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Viagra lifeline for heart baby
07 December 2004
It is the subject of many a joke and is infamous for curing a more
embarrassing predicament. But for one Norfolk girl, the impotence
drug Viagra has been a lifeline.
Amelia Spall was so tiny when she was born 16 weeks prematurely that her father's wedding ring fitted on to the top of her arm.
Weighing in at a mere 1lb 5oz, Amelia has spent weeks at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital being helped with heart and lung problems.
At one point her heart stopped and Amelia had to be flown to Guy's Hospital in London in an RAF rescue helicopter.
She has been tried on a cocktail of drugs and still has an oxygen ventilator.
Then in August doctors took a rare step and prescribed Viagra
to open up the tot's arteries and get her blood flowing.
Viagra is used to treat heart problems as well as impotence, but it is very rare for the drug to be administered to a baby.
But Amelia suffered pulmonary hypertension which could result in heart failure caused by pressure in her main artery.
And now her heart problems have stopped.
She celebrated her first birthday in October and parents Nicola and Kevin, of Hellesdon, near Norwich, said the drug had turned her into a different child.
"It's really difficult to put my finger on what it is, but it seemed as if she changed quite suddenly," said Mrs Spall.
"Whether that is a developmental thing I don't know, but whereas once she just used to sit in her bouncy chair she has definitely become more active, alert and interested in things.
She said it was a surprise when doctors first mentioned prescribing Viagra, also known as Sildenafil.
"We knew what it was famously used for, but it has also been used for heart problems for a long time, which we didn't know although it's rare for babies to be prescribed it.
"Amelia has been prescribed a lot of drugs and it was a shock when Viagra was first mentioned. But doctors know best and we trusted then. Without it she probably would still be ill in hospital. But now her heart is back to normal, which is great."
Amelia takes the drug four times a day crushed in water and is expected to continue with it for a few more years.
She still needs oxygen for a chronic lung disorder, but is expected to make a full recovery.
Doctors hope she will be able to come off the oxygen and have a happy and normal life.
"When Amelia was really ill things were awful," said Mrs Spall, 30. "It is horrible seeing your child like that, but she is a changed baby now, she seems very happy and we owe a lot of that to Viagra."
Kevin and Nicola Spall are raising money for the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital premature baby unit where Amelia spent the first few weeks of her life.
If you would like to help them in their effort to support the unit, donations can be sent to: Trudy Burgess, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UY.
Cheques should be made payable to Norwich Children's Fund.
Bliss is a national charity that gives support to parents with premature babies. It can be contacted on 0207 820 9471 or found at www.bliss.org.uk source :-http://new.edp24.co.uk
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