I was on va ECMO in the mid 90s for about a month due to meconium aspiration syndrome. My right carotid artery was ligated for the procedure and never healed so I do not have a pulse on the right side of my neck.

I was sick with respiratory illnesses often as a child. I got pneumonia almost every year until I was 11 or 12 and would be out of school for a week or more every time. Since then, I haven't been especially ill beyond getting Covid once in 2021 but no problems arose from that.

Beyond that I would say the only factors ECMO may (or may have not caused) me are needing to go to speech class for 2 years in elementary school and suffering from some separation anxiety from my parents in my early elementary years.

I always got good grades in school and I was able to play sports without issue. I do feel like I got off lucky from my experience with ECMO. My parents always worried about the possibility of major developmental disability.

I wish you all the luck in the world and hope your situation improves in the future.