The parents of a baby receiving treatment for a cranial condition have taken part in a sponsored walk to raise money for other tots with the syndrome.
Rory Blades has plagiocephaly and brachycephaly, commonly known as ‘flat head syndrome’ and is due to get a £2,025 correction helmet fitted.
Parents Chris and Blair, from Ardrossan, are fundraising for the charity Headstart4Babies, which helps families who don’t have the financial means to pay for this treatment.
The couple were joined by friends and family on Saturday, February 9 for a sponsored 10-mile walk from Stevenston Point to Portencross.
Blair said: “It was very windy, especially down at the North Shore but it went really well.
“We’ve raised £630 on the Just Giving but we’ve still to collect all the money from the walk. I think hopefully we’ve raised the £1,000 target. Once the money is collected we’ll know exactly.”
Flat head syndrome is a common condition that can often be corrected with various home treatments, such as encouraging the baby to spend time on their tummy. But despite Chris and Blair trying all the recommended methods, Rory’s condition remained unchanged.
Blair said: “They need to do the treatment while the skull’s still soft. Once it hardens it’s too late. Because Rory’s an older baby, we’re not sure how long he’ll have to wear the helmet for but it’ll be at least six months. He’ll wear it for 23 hours a day. I’ll ease him into it at first – one or two hours at a time to start with.
“The NHS don’t correct it anymore. They told me it would correct itself if I keep doing tummy time and other self-correction methods but none of that worked.
“I got in touch with the clinic [which fits the helmets] myself and they assessed Rory as in the severe category.
“I’ve spoken to families who have had the helmet for their children and all of them have said it’s the best decision they’ve made. Not one regrets it at all. The results are amazing.”
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/blair-bettley1? donate to Chris and Blair’s Just Giving page.
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