The father of Alfie Evans has said his son has been breathing unassisted since his life support machine was switched off on Monday night.
"For nine hours Alfie's been breathing for now," Tom Evans told reporters outside Alder Hey hospital.
"He's still breathing now. It's come to a point when his mum's actually asleep next to him so she can go to sleep, she feels comfortable with him," he said.
Mr Evans said it became obvious he was breathing "within a few minutes" of life-support being withdrawn, although doctors re-intervened after he asked them to help.
He said: "I sat down with the doctor, it was a lengthy talk for about 40 minutes and he ended up saying that I'm right, and I was right, I've always been right."
Mr Evans continued: "They say Alfie's suffering. Well look at him now. He's not even on a ventilator and he's not suffering."
Asked what intervention doctors had made, he replied: "They left him for six hours without food, water and oxygen.
"He's now on oxygen. It's not changing his breathing but it's oxygenating his body.
"He is still working, he's doing as good as he can.
"Because he's been doing it for nine hours totally unexpected, the doctors are gobsmacked and I do believe he will need some form of life support in the next couple of hours and I think he ought to be respected and given that."
A spokesman for Alder Hey Children's Hospital said: "We wish to reassure patients and families attending Alder Hey hospital today that we are operating as usual and that, although you will see a police presence, the hospital is calm. Please attend your appointments as normal."
He added: "Please be aware, out of respect for the privacy of Alfie and his family we will not be issuing any updates about his condition.
"This is our normal and agreed practice with all our patients.
"We would be grateful if you would respect this approach and not contact any hospital staff or call our switchboard seeking updates."
A High Court judge is set to oversee a further hearing on Alfie's case in the next few hours.
Mr Justice Hayden is scheduled to hear more discussion at a hearing in Manchester.
A spokeswoman said the hearing was due to start at around 3.30pm.