A NEWPORT youngster who battled meningitis is due to undergo an operation to fit a feeding tube in his stomach within the next three months after the disease has left him unable to swallow.

The Argus previously reported how Levi Trotter, one, of Bettws, was due to be seen by surgeons at the end of last month after he was struggling to swallow.

Following the appointment, Levi’s parents Amber Collins and Aly Trotter were asked to consider allowing Levi to undergo a gastrostomy which would see Levi have the feeding tube permanently fitted into his stomach.

Due to Levi’s condition, the youngster would be required to undergo full surgery as opposed to keyhole surgery but the parents have agreed it is what is best for their son.

Levi has been through some tough battles during the first year of his life. During the first few weeks he was fighting pneumococcal meningitis after he suddenly stopped breathing at his home.

Around five months later his parents then later discovered the disease had left him blind and deaf in one ear and then shortly after that Levi underwent a two hour operation to fit a permanent shunt to remove fluid from his brain.

The youngster, who is currently being fed through a tube in his nose, has been in and out of hospital throughout the year including last week when he spent a few days in the Royal Gwent Hospital. This was after he suffered an infection which led to him being put on antibiotics. He returned home on Monday.

Miss Collins said: "He’s home now and happy.

"We talked a lot about whether he should have the gastrostomy or not but decided that was what was best. It’s now just a case of waiting for a date to come through."