A NEWPORT couple are demanding answers after their baby son was left with brain damage.

Casey Hard was born on November 9 last year but it wasn’t until January 24 this year that his parents Nahella and Anthony, of Jamaica Grove, Coedkernew, found out he had brain damage.

Mrs Hard says she had been classed as ‘high-risk’ due to her previous pregnancy with eight-year-old daughter Reagan.

She had suffered from preeclampsia and a placental abruption which led to her giving birth by emergency Caesarean and left both her and her daughter fighting for their lives.

Mrs Hard also suffers from a bowel disorder, therefore she was wary when she fell pregnant with Casey and says she asked to give birth by Caesarean section.

But Mrs Hard says consultants and doctors took a different view and opposed a Caesarean right up until two days before Casey’s birth when Mrs Hard saw a consultant at the Royal Gwent Hospital.

She says the hospital then carried out a full cervical sweep. Mrs Hard suspects that this might have started her labour, though she was not due until November 16.

She claims the consultant told her she would be booked in for a Caesarean section.

But Mrs Hard was suffering pains and went back into hospital on the afternoon of November 8.

Despite yet more pleas for a caesarean straight away, she claims no action was taken and, at 1am on the Wednesday morning, Mrs Hard gave birth to Casey in what Mrs Hard says was a traumatic natural birth.

She said: “It felt like they just had to wrench him out.”

When Casey was born, Mr and Mrs Hard say he was very white and had a very weak cry “like a kitten”.

He was also having tremors and had a weak right side and his right hand was bigger than his left.

After some tests, including an X-ray on his right hand, the family were allowed home on November 11 and were told Casey would be seen at a follow-up appointment in four to six weeks.

But Casey was screaming constantly, prompting the family to take him to the hospital’s accident and emergency department on December 27.

This led to Casey undergoing an MRI scan on January 18, and the parents were told the devastating news on January 24.

Casey has brain damage to his right cerebral hemisphere and his left frontal lobe.

Doctors said this was due to a lack of oxygen and blood supply at birth.

Doctors have said he will be disabled mentally and physically but the parents will have to wait to see how Casey is affected as he gets older.

Mr Hard, who has also had to deal with another blow after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour eight days after Casey’s birth which he is due to have removed next month, said: “When I found out we were having a boy I was looking forward to taking him to football and things like that.

“Now all I’m hoping for is that he will be able to walk and talk.”

Mrs Hard added: “In all my scans he was perfectly healthy.

“We truly believe if I’d had the Caesarean, he would be ok.

“We are so lucky to have him but this could have been avoided.”

Mr and Mrs Hard have placed a formal complaint with the Aneurin Bevan Health Board about what happened within the past few weeks.

Board investigates

AN ANEURIN Bevan Health Board spokesman said: “The details of this case are currently being investigated as part of our formal complaints procedure.

“As soon as a response has been formulated it will be shared with Casey’s family and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”