One cough or cold could kill our little girl

PARENTS' PLEA AS THEY DESCRIBE HOW THEY'RE 'ALWAYS ON EDGE' OVER DAUGHTER'S RARE GENETIC CONDITION

- PAIGE OLDFIELD

THE PARENTS of a little girl whose condition is so rare even a cough or cold could prove fatal say they feel constantly on edge.

Ivy Reed was diagnosed with a genetic condition called propionic acidemia when she was just two weeks old.

The inherited disorder leaves the body unable to process certain parts of proteins and fats properly.

The condition means little Ivy, who lives in Bolton, has to be tube fed every few hours through the day and night and needs several different types of medication.

It also leaves the tot very vulnerable to illnesses meaning the smallest sicknesses including a cough or a cold could tragically prove fatal.

While there is no cure for propionic acidemia, Ivy, who attends a special needs school, underwent a liver transplant back in February in a bid to improve her condition and reduce the need for hospitalisations.

And while the transplant was a success, Ivy's parents Carl and Phillipa still live in constant fear that their only child could become poorly with a common illness.