FIVE-YEAR-OLD liver transplant tot Lauren Emery returned to school this week, despite news that her body may have rejected her new liver.

The youngster, who lives in Calne, may now face a second transplant.

Lauren went back to Fynamore School, Calne, on Tuesday morning, just two months after she received the new organ at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

But behind her parents' smiles was the knowledge that an infection may have damaged their daughter's new liver beyond repair.

Lauren's father Joe, 32, said the family were greatly encouraged to see Lauren so happy, but were now preparing for her needing a further transplant.

"Initially we thought once the transplant was done it would all be plain-sailing but since she's had the operation it's been one thing after another," said Mr Emery.

"We went up on May 27 for the outpatients appointment, came home on the Tuesday and had to go back up on the Thursday for another appointment.

"But there were signs of rejection so we stayed until the following Monday.

"The rejection was being treated by drugs, but then, on her birthday on June 10 she got stomach cramps and a fever over 40C and we took her to Bath Royal United Hospital.

"They phoned up Birmingham and they wanted us up there."

On June 11, Mr and Mrs Emery took Lauren up to Birmingham, where doctors told them she had developed an infection, which had caused a blood clot in her hepatic artery.

"This blockage was close to her bile duct and gall bladder and caused a bile leak," said Mr Emery.

"Now we have to wait to find out whether this has caused too much damage to the liver.

"There is a little bit of a flow through the artery. But we are preparing ourselves that this may mean another transplant.

"There are kids up at Birmingham Hospital who have had three or four transplants."

Mr Emery continued: "We've been back for nearly a week now, but we are dreading going back to Birmingham because of what the tests might show."

Mr Emery and his wife Helen, 27, know only too well of the risks of rejection, but are trying to remain upbeat for the sake of their daughter.

"This liver has kept her alive a little bit longer and Lauren has been fantastic about it.

"She has not complained and she never complains about the weekly outpatient appointments," said her father.

"Outwardly she's like any other five year-old. What's wrong with her is all going on inside."

And it seemed that nothing could blight Lauren's eagerly-awaited return to school.

"She saw her teachers and you should have seen the great big beaming smile on her face," said Mr Emery.

"She told me she was going back to school because all her friends miss her and she misses them."

He added: "Mentally and physically she feels fine, so it's hard to explain to her what's happening.

"She knows she's got a new liver but it's hard to explain what rejection is.

"Her belly's not hurting and therefore she doesn't think there is anything wrong."

Lauren was born with liver disease and currently has to take a total of 30 doses of 18 different drugs a day.

Her condition also means that she has to be taken home from school if one of her classmates develops a cold because her immune system is so low.

"She's going back to school in the afternoons but she does get tired easily," said Mr Emery.

"And if any of the children show signs of things like chicken pox we would have to take her back out straight away."

Lauren currently lives in Northfield, Calne, with her grandparents Sue and Steve Pluckrose, as this makes it easier for her to attend her regular hospital appointments.

But there was good news this week when Mr Emery was notified by his employers, the Army, that he is eligible for a transfer from Tidworth to Lyneham which means the Emerys can be reunited with their daughter.

"That will be much easier because then we will have the support from Helen's family as well, so it's good for all of us," he said.

Mr Emery added: "We are going up to Birmingham in two weeks' time for a scan and blood tests.

"We are hoping that it will be good news rather than bad, but we are prepared for the worst. We just have to wait and see what the doctors tell us. Meanwhile I'm sure Lauren will keep on smiling."

Before Lauren was born, her parents were told she had inverted organs and multiple spleens. She was diagnosed with liver disease at five weeks and had a liver bypass which lasted until earlier this year, when she again became ill.