Sunderland mum describes heartbreak of watching her two newborn children fight for their lives in intensive care

A Sunderland mum who watched both her newborn children fighting for their lives has set up a support group to help other families.
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Carley Yoxall watched on as both her son and daughter, Kaiden and Aliyah Liddle, were hooked up to life-saving machines following complications when they were born.

At her 20 week scan, the pregnant mum and dad Daniel Liddle were told their daughter had just a 50% chance of survival after doctors discovered a congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

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Three years earlier, Carley and Daniel watched as their son be supported by hospital machines in intensive care after being diagnosed with meconium aspiration syndrome – which is caused when a baby has inhaled ‘tar-like' stool and amniotic fluid into their lungs before or during labour.

Top left: Kaiden and Aliyah Liddle with mum Carley Yoxall. Bottom left: Kaiden and baby Aliyah. Right: Aliyah as a newborn in intensive care.Top left: Kaiden and Aliyah Liddle with mum Carley Yoxall. Bottom left: Kaiden and baby Aliyah. Right: Aliyah as a newborn in intensive care.
Top left: Kaiden and Aliyah Liddle with mum Carley Yoxall. Bottom left: Kaiden and baby Aliyah. Right: Aliyah as a newborn in intensive care.

Kaiden was in the intensive care unit for five weeks.

The 25-year-old mum, of Plains Farm, said: "When I had my daughter, I wasn’t expecting anything like that to even happen. I just thought someone can’t be that unlucky twice.

"At the 20 weeks scan I was just excited really to find out if we were having a girl or a boy. But they realised she had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia which had a 50% survival rate and they asked us if we wanted to continue with the pregnancy – obviously we did.”

Aliyah was born at the Royal Victoria Infirmary but was transferred to a hospital in Leicester for around 10 days where her tiny body was supported by the life-saving ECMO machine.

Mum Carley pictured with AliyahMum Carley pictured with Aliyah
Mum Carley pictured with Aliyah
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But when she was receiving the treatment her blood clotted and Aliyah suffered a stroke.

"We were told she wouldn’t be able to talk or walk,” said Carley, who works as a carer. “It was a really scary time but Aliyah and Kaiden have come on so well. She’s defied doctors.”

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Now seven-year-old Kaiden and four-year-old Aliyah are fit and healthy but the haunting memory of their struggle when they came into the world has urged Carley to set up a support group.

Carley, pictured with son Kaiden, set up the support group after watching both her children in intensive careCarley, pictured with son Kaiden, set up the support group after watching both her children in intensive care
Carley, pictured with son Kaiden, set up the support group after watching both her children in intensive care

“After what happened with Kaiden seven year ago I never thought I would ever have to experience anything like that again, little did I know three years later I would with a second child,” she said.“I’ve never got over what happened mentally and feel there is little to no support for families that go through this. I’m hoping by creating this group that people no longer feel like they are alone.

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"I have lost count of the amount of times I have been sent to counselling and felt no further forward yet after speaking to families that have been through it too – and can understand and empathise with you – I feel like it makes all the difference."

The mum-of-two set up a Children’s Intensive Care Family Support and the private group already has more than 80 members.

Aliyah pictured as a babyAliyah pictured as a baby
Aliyah pictured as a baby

"I thought this could be a place where everyone could talk to each other and help each other out,” Carley added.

"As a parent you’re just running on adrenaline, it doesn’t really hit you until you get them home.

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"It’s such a difficult time and unless it’s happened to you it’s hard to understand."

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