Battling miracle boy deserves toy treat

12:10pm Thursday 20th November 2008

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JAMES Ponting was just 3lbs when he was born and given just four hours to live, and he has had to overcome a catalogue of health problems.

His fighting spirit is why mum Melissa, 24, of Greenhill Road, Cwmbran, is nominating him for our Christmas toy giveaway.

The youngster was born three months premature in November 2005 after his mother slipped and jarred her stomach.

Mrs Ponting said: “I went for a check-up because my blood pressure was low and doctors told me they’d have to deliver the baby there and then because of a placenta abruption.”

At birth, James had respiratory distress syndrome which meant his lungs weren’t working and also needed a blood transfusion.

Despite doctors giving him just hours to live, his condition stabilised and he was moved from Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital to the Royal Gwent in Newport.

His mother described him as “tiny and very fragile with a head the size of a peach and his leg the size of my little finger”.

James spent his first three months in hospital on a ventilator suffering from bradycardia - slowness of the heartbeat and pulse. The condition meant he would stop breathing and needed to be resuscitated regularly.

“Doctors told us we could lose him at any time and it was so distressing seeing him resuscitated all the time. But he amazed everyone with his strength and pulled through,” added Mrs Ponting.

His mother and father, Gareth, 26, finally took him home in January 2006.

But the effects of his difficult first few months still affect him. James’ stomach muscles are weak which means he vomits a lot of food back up, he suffers from chest pains and his heart can stop for seconds at a time.

His immune system is also weak which means he picks up lots of infections and he suffers from a cow's milk allergy so cannot eat dairy products and chocolate.

Mrs Ponting said: “He misses out a lot. Because of a hole in the heart, he can’t play football and we have to be careful with him swimming. He’d be ecstatic to get the toys and would have a big smile that we rarely see.”

The hole in his heart will eventually close up on its own and he takes one tablet a day that helps reduce acid in his stomach.

James attends St David’s Roman Catholic Nursery. He also lives with brother Jack, two.

Toys for special children

YOUR Argus has teamed up with toy firm Hasbro for our annual Christmas toy giveaway. We are looking for youngsters aged under 16 who deserve a boost. They may have done sterling work in their communities, been young carers looking after a loved-one or helped their families in the dark days after a tragedy. Perhaps they are battling illness or have beaten it against the odds. Tell us about them and why they should get a treat. Write to Christmas Toy Giveaway, Newsdesk, South Wales Argus, Cardiff Road, Maesglas, Newport, NP20 3QN, or e-mail sue.boyce@southwalesargus.co.uk . Please include your name, the name and age of the child you are nominating, whether they are a boy or a girl, your address and daytime telephone number. The winners will each receive a toy and be invited to a Christmas party with Santa at the Hasbro warehouse in Newport at 5pm on December 18. The deadline for entries is 5pm on December 8. Normal Argus rules apply.