Brave Teddy from Little Doves Play Barn fighting back after heart failure scare

Teddy Stead, who is three-years-old,was born fit and healthy.

But parents Melissa and Andy were horrified when he stopped breathing.

Teddy’s heart has started beating dramatically fast one morning so Melissa took him to Colchester General Hospital’s accident and emergency department.

He was checked and sent home but Melissa took Teddy back to the doctors the following day as he was still unwell.

Two days later, at about 3.30am, Teddy’s condition started to deteriorate.

Melissa said: “He was making funny noises, he was unconscious and was struggling to breathe.

“I called an ambulance and he was taken to Colchester General Hospital, they thought it was sepsis.

“He was getting tired trying to breath so they put him in an induced coma and he was transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

Teddy was in intensive care for seven days before being transferred on to a ward for a further five days.

He was transferred back to Colchester General Hospital for three days where his family were told he had enterovirus, pneumonia and heart failure.

Melissa said: “He is lucky to be here but he’s doing really well now.

“We took him to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London for a check-up and they were amazed at how well his heart had recovered.

“They said it was really bad luck, it was horrendous.

“We were just running on adrenaline.”

Teddy was unable to see his sister Lilly, six, for more than a week However, when he was ill at Addenbrookes Hospital, his family were able to stay nearby at Acorn House.

Melissa said Teddy had progressed well.

She added: “In hospital he couldn’t even hold up his head, but he was walking again after less than two weeks.

“He’s back to normal now.”

To thank Acorn House for accommodating the family, Teddy’s nursery, Little Doves Play Barn in Abberton, has been holding sponsored pyjama days to raise money for the charity.

The accommodation is supported by the Sick Children’s Trust.