Little Lennox had to undergo a major operation at just eight weeks old.

A young mum has shared her astonishment after her baby boy’s huge scar left by open heart surgery at just eight weeks old miraculously faded within days –  thanks to a £7.99 pot of coconut oil.

Now eight months old, when dental nurse Danielle Crook, 25, of Southampton, Hampshire,  first saw her son, Lennox, when he was born on June 30 last year, after a text book pregnancy, she recalled him looking “perfect,” only for him to go off his food at three days old.

Worried sick, Danielle, and her husband Joe, 28, who owns a sports coaching company, raced him to A&E and, taken to the resuscitation ward, he was diagnosed with critical aortic stenosis – where the aortic valve, which pumps blood around the body, becomes narrowed, stiff and struggles to work.

Recalling her fear when, at just three  days old,  Lennox  was taken to hospital his mum said: “Everything moved so quickly. One moment, doctors were just checking him over. The next, everybody leapt into action and he was taken to resus.

“Joe and I were just rooted there in horror. Nobody knew what was going on. All we knew was that our baby was very, very sick.”

And, at eight weeks old, he needed open heart surgery to insert a transplant valve, donated by an anonymous stranger, leaving  him with a scar snaking down his torso, which Danielle fretted would make him the target of bullies as he grew up.

Then, one day in October 2018  she was searching Instagram and stumbled upon a photo of a baby with a heart scar next to a picture of Kokoso organic coconut oil and read about its magical properties, when it was used on scars, so bought some.

Using it every day for two weeks, she was astonished when the livid scar, which had dominated Lennox’s little body, began to fade.

Danielle continued: “As his mum, the scar is something that still makes me upset. I thought about him starting school, and feeling different.”

She continued: “Kids are well-intentioned and I know it would only be curiosity, but just one little comment could really upset him.

“I was amazed how quickly it faded. Now, you wouldn’t even know it was there, and when I look at him, my mind doesn’t automatically go back to the trauma of the surgery – I just see Lennox.”

Born seemingly in perfect health, Danielle and Joe were taken by surprise when, at three days old, Lennox failed to feed all night and traces of blood appeared in his urine.

When they called the midwife, she advised them to take him to Southampton General Hospital, where medics initially thought he may have an infection, and began treating him for dehydration.

But, soon after, his breathing became shallow and he began rapidly declining, going into organ failure.

“It all happened in a blur. The doctors sprang into action so quickly. We heard somebody say ‘cardiac,’ so we knew it was his heart – then he was taken down to resus,” said Danielle.

Realising that Lennox had critical aortic stenosis, doctors worked tirelessly on him, warning his parents at one point that they may need to gather the rest of the family, in case the worst happened.

Fortunately, they stabilised him and Danielle was allowed to see him, saying: “They had been working for him for a few hours and he was asleep. He looked  all swollen with tubes everywhere. It was awful.”

Then, at just four days old, Lennox had a procedure where a balloon was used to stretch his faulty valve, keeping him strong enough to then have open heart surgery eight weeks later.

Danielle when she was pregnant (PA Real Life/Collect)

During that operation, the family faced another setback when, after having a donor valve fitted, which will hopefully last between five and 10 years, he struggled to breathe independently.

Thankfully, the tough infant pulled through.

“For a good month, he was on so many pain meds, including morphine, that he just wasn’t himself,” said Danielle. “We called him Hurricane Lennox, because he’d be screaming and crying so much.”

Eventually, three weeks after his surgery, Lennox and his family were allowed home.

For a month after that, Danielle had to be incredibly careful with the skin around his scar, which was still very tender.

And, warned by doctors that the mark would be prominent, she fretted in case it affected his self-esteem in the future.

Then, in September 2018, she read about Kokoso online, ordered a pot of the £7.99 oil and, within two weeks, his scar faded and is now virtually invisible.

Danielle, who  continues to use the oil every day, is particularly pleased as she knows Lennox will need more surgery in the future to fit new heart valves and now knows she has found something to make his scars fade away.

She said: “I would absolutely recommend Kokoso. Lennox loves it, and loves having his little baby massage when we apply it.”

She continued: “He is the toughest, bravest little boy. He’s not even one yet, but has already been through so much, and is still smiling. Now I want our experience to help other parents with sick babies.

“I hesitated over whether to go to hospital, or whether I was being over dramatic, but if I’d stayed home, Lennox wouldn’t be here now. – so please,  if you’re slightly worried about your baby, always seek help. Doctors would far rather send you home feeling a bit embarrassed than tell you it’s too late to help you.

“And, if you are dealing with something serious like we did, don’t  underestimate your little ones. They may be small, but they are still little fighters. ”

For information, visit www.kokoso.co.uk