The parents of a 12-week-old baby with a badly disfigured face today climbed down from a conflict with hospital officials and allowed emergency medical treatment to be given to their child.
The baby girl needed an urgent tracheotomy to open up her airways, which were severely damaged by a rare disorder that has left her with deformed facial features.
The baby, who has Goldenhar's syndrome, has been in Newcastle's Royal Victoria infirmary (RVI) since arriving in the north-east from Saudi Arabia early last week.
Her parents refused to allow specialists to arry out vital medical procedures because they feared for the safety of their daughter.
Concerns were heightened among hospital staff when, on Saturday, the baby suffered acute respiratory arrest brought on by a complete obstruction of her airway.
She needed to be resuscitated and taken to paediatric intensive care. A clash of opinions between parents and professionals spilled into the lawcourts when an emergency police protection order was granted on Saturday to stop the parents removing their child from the hospital.
The conflict deepened yesterday when Newcastle city council went before Gosforth magistrates to obtain a further order to keep the child in Newcastle's RVI.
But the issue was resolved today after seven hours of deliberation at the family division of the high court sitting in Leeds under the guidance of Mr Justice Bodey.
A statement, released by the court, said: "Happily, complete agreement has been reached between all parties during the course of the day, pursuant to which she will remain for the time being at the Newcastle RVI and will have the immediate medical treatment which she requires.
"It is stressed that the court has been concerned today only with the question of immediate medical intervention to deal with her acute breathing difficulties.
"In the fullness of time she will need facial reconstructive surgery, following which it is hoped she may have a normal life expectancy and normal intelligence. But those are matters for the longer term future and have not in any way been before the court today."
The court release called for "some space" to be given to allow the parents and doctors to make sensitive decisions on her future care.
The parents declined to comment as they entered the building this morning and left through a rear exit.
Both the city council and hospital trust were unable to comment on the matter at the request of the court.
