Hospital doesn’t have to revive disabled boy

A HOSPITAL has been permitted by the High Court not to resuscitate a permanently disabled child if his condition acutely deteriorates to an extent requiring invasive treatment which will not improve his condition.

High Court president, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, ruled resuscitation of the six-year-old boy — profoundly disabled as a result of a near-drowning incident four years ago — would involve undue pain and suffering to him and merely prolong his life with no prospect of improvement.

The incident when the child was almost two years old resulted in prolonged cardiac arrest and extensive irreparable brain damage. He has severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and is also blind, incontinent and totally dependent with, doctors believe, no prospect of recovery.