Tot Kian gets new head start

LITTLE treasure . . . Vicky and Neal Gibbons with son Kian and his special helmet

A ROYTON family was overwhelmed by support from the community after needing to raise funds to help their baby.

Little Kian Gibbons developed plagiocephaly, otherwise known as flathead syndrome, and needed a special helmet costing £2,000 to help reshape his skull.

However, the NHS does not fund such treatment — saying the problem is cosmetic, not a health problem, and could correct itself anyway — leaving concerned parents Neal and Vicky having to find the money.

But the community rallied round and they have quickly surpassed their target — and vowed to give the extra money to other families.

Vicky said: “The fundraising has been absolutely fantastic. We are very fortunate we have a big family and good friends that are helping us.

“Others are not so fortunate. With the extra we have raised we decided to donate it to other parents in similar situations.”

The couple had concerns about the shape of Kian’s head when he was very young but were told to return to their doctor if they were still worried in six months.

But a health visitor referred them to the Royal Oldham Hospital where a paediatrician said there was nothing wrong with his development but he was suffering from flathead syndrome.

Kian also suffers from brachycephaly, where the head is disproportionately wide.

Several trips to Manchester Children’s Hospital and a clinic in Leeds, have followed and Kian, now 10 months old, was able to get a specially fitted helmet at the end of June. His parents have already seen an improvement. Vicky said: “They said he was at the high end of the scale. Children can be cruel and he could get bullied.

“If we did nothing as he grew up, for simple things like riding a bike he would not have a crash helmet that would fit.”

Grand-dad Kevyn Gibbons said: “I think it’s ridiculous that people can’t get the helmets on the NHS.”

He runs a soccer school and his contacts helped get raffle prizes from clubs including Latics, Manchester City, Bolton, Blackburn and Preston, while local shops and businesses also helped.

Royton’s White Hart pub raised £1,000 with a race night while an event at Royton’s Conservative Club managed to raise another £1,800. In total, £4,500 was collected.

Shauna Dixon, director of clinical leadership at Oldham PCT, said: “There are studies into this condition.

“Where treatment is not urgent and is not routinely provided on the NHS, we have an individual patient review panel to decide whether to fund additional treatment on an individual basis.”