A DERBYSHIRE firm has stepped in to pay for treatment for a

baby boy with a deformed head.

James White developed a condition called plagiocephaly, or

flat head syndrome, after being born 11 weeks prematurely,

weighing just 1lb 8oz.

The condition, which tends to affect premature babies

because skulls are softer, means bones in the 13-month-old's

skull are deformed, leaving a flat area on the right side of

his head.

It is also more prevalent in twins, which James is, because

the babies have less room to develop in the mother's womb.

Plagiocephaly left James unbalanced, so his family decided

he needed a treatment involving a £2,000 helmet to correct the

problem.

His mum, Shelley White, believed the NHS would not fund the

treatment so she planned a sponsored walk to raise funds.

But Extec Screens and Crusher Ltd, in Hearthcote Road,

Swadlincote, covered the full cost of the helmet.

James, from Burton Road, Woodville, near Swadlincote, had

his helmet fitted last month and will wear it until the end of

the year, only removing it for bathing, to help the skull bones

grow in the right shape.

Mrs White said: “We decided to go for this treatment because

we didn't want him to have an odd-shaped head. The condition is

mainly cosmetic but it was affecting his balance, meaning

learning to sit up was harder.

“He's happy in the helmet and we have already seen a

difference in the shape of his skull.

“James' twin sister, Harriett, is fascinated by the helmet,

I think she would like one herself.”

Specially-designed helmets to treat plagiocephaly are not

routinely funded by the NHS so it is up to individual health

trusts to decide whether or not to pay for them.

Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust, which makes decisions

on the healthcare of people in the county, including

Swadlincote, said it considered each application for funding on

its individual merits.

But Mrs White said she was led to believe she would not be

granted funding so she did not apply for it.

Earlier this year the Evening Telegraph reported the case of

Kelly Mitchell's son, Alfie, from Long Eaton, who was refused

funding for a skull cap to correct his plagiocephaly by the

same trust.

A spokesman for the trust said: “All requests are looked at

on an individual basis and no single case acts a precedent for

another.

“We would encourage anyone seeking treatments by the NHS to

approach their doctor or consultant to discuss that

treatment.”

Mrs White said she was delighted when she was approached by

bosses at Extec.

Ian English, from Extec, said the company decided to help

James after hearing about his mum's fund-raising efforts.

He said: “Everyone at Extec was touched by James's story and

by the determination shown by his mother Shelley.

“As a major local employer and an integral part of the

community, we were delighted to be able to help such a

deserving cause.”