Baby born four months early beats brain bug

Published on Saturday 2 June 2007 01:02

AN EXTREMELY premature baby contracted meningitis as he fought for survival in an intensive care ward.

Harry Humble was born almost four months early and weighed just under 2lbs.

Doctors at the Royal Aberdeen Infirmary gave him a 50 per cent chance of survival before he contracted the brain disease.

Parents Stuart Humble, 24, an oil firm accountant, and Emma Ogston, 22, feared the worst but Harry defied the odds to beat the illness and has now been allowed home.

Emma, a student nurse from Torphins in Aberdeenshire, said: "Everything was hanging in the balance with Harry, so to be told he had meningitis came as a massive shock.

"The risk of infection is so much higher in the hospital and Harry was extremely vulnerable. Thankfully, they managed to catch it in time and he bounced back. He's our brave little fighter.

"The doctors don't know if Harry will have any problems in the future. But none of that matters. The only important thing is that he's still here with us.

"After everything we've been through, we'll take any other complications in our stride."