Dame Valerie Adams visited Kayshav is his isolation ward last week. While she was playing Lego with him, she asked him and his wonderful parents how he ended up at Kidz First. They told her he was rushed to Kidz First at 1am.
Describing his experience, he says, "I couldn’t breathe properly, my face was red, and I couldn’t talk properly."
It took three attempts for the doctors to stabilise Kayshav’s breathing, and he narrowly avoided the ICU - terrifying for his watching mother. Kayshav had experienced a Stage 3 asthma attack coupled with other respiratory issues.
On the day Dame Valerie visited Kayshav, he was still in isolation which meant we all had to gown and mask up. His breathing is better now no longer in Hospital, but he has been left with a chesty cough.
“It's not a good experience,” says Mum reflecting on the nightmarish ordeal. Dad had to drop them at the hospital and attend to their other two children, who were also feeling the absence of their mum and brother. “I’m scared, I’m setting timers to monitor Kayshav’s inhaler use and symptoms. When I get home with him, I have two other kids to split my mind, I don’t want to miss anything for Kayshav.”
Each time Kayshav gets sick, his wheezing and asthma symptoms flare up, a lifelong issue after getting sick as a baby. The family home is a 1950s house that is cold, damp, and constantly demanding cleaning to ward off mould. They installed a heat pump in the lounge, where the whole family now sleeps on mattresses on the floor to avoid falling ill during the cold months.
Mum is hugely grateful for the Kidz First staff and their manner, particularly the way they speak directly to Kayshav, always telling him what is happening and asking for consent before doing anything first, so he has an understanding of what is happening and is in control.
As we were about to leave Kayshav told us he feels safe at Kidz First. Our hope is that he will feel the same in his home.