Oliver (Leanne and Steve McDonalds son)

[Perdita]

Coronation Street spoiler – Leanne and Steve’s son in overdose shock
Coronation Street’s Steve McDonald is going to be left fearing he was close to killing his own son with a prescription drugs overdose.
In harrowing scenes to be screened next month Steve’s son Oliver is rushed to hospital with suspected meningitis.
But after close examination, Oliver’s doctors soon realise that he doesn’t have the disease, he has in fact been given too many doses of medicine.
The little boy falls ill and Steve agrees to help the his mum, Leanne Battersby, look after him. But the pair make a near fatal mistake by failing to talk to each other about what drugs they have given him.
So despite Leanne giving him medicine, when Steve takes over care duties, he gives their son even more and he falls ill. Luckily doctors will confirm that Oliver will face no last damage from the accident.
A source told the Mirror: “Steve’s still getting over the death of Ruari when Oliver is rushed to hospital after taking a sudden turn for the worse.
“It is a very emotional storyline and aimed at warning parents who have split but share care of their children that they need to communicate for the safety of the child.”

[Perdita]

Coronation Street has confirmed a devastating diagnosis for Steve and Leanne's son Oliver Battersby.

The soap is working with The Lily Foundation on a new storyline that will see the boy diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder, or mito. There is no known cure for this condition.

Mito occurs when the tiny organelles within cells are not healthy, which then does not allow the cells themselves to function properly.

There is a wide variety of problems that the disorder can have on those impacted, including hearing loss, seizures, respiratory and vision issues, cognitive disabilities and specific malfunctions in the heart, brain, gut, liver and skin.

Next week, viewers will see more of the health problems that first arose when Steve (Simon Gregson) left Oliver in the care of teen Summer (Matilda Freeman).

The toddler will sadly be rushed to hospital as he starts to suffer recurring seizures, as doctors discover his condition is not what they'd originally assumed – a febrile convulsion.

When he suffers another seizure, Steve and Leanne receive the heartbreaking news that their boy has been diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder.

From there, the storyline will see Steve and Leanne have to come to grips with the realisation that Oliver has a condition that will certainly limit his life.

In developing this storyline, Coronation Street producer Iain MacLeod and his team worked closely with The Lily Foundation and professor Robert McFarland to ensure authenticity.

"We've worked closely with Liz Curtis at The Lily Foundation," Jane Danson has said. "It was harrowing hearing the story of what happened to her daughter Lily but also really amazing to hear how people come through this, how they support each other and learn to live again.

"It's almost too much to comprehend but I came away from the meeting bowled over by her bravery and how amazing she is as a human being. She shared with me how she felt emotionally, how she got through her days, how people rallied around her.

"I've also read a lot of literature about how families cope around their children's diagnosis with life limiting illnesses, looking at the human elements to their stories amidst all the medical speak and hoping I can get it right.

"It is quite overwhelming, I've been so lucky to have so many stories with Leanne over the last 20-odd years but this one feels different, this one could really break her and it feels like it's the one where I've got the most responsibility to get it right."

Producer Iain MacLeod also explained that Oliver's diagnosis will foreshadow "a story about a family coming to terms with the most difficult news anyone can face".

"Above all, we wanted to do justice to the stories of the many thousands of families who have to deal with diagnoses similar to Oliver's, be it a mitochondrial disorder or another life-limiting condition," he said.


"It is something that, as a society, we find difficult to talk about but which is all too common. The taboo around these illnesses can mean awareness is low, which means funding for research is low.

"Aside from telling a brilliant, moving and emotionally complex story, we really hope to draw attention to this subject to change this situation for the better."


Digital Spy

[Perdita]

Mitochondrial diseases are a group of disorders caused by dysfunctional mitochondria, the organelles that generate energy for the cell. Mitochondria are found in every cell of the human body except red blood cells, and convert the energy of food molecules into the ATP that powers most cell functions.

Mitochondrial diseases take on unique characteristics both because of the way the diseases are often inherited and because mitochondria are so critical to cell function. A subclass of these diseases that have neuromuscular symptoms are sometimes called mitochondrial myopathies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_disease

[lizann]

another sad storyline, hope he survives, is this connected to jim's illness

[Perdita]

another sad storyline, hope he survives, is this connected to jim's illness

I think so... genetic thing

[parkerman]

I am getting a bit worried about all these stories cropping up in Corrie, like this one, Yasmeen & Geoff, Asha and Kelly etc. They are all crowding out Gemma. I think we need to get back to the good old days when everything centred around her and every episode had her on for at least 75% of the time.

[Perdita]

I am getting a bit worried about all these stories cropping up in Corrie, like this one, Yasmeen & Geoff, Asha and Kelly etc. They are all crowding out Gemma. I think we need to get back to the good old days when everything centred around her and every episode had her on for at least 75% of the time.

I am sure they will feature again very soon ... and maybe, just maybe .. they will show a Gemma that is getting help she needs and a happy relationship.... I know it has been a long lockdown and I have had a lot of time to think.... but just maybe the scriptwriters have too????

[tammyy2j]

Jim has myotonic dystrophy, was Steve and all his kids tested?

[mysangry]

initially intrigued by what was wrong with Oliver and something I was not familiar with, but the scenes last night was bit OTT, there has been no prognosis to make such a drama, plenty kids suffer far worse in hospital with much less fuss.

[lizann]

is the red car a trigger