A NEWPORT tot who is unable to feed is still battling her condition as doctors attempt to fix her digestive system.

At nearly two years old Georgia Diamond, of Maesglas, has shown bravery beyond her years as she faces the ongoing problem of not being able to feed.

Born with Gastroschisis, a condition where a child has a small hole in the front of the abdomen through which some of the intestine is protruding, Georgia has had numerous operations to correct the dilated section of her gut.

In June Georgia underwent an operation at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where surgeons attempted to get her bowel working properly by narrowing it and fixing a Gastrostomy tube to replace the tube in her nose and fit a Jejunal tube to start her feeding.

A Gastrostomy feeding tube insertion is the placement of a feeding tube through the skin and the stomach wall, directly into the stomach; while a Jejunal feeding tube is a small feeding tube which is placed into the Jejunum (small intestine) so that you can have feed, fluid and medication without swallowing. It will provide a safe and long-term method of obtaining nutrition.

From birth Georgia was forced to make Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales her home, Georgia who has had numerous operations to correct the dilated section of her gut, has since been able to return home to her delighted family and mother Lisa James, 26.

Due to her condition, Georgia requires intravenous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) which means she is fed by a tube, as well as using omeprazole which reduces her stomach secretion, and will be for the rest of her life unless she undergoes a transplant. Doctors have told her that she must wait for two years until she is potentially able to have an intestine transplant at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, one of two hospitals in the world that provides this type of treatment.

But unfortunately the operation to fit the tubes in June was unsuccessful and mum Lisa James, 26 said they are ‘back to square one.’

“She is still not feeding so we are going back to Birmingham next week for tests to see why it didn’t work," she said.

“She is comfortable at hospital and still goes to Cardiff‘s Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales for check ups as well as going to Birmingham for surgery.”

Now Georgia is preparing herself for a second round of tests and surgery on August 26 at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she will have Contrast Surgery where doctors will take X-rays to see a more detailed look at her feeding tunnels. She will receive the results immediately and then go into theatre to try a second time to fit the Gastrostomy tube.

But mum Lisa remains positive and said that on the whole Georgia is doing really well.

“But she is doing well and will be starting playgroup at Flying Start in Duffryn in January,” she said.

“She is at home and she loves the hospital-every time she goes she seems to pick up more things.

“I think it is helping her to come on with her development as she is speaking loads.”