'Miracle' child returns home after toxic reaction to antibiotics
Her parents were warned that she would not survive after suffering a toxic reaction to antibiotics she was given for a high temperature.
Five-year-old Lydia Lal,from was put on a life support machine after penicillin triggered an extremely rare illness which caused severe burns to her liver, kidneys and lungs as well as horrific blisters which caused her skin to come off.
But the brave youngster has now returned home after a three month hospital stay and her proud parents say she is their 'little miracle'.
The youngster had been struck down by Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome, known as TENS, that affects less than one in a million people in the UK.
The disease causes the top layers of skin to detach from the lower layers all over the body, and can lead to multiple-organ failure.
Doctors had told her parents to prepare for the worst, but when Lydia was eventually diagnosed with TENS, and after treatment at three different hospitals, she started to regain her strength.
Lydia, who has six older brothers, still needs feeding through a tube, and has to stay out of the sun at all times, but doctors are hopeful she will eventually make a full recovery.
Mum Asha, 44, from Coseley said: "Lydia just didn't look like herself, it was horrible. Her skin was falling off and to start with they couldn't even bandage her.
"Everything was burning and blistering, inside and out. It was just the worst experience of our lives."
The family's ordeal began in May this year when Lydia had a high temperature and a GP prescribed her with antibiotics which contained penicillin.
Her parents were unaware that Lydia would react negatively to the penicillin, although Asha did mention that she was allergic to it herself.
Later that night, the youngster was still seriously ill and was taken to Russells Hall Hospital near the family's home, but medics were baffled by her condition.
Her neck and throat were blistering and her temperature was dangerously high.
Eventually poor Lydia was transferred to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, in Stoke, where a doctor diagnosed TENS and told the family how rare it was. He said that Lydia's chances of survival were extremely low. She was later transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Her mother added: "They told me she wouldn't survive and she was put on a life support machine. Three doses of the penicillin overnight very nearly killed my daughter.
"It started on a Saturday and by the time she was taken to a third hospital on the following Thursday doctors were saying she wasn't going to make it through the night.
"I never lost my faith throughout. At times that is all we had left.We prayed so much, and phoned all the local churches to get them to pray for Lydia too.It didn't matter what they were telling me, I wasn't going home without my daughter.
"She is a little miracle. She was in hospital for three months and still has to be fed through a tube and that will carry on until next year. Also, she isn't allowed out in sunlight so even during the winter we're going to have to dress her up in a sun hat and put factor 50 sun cream on her.
"But there was a risk she would lose her sight and would not be able to walk again and that hasn't happened, so we just pray she will eventually totally recover."
Last night the youngster featured in the first episode of Children's Hospital: The Chaplains, on BBC2, which follows the chaplains working at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Devout Christian Asha, a former sales director, and her husband Amit, 37, were supported by the chaplain, Kathryn Darby, who has worked at the hospital for eight years.
Asha added: "Kathryn was my tower of strength, Lydia would look forward to seeing Kathryn, she would recognise her voice that would sooth and comfort her."
Mum-of-two Kathryn speaks frankly about her job as a hospital chaplain throughout the 30 minute show, and reveals how it can affect her after hours.
Kathryn said: "I do find some days harder than others, but that's the cost of caring.
"You can't necessarily switch off easily at the end of the day but it helps to talk it through with others on the team.
"The children are so inspiring and they give their parents courage too. Everyone is pulling together because they want to make it work. There are good positive vibes around.
"Lydia was really quite critical but her mum was incredibly strong."
