A Deeside mother has praised surgeons who put her son’s skull back together in a life-saving procedure.
Little Saul Shoebridge was born with craniosynostosis, a rare condition that affects just one in 5,000 babies.
The condition, which meant sections of his developing skull became fused together, required a risky four-hour corrective operation when he was just nine months old.
His mother, Alex, of Banchory, said: “I was extremely nervous because the surgery was not without risk. I learned that in other hospitals some children had not survived, although it’s extremely rare for that to happen.
“We didn’t have much of an option. If we left it any longer, then his brain would become severely restricted. Nevertheless, I made two return trips to hospital to talk to the surgeons before making my mind up. It turned out the surgeons were absolutely fantastic.”
Just three days after the surgery, Saul – who is now too – began trying to sit up by himself for the first time.
He has since been diagnosed with a chromosomal deletion disorder and developmental challenges which affect his ability to learn to walk and crawl, and his sensory perception.
Ms Shoebridge, who also has son Jordan, 17, said: “He’s two-and-a-half now and he’s only just started to walk, so he’s got some way to catch up. His development only truly began after he had the surgery.
“He’s a great little boy. He’s extremely cheeky and laughs a lot, but he can be a monster too – a normal two-year-old, in other words.
“He’s got a lot of challenges but he’s doing well. I feel very well supported. The consultants were amazing at the time of the surgery and I’ve got lots of specialists – speech therapists, physiotherapists and health visitors within reach.”