'I want to give my child a chance to walk unaided'

The family of a 22-month-old boy with a neurological condition affecting his coordination have begun fundraising to help him take his first steps unaided.

Kai, from Starbeck, in North Yorkshire, has been diagnosed with cerebellar hypoplasia, ataxia and hearing loss, and uses a walker to stand and move.

Now his family are hoping to fund specialised physiotherapy sessions designed to help children with similar conditions.

Kai's mum, Angela, said: "I'm determined to support Kai in the best way I can - he's come to me for a reason, and I will do everything in my power to give him the chance of walking unaided."

Ataxia is a term for a group of disorders that affect co-ordination, balance and speech, while cerbellar hypoplasia is caused by an incomplete or underdeveloped cerebellum and also impacts movement.

Angela said Kai was diagnosed after being referred to Leeds General Infirmary when his family noticed he was not meeting certain developmental milestones around the time he turned one.

Around the same period, it was also discovered that Kai was profoundly deaf.

Despite the diagnoses, Angela said it "didn't hold him back" from "being happy and loving life".

"He's the sweetest little boy, he brings joy to whoever meets him," she said.

"He doesn't know he's different, because he doesn't know any different."

Kai currently uses a specialised walker but has to be supervised at all times, as he cannot stand or walk independently, Angela said.

While Kai attends NHS physiotherapy sessions, which Angela described as "great", she also wants him to access Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) therapy, which is only available privately.

DMI is a type of physical therapy that focuses on building neural pathways and encouraging gross motor development.

Angela said the fundraiser - which has already reached more than £4,000 - would pay for the treatment, and that it could mean in the future Kai would be able to move around unaided.

She said her son "had the determination, but needed the opportunity".

"I want him to be able to walk independently, in whatever way that may appear," Angela said.

"It might not be your stereotypical walking mannerism, but I really think he can do it."

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.