Tammy Hembrow reveals the heartbreak of seeing her daughter suffer from a brain infection

‘It was the worst week of my entire life’: Tammy Hembrow reveals heartbreak over seeing her daughter suffer from a brain infection which left her temporarily unable to walk

By Candice Jackson For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:35 BST, 3 September 2019 | Updated: 23:57 BST, 3 September 2019

Tammy Hembrow has spoken of the heartbreak she suffered when her daughter Saskia, now three, suffered from Acute Cerebellar Ataxia in late 2017.

On Wednesday, the mother-of-two, 25, spoke candidly about watching her young daughter in pain from the brain infection, describing the time as ‘the worst week of her entire life’. 

Taking to Instagram, Tammy said:  ‘Almost two years ago she [Saskia] was sick with a brain infection and seeing her lose her ability to walk, balance, and seeing her in pain etc was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with.’

‘It was the worst week of my entire life!’ Tammy Hembrow (ABOVE) has revealed the heartbreak of seeing her daughter suffer from a brain infection in 2017

Tammy initially thought her daughter, who was one at the time, was suffering from a mild stomach bug and was horrified when she was told it was far more serious.

Tammy’s post included videos of Saskia struggling with her balance and stumbling as she walked the hospital corridors.

The fitness influencer was recalling her terrifying story to help raise funds and awareness for Gold Coast Hospital’s ‘scrub up September’ campaign.

‘Gold Coast hospital has a special place in my heart after taking amazing care of my baby girl for what was the worst week of my entire life,’ she said.

Providing a link to where people could help donate to the cause, Tammy continued: ‘every dollar raised will help fund lifesaving health research, purchase essential medical equipment, and provide interactive play and sensory areas in their hospitals.’

‘It was the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with’: Tammy initially thought her daughter, who was one at the time, was suffering from a mild stomach bug and was horrified by the reality 

‘They took amazing care of my baby girl’: Tammy was revisiting her terrifying story to help raise funds and awareness for Gold Coast Hospital’s ‘scrub up September’ campaign

In January 2018, Tammy shared details of Saskia’s hospital visit to YouTube with a video titled ‘EXPLAINING WHAT SASKIA HAD | acute cerebellar ataxia’.

The mother and her then-fiancé Reece Hawkins said they noticed something was wrong with Saskia after she woke from a nap screaming in pain.

The parents checked Saskia’s body for any abrasions, but neither could feel, or see, anything that was obviously wrong. 

Worried parents: The mother and her then-fiancé Reece Hawkins (ABOVE) claimed they noticed something was wrong with Saskia after she woke from a nap screaming in pain

Symptoms of Acute Cerebellar Ataxia 

Impaired coordination in the torso or arms and legs

Trouble sitting and standing 

Frequent stumbling and an unsteady gait

Uncontrolled or repetitive eye movements

Trouble eating and performing other fine motor tasks

Slurred speech and vocal changes 

Headaches

Behavioral or personality changes

Dizziness

Source: Healthline 

Tammy said despite her little girl’s worrying symptoms, it took multiple visits to a family GP and the hospital before Saskia’s condition was diagnosed properly.

‘We were in the hospital for a week, they started her on antibiotics and anti-viral medication, just in case,’ Tammy said.       

When Saskia was eventually diagnosed it was revealed she was suffering from acute cerebellar ataxia.

The condition, which is a form of cerebellitis occurs when the cerebellum in the brain, responsible for movement, becomes inflamed or damaged.

Ataxia can strike anyone but is most commonly affects children under the age of eight, according to Healthline.

A full recovery is expected in around 90 per cent of those diagnosed with ataxia, with no lasting damage. Generally, recovery can take anywhere from 10 days to two months.

‘Thank goodness it wasn’t anything worse,’ Tammy said in her video at the time.

Happy and healthy! Tammy’s daughter Saskia recovered from the condition within two weeks of being diagnosed in 2017 (Pictured: Tammy, daughter Saskia and son Wolf)

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