Mum's worry over crash victim's future (From Dorset Echo)

Mum's worry over crash victim's future

10:10am Saturday 21st November 2009 in

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A MUM whose son suffered a serious brain injury in a road crash as a baby is still searching for answers about the accident’s after-effects.

Eleven years ago Sandy Hardwick’s car was hit by another driver at high speed and her son Elliott – a 10-week-old baby at the time of the smash – is making slow but steady progress.

He will be joining other youngsters tonight for a disco organised by Cerebra, a charity that helps children with brain-related conditions.

Neurologists are still trying to find out exactly which part of Elliott’s brain was affected.

Because his brain was injured as a baby, the networks within it were broken and unable to re-route themselves because he was too young to learn things.

Sandy, 44, of Broadmayne, together with her husband Bryan, 53, are calling for more tolerance from people about youngsters with brain injuries.

She said: “When we take Elliott out, he’s got his teddy and the special duvet he had as a baby and he’ll feed chips to his teddy.

“He’s like a toddler and if he sees something sparkly then he’ll chase after it.

“I find myself saying ‘sorry’ to people for his behaviour because people see an 11-year-old boy and wonder why he is like he is.”

Doctors examined Elliott after the accident, in which he was knocked unconscious.

He was given the all-clear, but alarm bells rang when he became a toddler.

“Elliott would be sitting there fully awake but it was like the lights were on but no-one was home,” Sandy said.

Speech problems and developmental delays led to a neurosurgeon concluding that the youngster experienced definite signs of early brain injury.

Since then Sandy, who has lasting physical injuries from the accident, has battled to get Elliott’s needs recognised.

“If your child has ADHD, then you get a statement for it.

“When you don’t fit into a category for something, it’s difficult to try and get help,” she said.

The family turned to charity Cerebra for support and got a place for Elliott at Westfield Technology College in Weymouth.

How he will live his life in the future is still unclear. Elliott suffers from regular migraines and memory loss, but is a happy-go-lucky youngster who loves playing with his cat Whiskers and is supported by his big sister Rebecca.

Sandy said: “He’s happy in his own world and it’s only when you take him outside that you see there’s a huge difference between him and other 11-year-olds.

“If he went out the front gate on his own he would get lost.

“There’s not a bad bone in his body, his little friend is his cat, but it’s hard when he asks why other children won’t play with him.”

Any children who have suffered brain injuries or who have learning difficulties are invited with their parents, carers and siblings to the free Cerebra disco in Broadmayne Village Hall today between 1.30pm and 4pm. There will be a visit from Santa Claus.

For more information call 01305 268281 or visit www.cerebra.org.uk