Our clever, chatty, silly boy no longer speaks ... he is like a toddler
Funding plea for Tadhg left brain injured by flu
A YOUNG boy who suffered a devastating brain injury as a result of the flu is battling along with his family to get their lives back together.
Tadhg Devine-giles, 10, who grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand, is the son of Laura Devine who hails from Kilkee, Co Clare.
She left Ireland in 2009 after meeting her husband, New Zealander Greg Giles, and the couple now also have a two-year-old daughter called Teagan.
Tadhg suffered a 70-minute seizure brought on by Influenza A last September and has become a “completely different boy”.
The young rugby fan caught viral encephalitis from influenza A and as result of the seizure was aspirated and placed on a ventilator.
He was rushed to the intensive care unit and the children’s ward at Christchurch Hospital in the South Island, and transferred to Auckland in the North Island last November.
Before becoming so ill, Tadhg was a chatty boy who loved playing rugby, singing in a choir and doing all the normal activities a child does even having his own Youtube channel.
Now he no longer speaks and is cognitively impaired.
The brain injury he suffered has left him with memory loss, psychosis, catatonic episodes and altered mental status, his parents explained.
As well as personality changes, he requires assistance with daily living including toileting and eating.
And with no safety awareness, he can often hurt himself and others.
SUPPORT
The family are now faced with getting the right medical support and will have to move back home to Christchurch as his period in rehabilitation care has come to an end.
They are required to self-fund extensive modifications to their home with no guarantee they will get funding.
Laura said: “Though he has come some way and we are so grateful every day that he’s still with us, so much has changed.
“Our clever, chatty, silly, singing and fun-loving boy no longer speaks and is cognitively impaired.
“He is now so cognitively impaired he doesn’t comprehend very much.”
Laura said her son’s personality has changed, he gets startled by certain noises and drops to the floor.
He picks up any object in sight so any space needs to be cleared.
She added: “He doesn’t sit still, wandering around aimless, in his own head, in circles around the room but checking in with us as he passes.
“Tadhg needs constant supervision and support. He is like a toddler in many ways but can pull heavy furniture and items around.”
Since being in Auckland, Tadhg has had no outings or left the children’s rehabilitation facility at the Wilson Centre in Takapuna other than to go to Starship Hospital.
But now his parents have been informed his condition is not acute, and the hospital environment is not suitable for him. Greg and Laura are in parent accommodation at the Wilson Centre, while Teagan is cared for at a rental home throughout the day.
But, three weeks into what they thought would be a three-month stay, the family were told the centre was not the right fit, Tadhg was not yet cognitive for rehabilitation and was a safety risk. The facility sought to discharge him, but Laura said, “eventually, they had to take us back because we had nowhere to go”. She added: “Because this is an acquired brain injury [ from illness], there’s no support.
“We are in a horrendous situation with a gap in the New Zealand medical system to support our child.”
Greg has had to return to work remotely so the family can continue paying their mortgage in Christchurch, rent in Auckland, and cover carers for Teagan and Tadhg.
Laura added: “We are at a loss as to what to do and what steps to take next. We’ve got nowhere to go.”
Moving back home would require sedation for Tadhg and an emergency medical flight.
She added: “If we do go back to Christchurch, there’s no facility, we have to take him home to an environment we will find unliveable, and our daughter’s safety is a massive issue.
“We need the Canterbury District Health Board and Disability Support Services to work together to get us the support we need.” Irish groups in
New Zealand are trying to help. Organisations such as The Marist Rangers GAA Club, St Pats Emerald City GAA, Auckland Celtic Auckland Irish in New Zealand are to hold the Tadhg Giles Irish NZ Fundraiser.
Some of the items under the hammer include a signed Allblacks Jersey and Irish rugby top.
A fundraiser, which has so far has raised €33,500, has been set up at givealittle.co.nz.
We are so grateful... that he’s still with us, so much has changed
LAURA DEVINE-GILES ON SON TADGH’S CONDITION