A Scotsman who made medical history by being the world’s first baby to undergo pioneering treatment has now tested positive for the coronavirus.
In 2018, Noah Connell had a metal “scaffolding” inserted into his tiny face in hopes of moving his jaw to multiple places to make him breathe due to his rare disease.
The boy from Robroyston, Glasgow, was born with an underdeveloped jaw, a small neck, supple airways, a cleft palate and part of the spine missing.
His condition makes eating and breathing difficult for the toddler.
(Image: Supplied)
His family faces new fears after Noah, now 4, tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Petrified” mother Jade Gordon told The Record that Noah is now kept away from his friends at the Kelburn Park Nursery as he battles the deadly virus.
Jade, 22, has also contracted the virus and is isolating herself with her partner Kieran and Noah.
She said: “On Sunday morning we did a test and it came back positive.
“He didn’t feel sick or anything, but we did the tests regularly.
“We were quite upset and distraught when we saw that he had tested positive, we didn’t really know what to do.
“My GP just said that the three of us need to be on the protection list and the nursery is missing.
“It was brought out and mixed up again that he caught some nasty bugs and now Covid too.
Noah suffers from hemifacial microsomia – when the lower half of one side of the face is underdeveloped and not developing normally.
He also suffers from Pierre Robin syndrome, a congenital disease of facial abnormalities that causes feeding and breathing problems.
When he was born, his condition was so severe that he could not eat or drink because it blocked his airways.
Even being sick or swallowing your own saliva could have been fatal.
(Image: Jade Gordon / SWNS.com)
The revolutionary “scaffolding surgery†allowed the youngster to lead a more normal life.
Jade said Noah appeared to be dealing with the virus but that they would be watching him closely.
She said: “He’s fine, he has a runny nose, he sneezed and coughed a bit.
“But he’s her usual little self, he’s on his YouTube and doesn’t act drastically different.
“However, we remain vigilant and are monitoring him closely.”
Jade said the young family struggled with the lockdown, especially when the virus first emerged.
(Image: daily recording)
“(Lockdown) was worrying, obviously we were petrified at first because there was so much unknown about the virus and what would happen.
“We didn’t know how Noah would be affected and you hear about more and more different varieties. It can be terrifying.
“I think this Delta strain is more transferable to kids, but they can get over it faster, so I hope and pray what Noah has.
“Everyone has been great in offering their support and helping us. “
Noah’s grandmother Anne Marie Connell tweeted star footballers and actors, including John Hartson and Martin Compston, asking for prayers for the toddler.
She wrote: “Hi everyone, Noah has tested positive for Covid, can you all say a little prayer for him and keep him in your thoughts, thanks for thanking my little man you got this.”
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