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Baby who stopped breathing saved after doctors refrigerated him

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New born baby.(Photo: Getty Images/Gallo)
New born baby.(Photo: Getty Images/Gallo)

Six-month-old Simon Meanwell was born healthy at Peterborough Hospital but stopped breathing suddenly Simon’s dad told Mirror News.

“He was absolutely fine when he was born but then he stopped breathing,” James said.

Quick-thinking paramedics

Doctors then rushed the little boy, from Lincolnshire, England, to a special neonatal clinic in an attempt to save his life.

While in the ambulance, quick-thinking paramedics wrapped Simon in a 4-degree cooling blanket that helped lower his temperature – the equivalent of being refrigerated, Daily Mail reports.

“The vehicle is basically an NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) in the back of an ambulance.

“As soon as they resuscitated him they started what they call a cooling process, which lasts for 72 hours,” the dad said.

New treatment

The relatively new treatment was designed to cool the body temperature of babies down to prevent them from having seizures and developing a disability, reports Eastern Daily Press.

The newborn had to remain in hospital for a further two weeks before he was allowed to go home with his doting parents.

“He has a ridiculous number of medical appointments; it works out to around one every three days including nurses coming to see him at home and things.



“He's doing very well though, but we don't know what will happen, it all depends on how he develops,” James said.

James and his wife Helen Meanwell are now speaking out about their son’s traumatic ordeal to raise funds for the facility and team of doctors who saved Simon’s life.

“We’re in no doubt that had a special paediatric ambulance not been available as promptly as it was, Simon's future would be looking very different to what it does now.”

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, mirror.co.uk, edp24.co.uk

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