AN angry mother has criticised
health trust bosses who have refused
to pay for life-changing
treatment for her three-monthold
son.
Kaen Mawdesley, of Northallerton,
North Yorkshire, was
born with torticollis, a tightening
of the neck muscles.
This has led to plagiocephaly, a
flattening of the skull, commonly
known as flat head syndrome.
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The baby's mother, Lynn, of
Knotto Bottom Way, is raising
money to pay for private treatment
which will involve Kaen
being fitted with a helmet to correct
the shape of his skull.
Mrs Mawdesley said North
Yorkshire and York Primary
Care Trust had refused to offer
the treatment, saying it was a
"cosmetic" procedure.
She said: "How can they class
it as cosmetic? Some people have
teeth braces fitted on the NHS. To
me, that is more a cosmetic thing
than Kaen's condition."
Mother-of-three Mrs Mawedesley
is worried that her son could
be bullied in later years. Left untreated,
torticollis can lead to facial
asymmetry in children.
Kaen is to have the helmet fitted
at a clinic, in Leeds, next
month, at a cost of almost £2,000.
His family has raised more
than £1,000 for the treatment, but
Mrs Mawdesley and her husband,
Darren, are appealing for more
help.
She said: "We want him to have
the treatment as soon as possible,
so it is difficult finding the time
to organise specific fundraising
events in such a short space of
time.
"We would be really grateful
for any donations people are able
to give."
A spokesman for the primary
care trust said it would only consider
cases for treatment that are
not routinely commissioned if
the patient's consultant believes
it appropriate.
He said: "The trust operates an
individual case panel to look at
cases with exceptional circumstances.
The role of the panel is
to consider the clinical and cost
effectiveness of a treatment for
a patient."
Mrs Mawdesley said she did
not want to take the case to the
panel because she was keen for
her son to be treated as soon as
possible.
Anyone who is able to help
Kaen is asked to call Mrs
Mawdesley on 07591-487127.
Our family understand completely what the family are going through when the NHS refuse to pay for the helmet. My cousin's baby has just been measured for his helmet at Leeds and should receive it next week. He was taken to the G.P several times and when they refused to admit that there was a problem the family had to pull together the £2,000 needed for the treatment. Apparently many Doctor's do not support that the helmet works, despite the many children which have been successfully treated. All our luck to the family and to all other's out there in a similar situation.
Our family understand completely what the family are going through when the NHS refuse to pay for the helmet. My cousin's baby has just been measured for his helmet at Leeds and should receive it next week. He was taken to the G.P several times and when they refused to admit that there was a problem the family had to pull together the £2,000 needed for the treatment. Apparently many Doctor's do not support that the helmet works, despite the many children which have been successfully treated. All our luck to the family and to all other's out there in a similar situation.
Hi kate,
Thankyou for your comment im obviously Kaens mum & i am in total agreement so far as when Kaen went for his 8 week check i already knew something wasnt right, i told my family GP that i thought he had Torticollis & that i thought it had brought the severe plagiocephaly on....she said she didnt think he had it but after my eldest son who is nine who had plagio (and you can still see it)i requested a referral to a paediatrician who then confirmed it!
i got fobbed off 9 years ago by the same GP & its not going to happen this time!
I am not the naive 1st time mum anymore & my children come before anything.
The evidence the health professionals have is little because they are not prepared to add another cost to them however you only have to look at the results on various website such as the msn group plagiocephaly to see how many people like myself & your families that it is making such a huge and sucessful treatment by wearing the starbands , LOC bands etc.
People should also be aware of the long term affects it can have such as permanant eye damage & frequent headaches along side facial asymmetry which Kaen has already and was present at birth.
For everyone reading this please push and make more awareness ,the NHS is meant to be there for us at the end of the day xxx
Hi kate,
Thankyou for your comment im obviously Kaens mum & i am in total agreement so far as when Kaen went for his 8 week check i already knew something wasnt right, i told my family GP that i thought he had Torticollis & that i thought it had brought the severe plagiocephaly on....she said she didnt think he had it but after my eldest son who is nine who had plagio (and you can still see it)i requested a referral to a paediatrician who then confirmed it!
i got fobbed off 9 years ago by the same GP & its not going to happen this time!
I am not the naive 1st time mum anymore & my children come before anything.
The evidence the health professionals have is little because they are not prepared to add another cost to them however you only have to look at the results on various website such as the msn group plagiocephaly to see how many people like myself & your families that it is making such a huge and sucessful treatment by wearing the starbands , LOC bands etc.
People should also be aware of the long term affects it can have such as permanant eye damage & frequent headaches along side facial asymmetry which Kaen has already and was present at birth.
For everyone reading this please push and make more awareness ,the NHS is meant to be there for us at the end of the day xxx
Osteopathic medicine can help. Get with a doctor who can show you how to stretch the babies SCM and can then help reshape the babies head using cranial manipulation in a few visits.
Osteopathic medicine can help. Get with a doctor who can show you how to stretch the babies SCM and can then help reshape the babies head using cranial manipulation in a few visits.
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