One-year-old boy dies in hospital shortly after judge ruled for treatment to be stopped despite mum’s request
A one-year-old boy has tragically passed away after a High Court judge ruled his treatment should end, despite his mother's desperate pleas.
Ayden Braqi, who had a severe neuromuscular disease, was at the centre of a legal battle over his care when he died at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on Thursday (14 November).
The youngster was surrounded by family after the mechanical ventilation - which had been keeping him alive - was sadly withdrawn.
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Ayden was cared for by The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. The organisation had asked a judge to rule that Ayden's treatment should stop, with its lawyers claiming that burdens of treatment 'outweigh the limited benefits he could enjoy' from prolonging his life.
In October, the High Court heard how Ayden suffered from a neuromuscular disease described as 'severe, progressive and irreversible', for which there is no known cure currently.
The one-year-old was described as 'cognitively intact' and could 'see, hear, smell, feel and enjoy', despite his condition, the court was informed.
Ayden's mother, Neriman Braqi, opposed the bid made by the trust, saying that her son could continue to receive care. She insisted he 'still smiles' despite his condition.
A ruling was published on Friday following Ayden's passing, where Mrs Justice Morgan said: "I am satisfied that whilst he can derive comfort and pleasure from the company of his family, the enormous burdens of his illness and the treatments associated with it outweigh even those very real benefits."
She continued: "Prolonging his life prolongs also for him the burden of bearing those benefits. He has had and I have no doubt would continue to have the very best of care at GOSH.
"I have taken account of the views of his mother that he should continue to have that care and her strong wishes in respect of this application.
"I must however take an objective view of Ayden's best interests from his own point of view and from the point of view, in the widest sense, of his welfare."
Mrs Morgan went on to add: "It is lawful and in his best interests for his mechanical ventilation to be withdrawn and to receive such palliative care and related treatment, including pain relief and anxiolytics, under medical supervision as considered appropriate to ensure that he suffers the least distress and retains the greatest dignity until such time as his life comes to an end."
Ayden was initially admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was around three-months-old and he remained at the hospital for the rest of his life.
He had been on a ventilator and his prognosis was described as 'very poor' by Debra Powell KC, who was representing the trust.
Danni King