'He is our inspiration': First day of school for Glasgow boy with rare health difficulties

But for mum and dad Jade Gordon and Kieran Connell the day will be especially emotional as they wave goodbye to new P1 Noah.

Noah was a surprise to both his parents when Jade gave birth in May 2017 having not known she was pregnant.

The little boy had multiple health conditions that prompted medics to warn Jade and Gordon to make as many memories as possible in case he didn't survive.

He has had 11 operations in his life.

But five years later, Noah has flourished and achieved milestones his mum and dad thought he would never see.

READ MORE: Cyclists don't need licences or insurance - they need safe roads

And today he will be looking sharp in his new blazer as he joins his classmates at Kelbourne Park Primary School. 

Jade, from Barmulloch, said: "The last five years have gone by in what feels like six months.

“It’s been dead, dead emotional, especially seeing him in his uniform.

“I have been crying and there will be tears when we wave him off because he has defied everybody’s expectations - even ourselves.

“He keeps learning to do more and more and proving everybody wrong.

“We are just so proud, overwhelmed with pride.”

When Noah was born at Glasgow Royal Infirmary weighing 6lb 7oz, he wasn't breathing and was whisked away immediately for emergency treatment.

It would be a week before Jade, then 18, and Kieran, then 16, could hold their new son.

Photos of her at her 18th birthday party show no sign of a baby bump, despite the fact she would have been six months pregnant.

So when she went into hospital with stomach pains it took doctors a few hours to spot she was in labour - and then Noah appeared.

He had been born with part of his spine missing, an underdeveloped jaw, cleft palate, small neck and floppy airway.

At first, doctors referred to it as 'Noah's syndrome' because his health issues were so unusual.

Then the five-year-old was diagnosed with Pierre Robin Sequence, facial abnormalities that cause problems with breathing and mean he cannot swallow.

He also has hemifacial microsomia, which means the lower half of one side of his face is underdeveloped.

This means that if he gets anything in his mouth - even water - it could kill him so it takes three people to bath him and being caught in heavy rain could be fatal.

READ MORE: The words 'good school' is a meaningless phrase

Noah became the first baby in the UK to have metal scaffolding inserted into his face to hold bone fragments in place and save his life.

Surgeons at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, carried out an operation called a mandibular jaw distraction - breaking the jaw in two places then straightening his face with metal rods.

His tongue was pushed forward to cut the chances of him choking.

Jade remembers the two parts of the operation as if it was yesterday, waiting for 12 hours for the first part of the procedure to be done and then 10 hours for the second. 

It was 10 months before he was discharged from hospital and Kieran and Jade were taught how to turn the screws in the metalwork by precise measurements.

Despite everything he was going through, Jade says Noah is the "smiliest" wee boy who loves shaking hands with people he meets and is mad about Christmas, Celtic and Little Mix.

He also adores his gran, Annemarie Connell, who helps care for him and is a doting granny.

Noah's best friend at nursery will also be in the same class at school with him and Jade says the pair are "double trouble".

Jade said: "He is so loved.

"It might seem like a lot to people but this is our normal.

"Noah sees so many different specialists and is at hospital all the time but we're just used to it.

"I wouldn't change a single thing."

Jade revealed that not everyone is kind towards Noah with online trolls saying desperately cruel things about the wee boy and his family.

People often also stare when they are out in public but Jade says they do not let negativity affect them.

Jade, who was in college training to be a nursery nurse when Noah was born, said support from Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity has helped the family.

The family had cuddles with their wee boy in the PICU using the charity's MoVE project and he loved passing long hours in hospital with sensory equipment funded by them.

A state-of-the-art surgical microscope also was used during his surgeries.

Last year Noah contracted Covid-19, which was a terrifying time for the family as they did not know how the virus would affect his other conditions.

But luckily he made it through.

And recently the family priest at local St Catherine's Church took Noah through his First Holy Communition and his Confirmation.

Jade said: "He is learning to communicate through PODD books, and is making great progress in all his medical equipment.

"Noah’s favourite time of year is Christmas and even though we are in August he is listening to Christmas music already.

"For everything Noah has went through and continues to go through daily, he still fights on with remarkable strength and does so everyday with a beautiful big smile.

"He is our inspiration."

Kirsten Watson, CEO of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, said: "Starting school is such an important milestone, and we hope that Noah and all of the patients we support have a very special time at school this week.

"For 20 years our charity has supported children like Noah, and we’re incredibly grateful to the people of Glasgow for their generosity."