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'I could just tell in his movements': Newborn's diagnosis came days after 'traumatic' birth

By Jo Abi|

A textbook pregnancy doesn't always lead to a good outcome. It should, but there can be other factors at play.

Sarah Wick, 46, from the NSW Central Coast, was pregnant with her first child and everything was going smoothly.

"I was referred to as a geriatric pregnancy," she tells 9Honey. At the time she was 36, but with her pregnancy came some extra checks and guidance by her midwife.

When her son was born, he was a big, healthy baby, 54 centimetres long and 4.1 kilograms.

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Sarah Wick with baby Isaac. (Supplied)

"I was over my due date. Ultimately my waters broke when I was four days overdue and I didn't get induced. I finally went into natural labour two-and-a-half days after my waters broke," Wick explains.

She and her partner Jamie Charlesworth, 45, named their newborn Isaac.??

Wick describes her birth experience as "traumatic" and stops short of explaining exactly what happened that day.

"His heart rate was dropping really dramatically during labour and when he came out he was blue and non-responsive," she says.

"They took him into the resuscitation room and discovered he had ingested meconium? [fecal matter]."

Isaac was transferred to RPA Hospital via NETS with his concerned parents following in a car behind.

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sarah and isaac cerebral palsy
"My waters broke when I was four days overdue." (Supplied)

"That happened about six hours after he was born, and that night they took immediate measures to cool his brain, which had suffered a lack of oxygen to the brain," Wick explains.

"He was placed in mind hyperthermia for 72 hours to protect his brain. That night, one of the doctors from the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) ?spoke to me at two in the morning and said they suspected Isaac had Cerebral Palsy, but they would have to check with an MRI. It is possible the brain damage led to the Cerebral Palsy.

"From there, we were warned there were going to be problems. Isaac as a baby was extremely quiet, he didn't really cry much, and I could just tell in his body and his arms and his movements.

"I was constantly looking for those milestones he really didn't meet. He was a good feeder and I was able to breastfeed, which was a major achievement for us."

?The family spent the next 12 months in the care of specialists at RPA before being referred to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) and transferred to the rehabilitation clinic at Sydney Children's Hospital in Westmead.

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Sarah Wick and Jamie Charlesworth with their son Isaac, now nine. (Supplied)

Today, Isaac is nine. He has no intellectual disability, but requires around-the-clock care due to his physical disabilities.

"He's very clever, very cheeky and very intelligent. He's toilet trained, thank goodness, that's one thing we managed to do but he is fully dependent on us.

"Jamie is so positive about science and stem cell research and we hope to find treatment for Isaac in the next 10 or 20 years. I know a lot of parents who have gone down the stem cell route with no real success so far, but that may change."

In the evening, Isaac sleeps in a hospital-style bed with rails on the side to prevent him falling out and a specialist pillow for his legs. He is a good sleeper, but needs to be checked frequently as he can't pull his covers up if he is cold.

"We still use a baby monitor so he can call out if he needs the toilet at night or is cold or needs a drink," Wick says. Isaac is also able to eat reasonably well.

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The parents are hopeful of new treatments for their son sometime in the future. (Supplied)

The family hasn't yet accessed carers via NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) funding, but Wick knows the time is coming.

"We do still lift him ourselves. We have a hoist but it's a time thing. They use it for him at school," she says.

"He's about 28 kilograms but he can put his arms around you and squeeze. He can stand a little if you hold him. It's still manageable ?but not for much longer.

"Mum and my stepdad looked after him this weekend and went home absolutely exhausted!"

?And Isaac is at an age where he wants a little independence.

"He wants to try things out like Scouts and he doesn't want Mum or Dad with him," she says.

"I want him to go and enjoy these things then come home and tell me all about them, but it really difficult."

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Wick is hoping her son can become involved in more activities outside of school. (Supplied)

Her son attends a mainstream private school that he loves and uses eye gaze technology to communicate.

The device, similar to an iPad allows him to communicate, do his school work, read, Skype, play music, watch Netflix, send emails, anything he likes.

"It opened up a whole new world for him," she says.

"Two weeks ago he started playing chess and has been going to chess club on Fridays at school, playing with one of the teachers, which is awesome.

"He's an old soul, he spent so much of his early years with adults in therapy and stuff, and I think he definitely missed out on a lot of imaginative play and all sorts of messing around kids do when they are toddlers."

?Wick is sharing her son's story for this month's Steptember, which raises funds for the CPA which supports families in Australia.

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Isaac, dressed here as Harry Potter for Book Week, is joining his family in the Steptember fundraiser. (Supplied)

"We are doing a minimum of 10,000 steps a day and the great thing is you can choose where your funds go," she says. "You can choose either research or therapies. I really like that aspect.

"And it's a really good, fun thing to do. Isaac gets so excited. He does his steps using his walker, swimming... he does have a FitBit," she continues. "It's a great way to get moving and to promote awareness."

Wick has found adults have been less accepting of her son than other children, and hopes this changes.

"Isaac is such a social boy, so happy and engaging," she says.

"I'm always very, very honest with him and I try and prepare him for what some real ratbags will say. I don't want to see that happen. He is such a kind-hearted boy . Imagining that happening one day really upsets me."

Support the family's fundraising efforts for Steptember by visiting their fundraising page.?

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