BiographyElias has been given the nickname “womb warrior” as he defeated multiple odds before birth. Elias was born 5 weeks early as a tiny 4lb healthy boy.
It was at 5 weeks when he started displaying respiratory distress, he was getting worse every day and his tummy sucked in with every breath. He developed stridor, was grey in colour and at 7 weeks showed signs of respiratory failure. He was intubated and rushed to ICU at the children’s hospital where he spent a few weeks.
At 8 weeks he was diagnosed with a sub-glottic haemangioma (strawberry birthmark in his windpipe), which is an extremely rare condition.
Luckily it was diagnosed when it was and was treatable, he was prescribed propanolol to shrink it. Elias had to have this 3 times daily for 12 months. Due to possible side effects his blood sugars and blood pressure were checked multiple times daily. He was such a good boy and smiled throughout.
Elias was such a tiny 5lb baby, he spent 12 weeks in the children’s hospital. His first smile and first giggle happened there. Elias had been too unwell to feed so he had an NG for feeds until he was 8 months old. Elias had to learn how to bottle feed.
We noticed that Elias wasn’t meeting milestones. He didn’t sit unaided until 12 months, didn’t walk until 20 months, didn’t clap or wave until 20 months and is currently 27 months and yet to say something. He was diagnosed with global development delay and put on the autism pathway at 20 months. Elias also has an eating disorder called extreme sensory avoidance disorder.
But Elias was, is and always will be my “womb warrior”. He has a constant smile on his face and is such a happy little boy.
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