A seven-year-old girl was forced to spend Christmas in hospital after a suspected ear infecton turned out to be a "severe" blood clot on her brain - causing her to be rushed into emergency surgery where she had her skull drilled open. Amelia Talbot was given antibiotics in early December 2023 for what doctors initially thought was an ear infection, but her symptoms persisted, and when her right eye began turning inwards, her parents took her to their local hospital. Scans found the youngster had a “severe” blood clot on her right venous sinus - a major drainage pathway in the brain.
Amelia was rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where she had an emergency surgery on the morning of Christmas Eve. The procedure involved drilling into her skull behind her ear to relieve pressure on her brain and remove the clot, along with a lumbar puncture. The surgeon treating her had “never seen a case like [Amelia’s] in 30 years”, Amelia's mum Zara said.
She added: “The whole ordeal was so scary and a complete whirlwind for us. We hadn’t had time to catch our breath, let alone think about being in the hospital over Christmas. We were just so focused on Amelia.”. Amelia, who is now "doing much better" and grateful for the care she received, has urged people to support medics at Birmingham Children’s Hospital who helped her through her ordeal. During her stay at the hospital, staff went above and beyond to make sure she still had a Christmas to remember, with a sack full of donated presents and festive Christmas dinner served to her and her family.
