IT was their worst fears realised.

The family of three-year-old Iyla Harvey were told by doctors she would not survive.

At that moment, their world stopped.

They were told if Iyla fell seriously ill again and need to be placed on a ventilator, doctors have been instructed not to resuscitate.

But Ilya had not read the script.

And when the moment came, she defied medical predictions and breathed for herself.

The trauma began when Ilya was in a critical condition with sepsis - a serious complication of septicaemia.

Doctors told her devoted parents Chloe Bradwell, 26, and Matt Harvey, 25, their daughter would not survive once they turned off the ventilator.

Ilya spent two weeks in intensive care at Addenbrooke’s Hospital where she miraculously defied medics and made a full recovery.

She then spent a further week at Colchester General Hospital before being allowed home to Clacton.

Miss Bradwell remembers the moment when her world came crashing down.

She said: “I just couldn’t breathe when they told me. I couldn’t take it in.

“When she was rushed to hospital, she stayed in resuscitation at Colchester General Hospital for six hours and once she was stable, was transferred to Addenbrooke’s.

“On top of the sepsis, she had kidney failure and extensive fluid on her lungs.

“Doctors gave her a couple of hours to live because they didn’t think there was anything more they could do and were going to remove her breathing tube.

“We christened her in the hospital with all our family and prepared for the worst.

“But when they took the breathing tube out, she carried on breathing for herself.”

Gazette:

Miracle child - Iyla Harvey

The first five months of Iyla’s life were spent in hospital due to the genetic disorder Wolf Hirschhorn Syndrome which causes disability and delayed growth.

Although she is three, Iyla’s behaviour is closer to that of a six-month-old.

She has hearing loss and is visually impaired but Miss Bradwell explained her eyes are reacting more to bright lights and colours.

It is thought Iyla contracted a bug via her Hickman line which was flushed to prevent blockages every week at home.

Emergency bloods and medication is transferred to Iyla through it as well as an infusion to support her low immune function.

Miss Bradwell said: “Within a few minutes of it been flushed, I knew something was seriously wrong.

“Iyla seemed to be in lots of pain, her whole body was blue and shaking and then she became unconscious.

“I’m used to her getting poorly but I was panicked from the colour of her skin.

“An ambulance arrived within a few minutes and before we’d got to hospital, she’d gone into respiratory arrest and wasn’t far off a cardiac arrest.”

Before leaving hospital Iyla’s health took a dramatic turnaround and her blood was normal again to her family’s relief.

Now the family is focussed on doing all they can to enrich her life, to make memories and value the life she has.

A psychic supper held in her honour at Burrs Hall in Great Clacton helped raise nearly £1,600 to support medical treatment.

It was organised by psychic medium Michelle James who is planning another for September 2.

Miss Bradwell’s priority is now on making the most of the time the family has left together.

“We want to do as much as we can because we don’t know how long she has left,” she admits.

“It’s really hard to voice but I know she’s not going to be here forever so we have to make the most of the time.

“Before Iyla fell ill, our fundraising was for physiotherapy. Eventually she will have surgery on her spine because she has quite bad scoliosis.

“Great Ormond Street Hospital has said she needs intense physio to strengthen her spine but she isn’t strong enough yet.

She added: “We took her to Centerparcs in Elveden Forest and for her fourth birthday in October we’d love to take her to Disneyland Paris.”

To follow Iyla’s progress, click here.