A SINGLE mum feels let down by the NHS after it refused to fund treatment for her son's deformed head for a second time.

Kelly Mitchell's son, Alfie, has a condition called plagiocephaly, or flat head syndrome, which means his skull is misshapen.

The condition, which tends to affect premature babies because their skulls are softer, meant bones in the 18-month-old's skull were deformed, leaving a flat area on both sides of his head.

Earlier this year, Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust refused to pay £2,000 for a special cap which could correct his deformity.

Now an appeal against the decision has failed, although the trust has agreed to write to the Children's Health Commissioner after listening to Kelly's concerns about the lack of information available to parents.

After initially being turned down by the trust, Kelly had to raise the money to pay for the cap herself.

Among the donations she received was £1,000 from the charity Head Start For Babies and £600 from Asda, in Long Eaton.

But Kelly, of Moorlands Close, Long Eaton, said she was angry at the trust's decision.

The 25-year-old, who has two other children, Keegan, nine, and Ellie-May, said, if her appeal had been successful, she would have donated the cash to pay for treatment for another child with the condition.

"Luckily, there have been a lot of kind people who have helped us but they shouldn't have to," she said.

"It's the principle. I've spoken to so many other people in the same position. If somebody doesn't kick up a fuss, nothing will change."

When Kelly was told that her appeal had failed she said: "I cried my eyes out. I was just gutted. I had worked so hard and done so much research. He's so much better since he had the cap fitted. His head just looks amazing."

The board agreed to write to the Children's Health Commissioner after listening to Kelly's concerns that parents should have more guidance about the condition.

"I am pleased but it's too late for my Alfie," she said. "I had to do my own research on the internet. If I'd known how to prevent it, we might not have to have gone though all this."

The condition can be prevented by making sure babies have plenty of "tummy time" where they lie on their front and by putting them in different positions at night to avoid prolonged pressure on one area of the head.

A spokeswoman for the trust confirmed the appeal for funding had been refused.

She said: "The condition has no long-term consequences for physical health and the skull normally remoulds itself. The use of a helmet is not usually recommended by NHS cranial surgeons.

"At the moment, the board is in the process of writing to the Children's Health Commissioner about the recommendations of the panel. At this stage we cannot release what the recommendations are."