Little miracles
SUCCESS STORIES TO SAVOUR FOR REGION’S PREMATURE BABIES EWAN LEIGHTON CHARLIE BOXALL
THEY came into the world early and had to fight for their lives – but look at these little miracles now.
The Royal Victoria Infirmary’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit cares for some of the most critically ill and premature babies from across the north.
And from treating the first baby to survive being born at 24 weeks 21 years ago, the Newcastle unit has seen its survival rates boom over the past few decades.
Doctors have seen the proportion of babies born at 23 weeks’ gestation almost triple – from 25% in 2006, to between 60% and 70% now.
These are the most premature babies, right on the “border of viability”, and for babies born at 24 weeks the survival rate in Newcastle jumps up to around 80%. Here we look at some of the North East’s inspiring premature babies.
Ewan battled back from the brink after being given a 50/50 chance of survival at his birth in November 2010.
On November 23 Ewan arrived, weighing just 1lb5oz. Being so premature, the youngster had a catalogue of health problems and was kept on a ventilator for seven weeks.
In his first few weeks of life he battled back from chronic lung disease, a brain hemorrhage and numerous infections.
Ewan finally came home on February 2 2011, weighing 5lb.
Now a lively little toddler, Charlie Boxall was brought into the world at 31 weeks, weighing just 2lbs 6oz, in January 2015.
His mum Anna suffered from eclampsia, a life-threatening condition for both mother and baby.
Although eclampsia results in fatality for one in 14 babies, Charlie survived and was delivered by emergency caesarean.
However, at just eight days old, little Charlie contracted necrotising enterocolitis, a deadly disease that destroys the bowel and kills 50% of babies who contract it.
Charlie needed lifesaving surgery at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where doctors were forced to remove 27cm of his bowel.