On a more positive note Communion is NOT required to be saved. It is highly recommended IF the person is able but will NOT exclude the person from being saved.
The situation with this 8 year old is a simple example of rituals taken to an extreme and forgetting what the Bible teaches. Communion is NOT required to be saved or have a personal relationship with Christ. If you diagree with me, then argue with Christ about why the thief on the cross was saved. Christ could see his heart and told him he would be with Him in paradise. This thief had NO time for rituals yet he was saved. There are other examples in the Bible as well but this is one that is better known.
You're speaking of baptism of desire. However, it is quite apparent that this is an emergency situation. I would consider the digestive disorder situation to be regretful situation, not an emergency situation. Their salvation isn't in jeopardy because of it, as long as they are free of mortal sin. However, normatively speaking, Christ desires that we are baptized in the way He instituted, and that we receive Him in the way He instituted.
Communion is NOT required to be saved or have a personal relationship with Christ.
Then how do you explain Christ's words that I quoted from before?
The Divine Commission had not yet been given to the Apostles at the time of St. Dismas' death (St. Matthew xxviii.18-20, St. Mark xvi.15-16). Would you like to contend that Christ did not say the following?
"Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you" (St. John vi.54).