A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl who was given just hours to live by doctors has defied the odds by making a miracle recovery.

Little Iyla Harvey, from Clacton, became seriously ill with sepsis – a deadly form of blood poisoning.

She was rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where her condition became critical.

Doctors told parents Chloe Bradwell, 26, and Matt Harvey, 25, their daughter would not survive once they turned off the ventilator.

But after two weeks in intensive care and another at Colchester General Hospital she miraculously defied medics by making a full recovery.

Chloe said: “I just couldn’t breathe when they told me – I couldn’t take it in.

“She stayed in resus at Colchester Hospital for six hours and once she was stable, she was transferred to Addenbrooke’s.

“On top of the sepsis, she had kidney failure and extensive fluid on her lungs.

“Doctors gave her a couple of hours to live because they didn’t think there was anything more they could do and were going to remove her breathing tube.

“We christened her in the hospital with all our family and prepared for the worst.

“But when they took the breathing tube out, she carried on breathing for herself.”

Halstead Gazette:

Miracle girl - Iyla Harvey

The first five months of Iyla’s life were spent in hospital after she was diagnosed with Wolf Hirschhorn syndrome – a genetic disorder which causes disability and delayed growth.

Although she is three, Iyla’s behaviour is closer to that of a six-month-old.

She has hearing loss and is visually impaired, but Chloe says Iyla’s eyes are reacting more to bright lights and colours.

It is thought Iyla contracted the bug from a tube called a Hickman line used to supply medication into her body.

The tube was flushed every week at home to prevent blockages.

Her mum said: “Within a few minutes of it been flushed, I knew something was seriously wrong.

“Iyla seemed to be in lots of pain, her whole body was blue and shaking and then she became unconscious.

“I’m used to her getting poorly but I was panicked from the colour of her skin.

“An ambulance arrived within a few minutes and before we’d got to hospital, she’d gone into respiratory arrest and wasn’t far off a cardiac arrest.”

Iyla’s recovery amazed experts and she is now back at home with her family.

But if she falls seriously ill again and needs to be placed on a ventilator, doctors have been instructed not to resuscitate her because she is so weak and has no immune system.

A psychic supper recently held for her at Burrs Hall in Great Clacton helped raise nearly £1,600 for support medical treatment.

It was organised by medium Michelle James who is planning another on September 2.

Chloe says her priority is now making the most of the time the family has left together.

“We want to do as much as we can because we don’t know how long she has left,” she admits.

“It’s really hard to say, but I know she’s not going to be here forever so we have to make the most of the time.

“Before Iyla fell ill, our fundraising was for physiotherapy. Eventually she will have surgery on her spine because she has quite bad scoliosis.

“Great Ormond Street Hospital has said she needs intense physio to strengthen her spine but she isn’t strong enough yet.

She added: “We took her to Centerparcs in Elveden Forest and for her fourth birthday in October we’d love to take her to Disneyland Paris.”

To follow Iyla’s progress, click here.