PETITION CALLS FOR HELP FOR BABIES

Mar 9 2007 By Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A SUPPORT group which helps babies in West Lothian with plagiocephaly, is taking its fight to raise awareness of the condition to the Scottish Parliament.

In May last year the Plagiocephaly Care UK support group handed in a petition with over 15,000 signatures to lobby for free treatment of the condition on the NHS.

And now the group is returning to the petitions committee at the Scottish Parliament to hear if MSPs are to take any further action.

Plagiocephaly is a disorder in which the back or one side of a baby’s head is flattened. It affects up to 50 per cent of babies under one year old.

At the moment a specialised helmet and treatment used to correct plagiocephaly is not available on the NHS and families face forking out thousands of pounds for private treatment.

Last week the Courier reported how Julie Affleck from Armadale was forced to raise £2500 for the treatment of her son Ellis.

Claire McCready from Ratho, who helped set up the support group, said she hoped members from West Lothian would join her at the Parliament on March 20.

Her son Robbie successfully completed his helmet treatment which Claire had to finance herself.

She continued: “In our support group West Lothian is the busiest area for members. We have over 20 families as members now.

“I think that is down to the publicity we have had in the area from the Courier.

“As plagiocephaly is a condition which can affect 50 per cent of babies under one year old it is a matter which needs to be addressed urgently.

“I continually fight to raise awareness of the condition to help other parents fully understand what this condition involves and how it can be avoided.”

Claire’s website, www.plagiocephalycare.org, now has 180 members and receives over 27,000 hits per week.