Baylee Robertson forced to wait seven months for procedure as she can only have infant formula through a feeding tube

For the last seven months, Melissa Tyrell has been asking ‘why?’ Why does her four-year-old daughter refuse to eat? Why has it taken seven months to get a date for a simple procedure? And why has her child had to suffer?

Melissa Tyrrell with daughter Baylee Robertson 4 of Hobart. Melissa has had on going issues dealing with Baylee's medical needs and not being able to access the specialists readily when needed. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Melissa Tyrrell says she and her family have been put through an emotional wringer trying to secure medical procedures that will hopefully give answers as to why her four-year-old daughter, Baylee Robertson, refuses to eat.

Baylee is set to have a procedure on Tuesday, where she will have a camera put down her throat to examine her intestines and digestive system.

For the last seven months, Baylee — who also has level four cerebral palsy, hip dysplasia and partial trisomy — has been using a feeding tube.

Ms Tyrrell has described the period as “a rollercoaster.”

“My child is four years old, and she’s on infant formula; that is the only nutrition she’s getting. It’s not fair,” she said.

“She should be thriving like other children – and at this point – she’s surviving meal to meal, five time a day.”

Melissa Tyrrell with daughter Baylee Robertson 4 of Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Tyrrell said she was frustrated that Baylee has “had to struggle for the past seven months.”

“Why has she had to go back to infant formula for the past seven months when she could have been eating like any normal child?

“Why does she have to go to daycare and sit at a table with other children her age while they watch her have her nutrition through a tube?

“Why should we have to walk down the street and have people look at her because she has a tube attached to her face?

“Why does she have all those choices taken away from her because she’s had to wait seven months for a simple procedure to be done?”

The reason for the delay in the procedure has been a lack of people who can do it.

“We were told there was only one gastroenterologist here that could do it, and they are in the private system.”

It was not until Ms Tyrrell had contacted multiple people and pushed hard that a date was locked in for Baylee to have her procedure at the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH).

“I just don’t understand,” Ms Tyrrell said.

“There is one gastroenterologist you’ve got to do this job, but they’re not employed by the RHH.

“There is no funding for this doctor to do this job, and we’ve waited seven months, but it’s taken for me to reach out to the Minister for Health — and then all of a sudden — Baylee has an appointment.

“Where have you found the funding for this? Why has it taken this long for you to find funding for this?

“Why has my daughter had to wait seven months for you to just finally decide ‘okay, now we can fit her in to do it.’”

Melissa Tyrrell with daughter Baylee Robertson 4 of Hobart. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A Department of Health spokesperson said it and the RHH emphathised with Baylee’s family and anyone else who experiences longer wait times for procedures.

“We triage all cases based on their clinical urgency and work to ensure all patients receive care as soon as possible.

“We acknowledge the challenge of the availability of gastroenterologists who can perform this specific procedure.

“This procedure is offered in the public system, but on a limited basis.

“The health service is engaged in service planning to see if this availability can be increased, along with other paediatric sub-specialties over the coming year.

“The hospital also works with the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne to provide improved access to care where possible.”

The Department of Health said that while it could not discuss specifics about individual patients, it stated that clinicians were in regular contact with Baylee’s family to discuss her ongoing care.

Originally published as Baylee Robertson forced to wait seven months for procedure as she can only have infant formula through a feeding tube