'Brilliant' progress of tiny baby

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A boy who was given only a 5% chance of survival after he was born four months early weighing just 1lb 6oz (0.62kg) has begun attending nursery.

Kaven Gainey's parents were warned to prepare for the worst when he was born 23 weeks into his mother's pregnancy at hospital in Cardiff.

Kaven is now two-and-a-half, and his mum Victoria Simmonds says he is doing "brilliantly" and developing well.

His progress can be seen on the BBC One programme Hospital Check-up on Monday.

Many of Kaven's organs were underdeveloped when he was born and he had a dangerously low birth weight.

Ms Simmonds, from Cardiff, said his ears had not yet grown properly and his eyes remained closed for a period after his birth.

"He was like a tiny kitten," she said.

"The nurses told myself and Kaven's dad [Lawrence Gainey] to think of Kaven's incubator as a see-through womb.

"It was amazing to see him developing before our eyes.

"When I was first able to hold him I only had to use one hand but just to hold him at that stage was amazing." Looking back now it seems impossible that he was going to survive but maintaining hope - that was the only way we could get through it Victoria Simmonds

Among the various medical difficulties suffered by Kaven was a life-threatening bowel infection which required surgery when he was just five days old.

His parents were told to hold a Christening before he went to the operating theatre in case he did not survive.

Weeks later he was also taken to Bristol for an operation on his heart.

Other setbacks included broken ribs suffered when Kaven was taken off a ventilator and two fractured legs which his mother and medical staff believe may have been sustained when his nappy was being changed.

He also suffered a bleed on the brain.

But Kaven kept on fighting and after six months in hospital he was allowed to go home.

Although his parents had to be very careful about what they did with him because he was so prone to infection, he continued to go from strength to strength and his mother said he now ran around like any other toddler.

As a result of his medical difficulties, Kaven has limited use of his left hand side. He also has a mild form of cerebral palsy and has been a little later than most children in reaching milestones like crawling, walking and talking.

But as a result of his experiences, his mother said he was very outgoing and comfortable in the company of strangers. He has a lot of scars but I am going to teach him to be proud of them Victoria Simmonds, pictured with Kaven's father, Lawrence Gainey

"I never thought we'd get here," said Ms Simmonds.

"Looking back now it seems impossible that he was going to survive but maintaining hope - that was the only way we could get through it.

"We had to be strong for Kaven because he was fighting so hard.

"To be honest now we have to pinch ourselves. We almost take it for granted that he gets on with things and the time has gone really quickly.

"We have had a lot of support and we would pick each other up through the whole ordeal. But I wouldn't want to go through it again."

Kaven still has regular check ups and receives physiotherapy to help him develop strength in his left side but his parents are hoping to enrol him in a nursery school which has facilities for children with disabilities in the New Year.

Ms Simmonds said they would not know the full extent of what Kaven could or could not do until he was around five.

"Basically now he is just a very active, very funny little boy," she said.

"His weakness on his left hand side doesn't really stop him from doing anything because he compensates with his right side where he is strong.

"My dad used to say Kav was the bionic man because he had so much done to him.

"He has a lot of scars but I am going to teach him to be proud of them."

Kaven's story will feature in Hospital Check Up on BBC One Wales on Monday at 2235 GMT.