As you might be aware, RISA recently learned of the plight of a Tasmanian family who’s battle to find effective management of their 3 1/2 year old’s health issues was getting them no where. Tasmania has no paediatric gastroenterologists and this case is complex because it involves not only gastro issues but significant, repeated (and possibly related) respiratory issues.
Anthony was my third child and after having a difficult time with my 2 daughters, I felt confident and relaxed about the thought of having another child.
Little did I know what was to come. It wasn’t long before Anthony was struggling with his feeds. He would drink and then gag and splutter, but because he was born with a floppy larynx (laryngomalacia), I just figured that was the problem. He also breathed extremely rapidly and this was also put down to the same problem (a bronchoscopy ultimately confirmed this diagnosis).