Specialist treatment makes it a happy birthday for Oscar

LITTLE Oscar Calvert has celebrated his first birthday by drinking for the first time without the aid of a tube.

He recently underwent successful treatment in Austria to help take him off feeding tubes.

Oscar, the son of Andrew (37) and Chantil (36), of Kimberworth, was born by Caesarian section at the Jessop Wing in Sheffield in January last year but just an hour later he stopped breathing.

The battling baby, who was feared to be severely disabled, deaf, blind and unaware of the outside world, proved the doctors wrong, though — he can see and hear and is a happy little boy who is aware of the world around him.

But until recently, although he would eat solid food, he was dependent on drinking through a nasal gastric tube.

After hearing about a clinic in Graz, Austria, which specialises in weaning children off these tubes, the Calverts began fund-raising and were successful in reaching what Andrew described as their “dream target” of £25,000 — enough to cover the £15,000 treatment costs as well as travel and accommodation.

Oscar now drinks specially thickened fluid from a spoon or a cup.

He celebrated his first birthday last week with a small party for family and friends.