102: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 102102: The Hirschsprung’s Hour with Tom Richard - Episode 102
UK Health Radio Podcast
A mother shares her young son’s complex journey with Hirschsprung’s disease, from missed red flags and multiple surgeries to stoma care, diet changes and starting nursery. The conversation highlights medical trauma, persistence and the importance of family and community support.
44:50•3 Nov 2026
Fighting to Be Heard: A Mum’s Hirschsprung’s Story on UK Health Radio
Episode Overview
- Trust your instincts and keep pushing for answers when a child’s symptoms don’t feel normal.
- A compassionate, thorough consultant can transform the experience after months of feeling dismissed.
- Learning stoma care and using practical tools like an enterocolitis card can make hospital visits more manageable.
- Diet changes such as adding chia seeds and fibre-rich foods may help bowel function, but every child is different.
- Children and parents can carry hidden trauma from repeated medical procedures, so emotional support is crucial.
“"Just hearing them words, 'Mum, I think you're right,' was just such a relief. Because that's all I want someone to say."”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s Hirschsprung’s Hour zooms in on medical trauma, parental advocacy and long‑term health, told through the story of a three-year-old boy living with Hirschsprung’s disease. Host Tom chats with Shabana from Manchester, who shares how her son went from being a healthy, full‑term baby to suddenly stopping opening his bowels at six months old.
What follows is months of being told it was “just viral” or dehydration, repeated GP visits, ambulance rides, and long waits in hospital corridors. Shabana describes the moment a consultant finally said, “Mum, I think you’re right,” as a huge relief after feeling repeatedly dismissed. You’ll hear about inconclusive biopsies, emergency surgeries, and the emotional impact of watching a baby undergo multiple operations, including a stoma and later a pull‑through and reversal.
Shabana talks honestly about the strain on her mental health, the guilt of being away from her older daughters, and the unexpected silver lining of losing her job so she could be fully present for her son. There’s plenty of practical detail too: learning to manage stoma care, experimenting with foods like chia seeds, wholemeal bread and fibre‑rich meals, and using an emergency enterocolitis card to speed up care in A&E.
She also touches on hidden trauma, like her son’s fear of blue gloves, and the importance of support from family, Facebook groups and charities. While the episode focuses on Hirschsprung’s disease rather than alcohol, the themes will resonate with anyone dealing with long‑term health issues, anxiety around medical professionals, or the emotional weight of caring for a child with complex needs. It’s a raw, hopeful look at what persistence, community and parental instinct can achieve.
If you’ve ever felt unheard about your or your child’s health, could this story help you feel less alone?
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