Three years old girl survives gigantic head surgery

Three year old RooThree-year-old Roona Begum was rushed to hospital in New Delhi, India, last year, suffering an extreme form of hydrocephalus - water on the brain.

The condition caused her head to swell to three times its normal size
Surgeons carried out a series of operations reducing the circumference from 37 to 23 inches but warned her parents she was unlikely to survive. But this week there were indications that she was going to survive.
'The doctors said she would not live - but she has survived,' said Roona's mother Fatima Khatun, 23.

'She is much better now. She can hold her head straight and she can move her head from side to side on her own. She responds to other kids and she will smile if other kids call out her name.'

She added: 'I would be very happy if she could stand and talk and be like a normal child. We hope she will one day go to school.'

Roona's progress has been so good that Dr Vaishya now wants to proceed with yet another operation to further reduce the size of her head

But the father is so worried about the risk. 'My wife has been through a lot with Roona's condition and in the past people have suggested we give her away to an orphanage or an ashram [a type of spiritual monastery],' said the illiterate bricklayer, who earns just £2 a day.

'But we say no. My wife says - "This is my baby. If she lives, she will live with us. If she dies, it will be my lap".'

'So if the doctors can guarantee the surgery will definitely make her better and make her able to sit up, talk and be like a normal kid, then we would want it.

'But if they cannot give us that assurance, then we don't need it. We would much rather let her be as she is.'