Little boy 'was on 50 bottles of antibiotics' then his family got the best news ever about his dad

NEW parents Sophie and Matt Hodgson-Smith were at a loss when their son, Jasper, started experiencing health problems when he was just eight months old.

- Shaurya Shaurya reports

Even after several tests and being prescribed more than 50 bottles of antibiotics, Jasper’s symptoms did not improve, leaving his parents worried.

That was until a rare diagnosis was reached years later and Matt was finally able to save his son’s life.

When he was seven years old, Jasper was diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening condition called Activated PI3K Delta syndrome (APDS) which impairs a person's immune system, leaving them more susceptible to infections.

Though his parents had finally found an answer as to what was wrong with him, the road to being diagnosed was not easy.

"Jasper started feeling unwell from eight months old and that was the first time that he had to have antibiotics due to a chest infection," said Sophie, from Swansea. "From then onwards, he had several lots of chest infections along with lots of hospital admissions, up to six times a year.

"Before the age of six he was on 50 bottles of antibiotics - that’s more than I have had during my lifetime."

Jasper showed a multitude of symptoms like lethargy, persistent high temperatures, and a lack of appetite.

The experience was especially hard for Sophie and Matt, who were first-time parents, but the support they received from the city’s Singleton Hospital was crucial in determining what was wrong with Jasper’s health.

"Being a first-time mum, it is hard to define what is normal and what's not," said Sophie.

"His consultant in Singleton was really good. She had tried every avenue possible, she was a respiratory consultant, and we just pushed for all the tests."

These were what led to the eventual diagnosis.

"He had the children’s immunisations booster and his body hadn’t made any reaction to the booster," said Sophie. "So that had alerted that something was incorrect within the blood, so that pushed them for genetic testing."