Mum battles for treatment

Finley Horne suffers from plagiocephaly and torticollis which means flattening of the skull and neck spasms.

Andria was told there was no chance of NHS treatment for his head and she feared there was risk of permanent damage.

But she didn't give up and looked for answers herself on the Internet.

She discovered there was only one hospital in the UK which offered specialised treatment involving a semi-flexible plastic helmet to control the growth of the skull.

She managed to achieve a referral from her GP to the hospital and last Friday Finley had the helmet fitted.

The helmet will be changed as he grows, but Finley is expected to wear one for anything between four months and a year.

"He is absolutely fine with it," said Andria, of Sea Road.

"The first two nights he was a little grumpy but he is amazing now. He doesn't touch it now or moan about it. He is a really good baby."

The helmet is a non-compression type made of three layers.

Andria and husband Ricki have taken Finley to Bristol three times so far for consultation, measuring and fitting, and expect to return next week for adjustments.

Andria has in the meantime been campaigning and fundraising for Headstart4Babies, a charity which supports babies with plagiocephaly and torticollis, and is hoping to continue.

"Persistence pays," commented Andria this week.

"You have to just keep going. It has been a real struggle. When I first thought something was wrong nobody believed me - I thought, maybe this is a mother thing."

Since she started fundraising she has talked with other parents whose children have had similar problems but were told not to worry by GP's because this was a "cosmetic" condition.

As a result of her support for Headstart4Babies she has been asked to become a trustee of the charity.

"I would like to try and keep on making people aware," she commented.

"I was told there was nothing they could do for my baby yet five months later here I am with an NHS helmet on my child's head.

"I never thought we would get the funding - that is why I did all the fundraising myself. It is a bonus we got it - now we can help somebody else."

Anyone wanting to help by donating money can do so by visiting www.charity-choice.co.uk/donate.htm and then type in Headstart4Babies with Finley Horne as the reference.