Toddler who suffered massive stroke in womb stuns doctors by walking and talking in time for first day at nursery

A three-year-old boy who suffered a massive stroke in the womb has stunned doctors by learning to walk, talk and see in time for his first day at nursery. 
Liam Maule was delivered six weeks early in August 2009 after midwives could not find his heartbeat. While twin sister Laura was born healthy, Liam had experienced massive bleeding in the left side of his brain and was severely brain damaged.

The stroke could have killed an adult and mother Rosie, 34, and father Jason, 37, from Swindon, were warned he would not develop normally.

But now Liam has joined his sister at preschool, where he is walking, talking, and can see to a distance of six metres.

Rosie, from Swindon, said: 'As far as I knew, I had been carrying healthy twins, until I had a routine checkup when they couldn’t find his heartbeat.

'I knew my children had to be delivered as quickly as possible. I was rushed for an emergency c-section.

'Laura came out first, crying at the top of her lungs. Liam came out two minutes later, but he wasn’t crying. The quiet made me panic.

'I was able to hold Liam for a few minutes and I noticed his thumbs were sticking into his hands. I thought it was just a result of how he had been positioned in the womb.'

But two days later, a CAT scan revealed that Liam had suffered bleeding in his brain while he was still in the womb, five days before he was delivered.

Doctors battled to stabilise Liam by attaching him to a drip and boosting his immune system, but there was little they could do other than wait to see what happened.

Rosie, who split with Liam’s father before the birth, was told her son was still bleeding and she should prepare for the worst.

She said: 'Tears were streaming down my face. I couldn’t believe what was happening.

'I was told to consider Liam’s quality of life. If the bleeding didn’t stop and the brain damage got worse, I would have to prepare to let Liam go.

'I told the doctor I didn’t want to have to make that choice. I couldn’t face turning off a life-support machine.'

Even if Liam survived, he would be left with 14 serious health conditions, including cerebral palsy, microcephaly disorder, epilepsy, swelling on the brain, and respiratory problems.

Rosie said: 'The news was like a slap in the face. Doctors told me it was unlikely that Liam would ever walk or see.

'The part of his brain which affects his speech was also heavily damaged, so talking was another milestone he would find difficult to reach.'

Incredibly, Liam survived and left hospital three months later to join Laura, brother Lewis, 13, and sisters Erin, seven, and Emily, 15, at home. By the end of the year, doctors were amazed at his progress.

Rosie said: 'He first started seeing shadows at nine months old. Shortly after his first birthday he reached out for a teddy bear.

'I got the video camera out and videoed him doing it again. I couldn’t believe he could recognise it.

'His first words were ‘dada’ and ‘dandan’ - his godfather Daniel. He can now say ‘Daniel’ as well, and uses that for ‘serious conversation’ like asking him if he can use his iPad.
'When he took his first steps in June this year I thought it was a miracle.

'My biggest fear was that he wouldn’t be able to walk. A defining moment was at his godfather’s wedding in July 2011, when he walked down the aisle.

'We were so proud of him making his own way down with his zimmer frame covered in ribbons and bows.

'When Liam walked into the consultant’s room for his most recent CAT scan in March, our doctor couldn’t quite believe it.

'Looking at the scan of his brain he turned to me and said ‘Rosie, he shouldn’t be doing any of this. Walking, talking - it’s incredible’.'

Last month Rosie proudly dropped Liam and Laura off at the Coleview Preschool in Swindon, where his progress has continued.

Preschool keyworker Sandra Cullen said: 'I first met Liam in January and it’s amazing how much he’s improved since then.

'He’s settled in extremely well. He loves playing with the other children and he’s very popular

'He has developed beyond what anyone expected, both physically and in his level understanding. He is very communicative.'

Although strokes are usually associated with adults, around 400 infants and children are affected by the condition each year.

Consultant pediatric neurosurgeon at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, Dr Mike Carter, said Liam’s continual improvement can be partially attributed to the fitting of a tube which drains excess fluid from Liam’s brain to his stomach, where it can be absorbed.

Liam’s young brain has been better able to adapt to the trauma caused by the stroke.
Dr Carter said: 'Children up to seven years old have increased plasticity, allowing functions within the brain to swap from one side to the other.

'The stroke Liam suffered is often fatal in adults. Children have a great capacity for recovery.

'In Liam’s case, functions of the brain on the left side, which had been damaged, have been taken over by the right side.'

Rosie believes Liam has also responded well to her use of music, light and sound therapy in his daily routine.

She said: 'Music therapy is his favourite. He loves Adele, as he knows that means nap time. Before Liam arrived, I took developmental milestones for granted.

'I’ve always taken photos when my children get their first pair of shoes. Unfortunately, when I took Laura to get her first pair, Liam wasn’t walking and had some problems with his feet.

'Watching Laura pose for photos, it saddened me that her brother couldn’t be there too.
'Twins are meant to do everything together, but she walked before him, talked before him - she did everything before him.

'I wasn’t giving up though - I wanted that photo. I got it, a year later, when Liam was ready for his first pair of shoes. It was an emotional day, but everything is more emotional with Liam.

'It seems unfair that, of the two twins, Liam had to draw the short straw. I have no idea why it happened to him and not Laura, apart from that she was always the more dominant one in the womb. Scans showed her to be heavier and taking up more room.

'It is a struggle to watch them grow up side by side, knowing that their lives will be so different.'

Rosie has been advised that Liam, who needs constant care and medication to control his various health conditions, is unlikely to live beyond 30 years old.

Despite the heartache and challenges, Rosie says she draws strength from Liam every day.

She has started a Facebook group, called Eye Love Liam, to give hope families in similar circumstances.

She said: 'I’m so proud of everything that Liam has achieved. It’s really inspiring.

'I want to raise awareness, not just of the fact that babies and children can suffer from strokes, but also of ways that parents can encourage progress.

'I started the ‘Eye Love Liam’ campaign to share my experiences with other mums in my position and let them know there is hope for the future.'