Little fighter: Lockdown helped to build up baby's immunity 

For Castlegregory-based parents Ruth O’Connell and Andrew Demery, the decision to go into full lockdown was easy when they thought about their baby

Picture: Stock image 

ONE-YEAR-OLD Cara Rose has Pallister-Killian Syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder – features can include hypotonic seizures, hearing and visual impairment, heart defects, intellectual disability, respiratory issues and limited/absent speech.

“Every case is individual. We don’t know how it’ll develop over time. All we can do is watch and wait and give her every opportunity. She does have a hole in her heart and is due to go for surgery. She’d be very vulnerable to the dangers of any respiratory infection, so we took an all-or-nothing stance. It wasn’t worth the risk, not for Cara Rose,” says Ruth, adding lockdown brought pluses.