Theo’s story – “We were blown away by the care we received on the intensive care unit.” 

This little star is Theo! He found his smile after receiving treatment at Sheffield Children’s at just two months old. 

Vicky, Theo’s mum, described the moment that she first saw Theo light up as he recovered from his tracheostomy, a procedure which involves making a hole in the front of the neck to support breathing. She said: “Just after he had his tracheostomy, we saw him smile for the first time, which was amazing. Just to have seen him grow since he had his procedure done has given me such warm feelings. We’re really proud of him and are just blown away by every new milestone that he hits.” 

Theo recently turned two years old. He loves to play, smile and is full of energy! 

Theo’s journey at Sheffield Children’s

The team at Sheffield Children’s first met Theo in February 2023 after he was born at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and spent time at Leeds Children’s Hospital. Theo was born with bilateral talipes, a correctable condition characterised by feet that turn inwards and under at birth, and a form of skeletal dysplasia, a condition which limits skeletal growth. Whilst these conditions were picked up during initial scans before he was born, consultants noticed that Theo was also having trouble breathing once he had been born via emergency c-section, separately from these existing conditions. This led to the ultimate decision to undergo a tracheostomy whilst receiving care at Sheffield Children’s. 

After being initially treated by the team Ward 1 at Sheffield Children’s, Theo and his family were moved to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) as preparations for the tracheostomy surgery began. The HDU is made up of nine beds, where staff members care for patients and families who require a high degree of medical support. This can include patients with respiratory conditions, like Theo. Theo then went on to spend time on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Sheffield Children’s, where patients receiving one-to-one nursing care. Both areas form part of the Paediatric Critical Care Unit (PCCU), which receives patients from across South Yorkshire and beyond. 

Vicky and Karl, Theo’s parents, were full of praise for the care that they received at Sheffield Children’s. 

Vicky said: “The staff were really warm and friendly, and we saw the same members of staff looking after him. The continuity was really important for us because we built up a relationship with these staff members. When we’ve been back in, members of staff that recognise him always say hello, and often end up looking after him whilst we’re here.” 

Karl added: “It’s the little things, they really paid attention to not only what Theo needed, but what we needed as a family, and that really helped us through this time.” 

When making the decision as to whether to undergo the tracheostomy surgery, Vicky and Karl were supported by a team of professionals who were able to share their expertise and allowed the pair to make an informed decision. Vicky said: “It’s a difficult decision to make as a parent, and the team did everything that they could to reassure us and explained everything. They explained what the tracheostomy was, and what the future would look like. We wanted to make sure that this was the right course for him and not just to stay on oxygen until the airway grew naturally. The day after he had it done, he started smiling – so you could see the instant worth.” 

Karl added: “He was so focused on his breathing before the tracheostomy that he couldn’t do anything else. Afterwards, he started to interact and that was great to see.” 

Clare Green, Lead Nurse on PCCU at Sheffield Children’s, said: “It was so lovely for the PCCU team to see Theo and his family again! It’s great to see Theo doing so well and really appreciate their kind words about the care that they received whilst they were with us.’ 

Staying at Treetops House

Whilst at Sheffield Children’s, Vicky and Karl stayed at Treetop House, ‘Home from Home’ run by The Sick Children’s Trust which provides families with a child being treated at Sheffield Children’s with a welcoming and supportive place to stay close to their child. It includes space for 13 families, with each room including a telephone which connects directly to wards across Sheffield Children’s.  

Vicky said: “We had a room in Treetop House, which was very helpful. I remember finding it difficult at first to leave Theo in the care of anyone other than myself, even for a very short time. Because of the consistency and becoming familiar with the staff members, I’d built up enough trust with staff in the relatively short time that we had been in that I felt able to have a much-needed break.”  

The Sick Children’s Trust provides a place to stay for a number of families across Sheffield Children’s. In addition to Treetop House, families can also access facilities at Magnolia House, which contains a further 11 family rooms. Ann Wyatt, House Manager at Treetop House, said: “We’re delighted to hear that Vicky and Karl were able to access our services during their stay at Sheffield Children’s. Having a room which is close to your child while they receive care at Sheffield Children’s can be incredibly important and we are very proud to provide this support to so many families.” 

Reuniting with the team

Almost two years on from the tracheostomy surgery, Vicky and Karl were given the opportunity to share their gratitude with the team at Sheffield Children’s. 

Vicky said: “We’ve not had chance to speak to the staff on PCCU since we were moved to Ward 1. We really wanted to thank them for the way that they looked after our family. Even when we had some troubling times, we felt confident to ask the staff members for help due to the relationship that we built.”