Two-year-old Amirah Najim-Phillips in Starship hospital, holding hands with her elder sister Zahara. Photo / Supplied
Two-year-old Amirah Najim-Phillips in Starship hospital, holding hands with her elder sister Zahara. Photo / Supplied
Amirah Najim-Phillips' first words since she was paralysed in a car crash six and a half weeks ago were "Mummy" and "no".
The words came as a huge relief to her parents, who have been waiting for their 2-year-old daughter to speak since the accident near Waiouru on June 13.
Wellington couple Daelyn Phillips, 23, and Mohammed Najim, 21, were travelling home from Auckland with their two daughters when an oncoming vehicle is believed to have crossed the centre line and smashed into their car.
The toddler was one of seven people injured in the collision, which killed a baby travelling in the other vehicle.
Amirah Najim-Phillips, 2, with her mother Daelyn Phillips and father Mohammad Najim. Photo / Supplied
Amirah has since had a slow recovery at Starship children's hospital and isn't expected to walk again.
But she has surprised both her family and doctors with her strength and will to recover after being taken off the breathing ventilator and moving out of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit [Picu].
Today her mother Daelyn Phillips beamed about her daughter's progress.
"It's the best thing ever, she won't stop saying 'Mummy'," she said.
Last week doctors put a camera down Amirah's throat, into her vocal chords, to see why she wasn't talking clearly. Phillips said they were still awaiting those results.
Amirah has also had further improvements with her breathing. She is now able to breathe completely on her own, unaided by an oxygen tube.
Two-year-old Amirah Najim-Phillips in Starship hospital. Photo / Supplied
"Almost two weeks since she came off the ventilator and she is still doing so so well. Her oxygen levels have been awesome," Phillips said.
"She's also come fully off morphine today, and has been slightly moving her left arm - the arm that she couldn't move."
The toddler still requires a feeding tube and halo brace, however, the family have been told the brace will be removed in about eight weeks' time.
"It's still to early for feeding but I believe in time she will progress," Phillips said.
"She hasn't needed any suctioning at all for the last three days. She is coping well on her own to bring up her spit, and clear it.
"I'm amazed at my little girl, she's truly blown a lot of people away. Her breathing so far is going well and she continues to get better and better day by day."
