. It’s mainly in his legs, but I assume he gets aches and pains elsewhere.

Switching Therapists Has a Big Impact on Our Lives

My 4-year-old son, Cayden, has been receiving multiple therapies every week for years. He started physical therapy when he was an infant, then speech therapy, and eventually occupational therapy. All are important for those with infantile-onset Pompe disease, which Cayden was diagnosed with at just 1 month.

The Long Drive for My Son’s Nexviazyme Infusions Is Worth It

Recently, my 4-year-old son, Cayden, made the long-awaited change to Nexviazyme (avalglucosidase alfa) infusions, a new treatment option for Pompe disease. We have wanted to switch treatments for a while, but faced some insurance challenges that caused a delay. Nevertheless, we finally managed to get him switched, and…