Girl, 6, left convinced she was pregnant after hospital delay

The mother of a six-year-old girl from East Belfast with severe learning difficulties says she's been left in limbo over the future of her daughter's treatment after months of distress and hospital visits.

Kaia, who is autistic and nonverbal, has been suffering from severe constipation for the past eight months. Her mother, Rihannaa Gough, says the prolonged uncertainty and lack of consistent care have taken a major toll on both her daughter and their family.

Kaia was first admitted to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children the week before Easter and spent nine weeks there-an experience Rihannaa described as "nine weeks of hell."

"She was discharged after that in the hope that being at home would help, that it might make her more comfortable," Rihannaa told Belfast Live. "They had held NDT [Neurodevelopmental Team] meetings, but then twelve hours later the plans would fall through. They tried enemas, suppositories, even adding medication to her drinks, since she doesn't take anything orally."

Rihannaa shared how the trauma of her lengthy hospital stay had a lasting impact. "Now, she'll only wear her Princess Peach dress as it is what she feels most comfortable in, and she thinks nobody can get at her when she is wearing it."

After being discharged in mid-June, Kaia was supposed to be monitored twice a week. The hope was that being in a familiar setting would help her bowel movements return to normal-but instead, things worsened.

"Within four weeks, her bowel had stretched from two to eight centimetres," Rihannaa said. "They told us that they would admit her on Thursday, and half two came and went without a phone call. They then said that they wouldn't admit her until Monday, but she couldn't eat, she couldn't go to the toilet, and she was in absolute pain, so I brought her to A&E."

Kaia then spent another two weeks in hospital without a resolution. A manual evacuation was attempted but failed due to the severity of the blockage. An NG tube was tried six times but had to be removed each time because of Kaia's sensory sensitivities.

The next step presented was a PEG (a feeding tube placed directly into the stomach) or a stoma. Rihannaa had already discussed the options and aftercare she felt would be best for Kaia. A meeting was scheduled with a surgeon for a Friday morning-only for the surgeon not to turn up. Instead, they were discharged and told to wait for an outpatient appointment.

While in hospital, Kaia developed a heartbreaking misunderstanding. Due to her symptoms-nausea, bloating, and loss of appetite-and what she had seen on children's programmes, Kaia became convinced she was pregnant.

"Kaia has a great understanding; she just can't communicate verbally, and due to the symptoms she had of feeling sick, being swollen, and not being able to eat, she is convinced that she is pregnant.

"While she was in the hospital, she had been watching things, and while it is all child-friendly, she was convinced that she was there to give birth. We tried to explain to her that she was just there because she couldn't go to the toilet, but that made her stressed.

"She puts things up her top and is constantly saying 'baby'. She has been watching videos about morning sickness, which I am assuming must be because she thinks that, because she is sick, that is what she is having.

"I expressed my concerns to a psychologist and was told that it is just a fantasy. I am aware, yes, that some children do love babies and whatever, but they don't think that they are in a hospital to give birth."

In response, a spokesperson for the Belfast Trust said:

"Belfast Trust apologises for the distress experienced by Kaia and her family. We understand the frustration and anxiety felt by families whose children are waiting for treatment, procedures, or surgery.

"Kaia was discharged with medication to manage her condition, and the Trust is working to expedite an appointment to assess her suitability for a PEG. Each case is continually reviewed by the specialist team at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and prioritised based on clinical need and waiting times."

Despite the assurances, Rihannaa says she still feels abandoned, with no clear path forward for her daughter's care.