Milly is my walking miracle, says Mum (From Gazette Series)

Milly is my walking miracle, says Mum

A BRAVE young cerebral palsy sufferer has amazed doctors by taking her very first steps after it was thought she would never walk.

Four-year-old Amelia Bolton-Harris, known as Milly to her family, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy almost two years ago.

She could not control her legs preventing her from walking and doing many of the things young children enjoy.

Last week, however, her proud mum and physiotherapists watched on as "miracle" Milly tottered onto her feet and walked a few paces for the first time.

Mum Abigail Bolton said watching her daughter walk for the first time was something she thought she would never see.

She told the Gazette this week: "She stood and walked and I cried. I just sat and cried.

"The physiotherapists have told us that they have never seen such a result. They said they'd heard of them but never seen one."

Milly's amazing achievement has been accredited to a largely unheard of form of treatment given to cerebral palsy sufferers, Botox injections.

Botox is more commonly associated with cosmetic surgery and combating wrinkles but experts believe the Botulism toxin relieves the symptoms of cerebral palsy by reducing tightness in muscles which allows better control of movement.

It has been used for medical purposes in America but is largely unknown in the UK.

Miss Bolton, 24, said the injections, which Milly had at Gloucester Royal Hospital, last for several months during which time she and the physiotherapists have to work hard training her daughter's leg muscles.

She said: "It will last three months and in these months we will train Milly's legs and train her to use the right skills for walking.

"After three months the Botox will wear off and hopefully we will have done enough work with her legs to be able to allow her to walk."

Miss Bolton also hopes the injections will reduce the discomfort and pain Milly suffers.

She said: "It gets really bad when she has growing spurts. Her muscles become tight. Last time it was bad Milly had to be rushed into hospital and was put on morphine.

"Hopefully this severe cramp will stop now Milly is having Botox."

The Gazette covered Milly's story 18 months ago when Miss Bolton believed a two- year delay in her daughter's diagnosis was going to make corrective treatment a lot harder and a lot more painful.

At the time, the mum, of Second Avenue in Dursley, claimed she had been trying to tell health visitors from May Lane Surgery and Sandpits Clinic that something was wrong with Milly but nothing was confirmed for two years.

On reflection, Miss Bolton stands by her original concerns but does not think an earlier diagnosis would have affected the success of the Botox injections.

She said: "I don't think she would have been given the Botox any earlier but correcting the leg position could have started.

"Milly is out of the cast she was put in but they still need to do work to correct the position of her feet. Because she has never walked her feet aren't right."

Looking towards a bright and active future, Milly is now working hard and making friends at her new school North Nibley Primary where she started in September.

Miss Bolton added: "Milly was going to go to St Roses School (a special school for children with physical disabilities in Stroud) but I decided with her personality she would fit in with mainstream so she goes to North Nibley Primary and they have been fantastic.

"They have fitted a ramp for access to her classroom. Milly's physiotherapists have also visited the school to help make things easier."

After a difficult two years Miss Bolton said she would like to thank all the friends and family who have shown endless support.

She said: "Thank you to everyone for their support over the last couple of years."