Dundee mum Leigh Welsh has only one wish for Christmas – to get her son home to Dundee “where he belongs”.
Nine-year-old Riley was born with complex physical and learning disabilities and requires 24-hour care.
Since lockdown Riley has shielded at home with his mum, Leigh, and was doing relatively well.
However, earlier this month Riley caught a cold bug he couldn’t fight off and has spent most of his time since on a ventilator in hospital in Edinburgh.
Now Leigh’s aunt, Alison Smith, has launched a £6,000 fundraising campaign to help pay for more of an Advanced Biomechanical Rehabilitation (ABR) therapy programme.
The family believe the therapy has made Riley strong enough to keep fighting his current illness – and it represents their best chance of getting him home for Christmas.
Leigh said: “In particular Riley’s breathing capacity has improved. His lungs are strengthening which is so important to as reduced mobility increases risk of respiratory illnesses which can be life threatening.”
Riley was born with microcephaly, a condition which stems from the skull being small and impacts brain development, leaving him immobile and non-verbal.
He was also born with a tracheo-oesophageal fistula which meant his oesophagus wasn’t attached to his stomach, leaving him unable to swallow food.
Riley has a feeding tube and colostomy bag and has a minor hole in his heart.
The Kingspark School pupil is also epileptic, as well as blind and deaf.
Leigh explained that ABR is a unique therapy which rebuilds the strength, structure and function of the body.
It is a ‘hands-on’ manual therapy that is similar to deep-tissue massage. It focuses on fascia; a type of connective tissue found around and between muscles.
Leigh said: “ABR has also helped so Riley can stretch out his limbs as his legs and knees are no longer stuck and tense.
“He can be comfortable and he can control his head while he can cross his legs to sit. Riley’s shoulder blades are visible now and his spine has opened up and allows for mobility that he has never had. He can be free in his own body and skin.”
“Riley typically used to sleep through two to three nights a week. Riley now sleeps all night most nights at home after his exercises! Its been absolutely life changing to have a complete night’s sleep for both of us.”
However, despite doing so well he is now having to continue to fight in hospital.
Leigh said: “This infection has wiped him out. He’s tired and just really needs to rest so we have the best chance to recover, so nothing happened over the weekend.”
She added: “He’s opened his eyes a couple of times and we’ve had the odd squeeze of our fingers.
“He’s having his sleepy cream massage every night and he has his teddies and blankets and comforts.
“We did try to take him off the ventilator last week and he tried hard but three hours later he was exhausted again so he had to be re-intubated.
“His blood pressure and heart rate were through the roof and oxygen saturation’s were just not holding. He was wheezy and breathing very hard and he became really distressed. It wasn’t nice to see at all.”
Leigh said: “I am just hoping and praying that Riley makes progress so I get to take him home where he belongs.
“It would be amazing if he could be home for Christmas.”
So far the Justgiving page has raised £725 of a £6,000 target to allow Leigh to carry on with Riley’s ABR therapy.
To donate, or find out more, visit Riley’s ABR Journey.
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