A succession of critically ill asylum seeker children are being brought from Nauru.

Some of the children are reportedly suffering “resignation syndrome”, refusing all food and water and bordering on catatonic states.

Reports say medical staff are overwhelmed and forced to refer dozens of children for transfer off the island, but most of their decisions are being rebuffed by Australian Border Force officials.

Now, federal court Justice Tom Thawley has ordered a girl with the designation EIV18 be moved to Australia for urgent medical treatment.

The court order came only after three separate doctors had independently assessed the girl and recommended she be moved, but this was resisted by the Australian government.

“Before she got sick, she was the best-performing student,” an insider has told reporters.

“She had a dream to be a doctor in Australia and to help others. Now, she is on food-and-fluid refusal and begging to die as death is better than Nauru.”

Reports say a “contagion” is growing among children on Nauru, which has seen them committing self-harm, attempting suicide or refusing all food and fluid.

It is believed that a 12-year-old girl who attempted to self-immolate last week has not been moved.

The Australian government has continued its policy of not commenting on individual cases.