Zach and Tori Roloff’s newborn son, Josiah, has achondroplasia, the Little People, Big World stars exclusively tell Us Weekly. The couple opened up about their reason for going public with their son’s diagnosis — and why it’s important to remember that his condition is “not his identity.”
“He’s Josiah. He has achondroplasia, but he’s not, like, Josiah the achondroplasia,” Zach, 32, tells Us about the couple’s 3-week-old son, who was born on April 30. (Achondroplasia is the same form of dwarfism that the TLC star and the couple’s older children, Jackson, 5, and Lilah, 2, have, while Tori, 31, does not have dwarfism.)
“Just like I’m Tori, I have brown hair,” Tori adds. “I’m not a brunette — like, that’s not how I would classify myself.”
Dwarfism is so normalized in the Roloff family, the pair explains, because in addition to Zach and his children, his parents, Amy and Matt Roloff, also have achondroplasia. (Matt and Amy’s other kids — Zach’s twin brother Jeremy, their daughter Molly and third son Jacob — do not.)
“It’s so normal to us,” Tori tells Us, listing off the Roloff family members who have achondroplasia. “We have so many resources and there’s a lot of parents out there who don’t have the same resources and … don’t have the same confidence in everything that Zach and I do.”
The parents revealed that they will always use their platform to support people with dwarfism.
“We will definitely be advocates for people with dwarfism cause of our kids,” Zach says.
“Forever,” Tori adds.
The couple, who have been married since 2015, announced Josiah’s birth via Instagram earlier this month.
“Josiah Luke Roloff 🔵 was born April 30, 2022! He came about two weeks early but we were ready!” the Pennsylvania native gushed on social media. “Super happy for our family and the kids adore him already. Very proud of Tori as well, she has done incredible! ❤️.”
In her own post, Tori wrote, “The best early birthday present a mama could ask for! We love you sweet boy!”
Three weeks after their youngest child’s arrival, the reality stars are taking it easy with their new baby boy, whom they both agree is “chill.”
“Overall, he’s been the most straightforward, easy [baby],” Tori tells Us, noting that while he does cry, he’s also very tolerant of his older siblings “touching him and kissing him and … poking at him,” the couple reveals.
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Little People, Big World airs Tuesdays on TLC at 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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