Young boy spends most of his life on support after cough turned deadly

A four-year-old boy spent 74 days on life support and was given just a five per cent chance of survival after a simple cough turned out to be a deadly infection.

Little Kierkan McNeely (corr) woke up at night spluttering so his mum and dad, Amanda and Kevin McNeely, both 31, took him to see the local doctor.

He was treated with steroids for suspected croup cough, a common virus, and sent on his way following the appointment at 8am.