Community pulls together to help baby with brain damage

A COMMUNITY has pulled together to organise an event they hope will raise thousands of pounds to help a baby with severe brain damage.

Jade Gray's son LJ was diagnosed with brain damage just days after being born.

She has been told by doctors that the full extent of his condition will not be known until he is older but he will need as much stimulation as possible in the meantime to help his brain develop.

"The hospital said they can't diagnose him until he starts developing," said 22-year-old Jade. "Over the next couple of years I've got to try and stimulate him as much as possible. He may not be able to walk, talk, see, hear or eat."

Jade and LJ's dad, Liam McTague, want to buy their son special sensory lights.

Family friend Karen Moon has organised a children's fun day in Wollaton, close to where Jade, LJ, and Liam live in Nidderdale.

Local people have volunteered their services for the day – with performances by bands, a bouncy castle and an appearance by Forest player David McGoldrick planned.

It is hoped it will raise enough cash for the lights, which cost around �2,000, and a water feature for LJ, who is now three-weeks-old.

Following LJ's diagnosis, his family faced a long stay in hospital.

He was initially given cooling therapy for 72 hours. This is a treatment where babies whose oxygen levels are low at delivery are kept at a lower temperature which can repair the damage to brain cells.

LJ was then kept in intensive care for more than two weeks as he initially wasn't breathing on his own and kept having fits. He is now on medication to control the fits and has to have physiotherapy.

Jade said: "The hospital said he will be like a normal baby now but it's in the long run that his condition will become apparent – that's why we need lots of stimulation for him.

"That's my job now and I'm ready for it. I have to try my hardest for him and I know I have to be completely hands on. I want him to have the best possible life and the most normal life."

The fun day will take place on the green space behind Wharfdale, off Grangewood Road, in Wollaton on June 12 from 2pm. Any offers of help are welcome.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503354/s/1430713a/l/0L0Sthisisnottingham0O0Cnews0CCommunity0Epulls0Ehelp0Ebaby0Ebrain0Edamage0Carticle0E34472160Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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