{"id":36502,"date":"2025-11-18T05:16:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T06:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=36502"},"modified":"2025-11-18T11:23:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T11:23:45","slug":"life-changing-surgery-means-boy-gets-first-sleepover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=36502","title":{"rendered":"Life-changing surgery means boy gets first sleepover"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-0 fYJjWP\">\n<div class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-1 jqWinX\">5 hours ago<\/p>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 fQbEOM dSGHyC kuBZLr\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" data-action=\"save\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 ejnpYO dWrhlh kycDtY\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-11 ljQVMv\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-7 byKoUE\">Beth Cruse,<\/span><span data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors-contributor-0-role-location\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-8 gTWlHk\">West of England<\/span><span class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-9 bTXCSY\"> and <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-7 byKoUE\">James Diamond,<\/span><span data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors-contributor-1-role-location\" class=\"sc-7bfdb3c2-8 gTWlHk\">West of England, Bath<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 fQbEOM dSGHyC kuBZLr\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" data-action=\"save\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-2 sc-28fdc07f-5 sc-28fdc07f-6 ejnpYO dWrhlh kycDtY\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-0 sjpOl\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-28fdc07f-1 fpFxhF\">Save<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gtLOOD\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/fc06ada0-c3ad-11f0-9282-295abedd69b8.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"BBC A boy with a genetic condition is wearing small black-framed glasses, a white polo-shirt and a black fleece. He is smiling at the camera while sitting on the lap of his mum who is wearing a pink jacket. She has grey hair and is also smiling. They are both sitting in a lounge on a beige sofa which has a light-brown fluffy blanket.\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\" \/><span class=\"sc-5340b511-2 jVqbAn\">BBC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The mum of a seven-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition says life-changing surgery means he is finally able to have his very first sleepover.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">William, from Bath in Somerset, has Treacher Collins syndrome which is a condition that affects the growth of a child&#8217;s skull and facial bones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">In May, he underwent an eight-hour surgery where doctors rebuilt his jaw using bone grafts from his ribs &#8211; allowing him to breathe, eat and swallow independently.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;Now he&#8217;s looking at his eighth birthday with his world opening up,&#8221; said William&#8217;s mum Kate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Kate <a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sounds\/play\/live\/bbc_radio_bristol\" class=\"sc-f9178328-0 iCaRzc\">told BBC Radio Bristol<\/a> that William has a &#8220;severe&#8221; case of Treacher Collins syndrome, which disrupted the development of his bones and caused his airways to be blocked.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;From birth he struggled to breathe and was given a tracheostomy at two-weeks-old,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">A tracheostomy is a procedure where a hole is made at the front of the neck and a tube is inserted through the opening.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;It is taken very seriously, he had to be with someone at all times who knew what to do in the event of an emergency,&#8221; Kate added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 gXrNRM\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-5340b511-1 cMIbKV\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/grey-placeholder-1.png\" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 gUePlo hide-when-no-script\" aria-label=\"image unavailable\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2b836bf0-c3b7-11f0-8b5b-6b842c57bf0d.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A boy with light-brown hair and black-rimmed glasses is leaning back on his beige sofa. He has a genetic condition and has a white plaster on his neck. He is wearing a white polo top and black fleece. He is clasping his hands together and smiling at the camera. Behind him is a grey and white toy penguin teddy. \" class=\"sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 dPVOKT\">\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">Surgeons at Bristol Children&#8217;s Hospital have successfully reversed the procedure, removing William&#8217;s breathing tube and taking a small part of bone from his ribs to create new jaw joints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;A frame was put into his lower jaw and we were turning these screws to try and artificially pull it forwards,&#8221; Kate said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">The surgery means William no longer needs to be constantly supervised by an adult who knows what to do if he stops breathing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;He&#8217;s desperate to go down water slides and he&#8217;s lined up his little besties to have sleepovers and to go on play dates,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-9a00e533-0 eZyhnA\">&#8220;On his first sleepover I think I won&#8217;t sleep a wink that whole night, it will be enormous but for all the right reasons.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 djqsWD\">\n<div class=\"sc-666b6d83-0 sc-c4fb5674-0 jYmMqa doYqeg\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-c4fb5674-2 bBuHEW\">More on this story<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-3b6b161a-0 djqsWD\">\n<div class=\"sc-666b6d83-0 sc-c4fb5674-0 jYmMqa kGPvxx\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-c4fb5674-2 bBuHEW\">Related Internet Links<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>5 hours agoShareSaveBeth Cruse,West of England and James Diamond,West of England, BathShareSaveBBCThe mum of a seven-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition says life-changing surgery means he is finally able to have his very first sleepover.William, from Bath in Somerset, has Treacher Collins syndrome which is a condition that affects the growth of a child&#8217;s skull and facial bones.In May, he underwent an eight-hour surgery where doctors rebuilt his jaw using bone grafts from his ribs &#8211; allowing him to breathe, eat and swallow independently.&#8221;Now he&#8217;s looking at his eighth birthday with his world opening up,&#8221; said William&#8217;s mum Kate.Kate told BBC Radio Bristol that William has a &#8220;severe&#8221; case of Treacher Collins syndrome, which disrupted the development of his bones and caused his airways to be blocked.&#8221;From birth he struggled to breathe and was given a tracheostomy at two-weeks-old,&#8221; she said.A tracheostomy is a procedure where a hole is made at the front of the neck and a tube is inserted through the opening.&#8221;It is taken very seriously, he had to be with someone at all times who knew what to do in the event of an emergency,&#8221; Kate added.Surgeons at Bristol Children&#8217;s Hospital have successfully reversed the procedure, removing William&#8217;s breathing tube and taking a small part of bone from his ribs to create new jaw joints.&#8221;A frame was put into his lower jaw and we were turning these screws to try and artificially pull it forwards,&#8221; Kate said.The surgery means William no longer needs to be constantly supervised by an adult who knows what to do if he stops breathing. &#8220;He&#8217;s desperate to go down water slides and he&#8217;s lined up his little besties to have sleepovers and to go on play dates,&#8221; she said.&#8221;On his first sleepover I think I won&#8217;t sleep a wink that whole night, it will be enormous but for all the right reasons.&#8221;More on this storyRelated Internet Links<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36302,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36502"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36507,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36502\/revisions\/36507"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}