Doctors in Britain have developed a procedure known as 'brainwashing' that could drastically reduce the risk of death or brain damage in very premature babies.
Isaac's a pretty average nine year old....with one EXTRAORDINARY start in life. Isaac was born thirteen weeks premature, then suffered a massive brain hemorrhage . Something that can happen with very premature babies.
The family decided their son would be one of the first babies to take part in a pioneering experiment in the hope of reducing the risk of severe brain damage.
Doctors here warned Isaac's parents there's was only a one percent chance their baby would even survive. When they learned about the new procedure they felt they had nothing to lose.
Two tubes are inserted into the baby's brain. One continually drains the old blood , debris and toxins from the heamorrhage. The second tube slowly pumps clean, artificial fluid in. Gradually the fluid runs clear - indicating the brain damaging toxins are gone .
In recently published study of 77 premature babies who had bleeding in the brain after birth, those treated with the technique were far less likely to suffer disabilities later in life.
Doctor's say Isaac's development speaks for itself.