Parents of poorly Dereham tot shocked by sleep results

Baby Phyllisty Ramm from Dereham, stops breathing in her sleep. With her is mum Kylie Ramm. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2014)

As we have reported before Michael and Kylie Ramm from Dereham have been struggling to get treatment to help their 10-month old daughter who suffers from sleep apnoea where the throat collapses during sleep blocking the airways.

But after her story featured in the EDP and Dereham & Fakenham Times and was then picked up by the national media the Children's Sleep Charity got in touch and requested an appointment for them at a specialist sleep clinic in Sheffield.

'We were shocked,' said Mrs Ramm. 'Bearing in mind she didn't sleep well, or settle well she had 88 episodes of stopping breathing over half of which her oxygen dropped significantly. I dread to think what actually happens in a normal night.

'So I think it's safe to say the doctors who said I was making it all up owe me an apology. We've suffered for 10 months and battled to get this proof.'

Mrs Ramm has been fighting to get a trial of a CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which forces the throat open during sleep. But doctors at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital were not convinced that her condition was serious enough.

She has been given oxygen which Mrs Ramm can administer when a monitor shows that Phyllisity's levels have dropped but it still means the exhausted mum has yet to experience a full night's sleep.

Her hope now is to get a CPAP machine linked to the oxygen which will automatically switch on if needed.

'I still have to watch her at night and keep an eye on her oxygen levels because I don't trust machines yet. I am not sure if we are any closer to the stage yet where I can actually go to bed but she does have another appointment in November with a new consultant and she is now under a respiratory team.'

* Are you fighting for life-saving treatment? Email kathryn.cross@archant.co.uk.