Fundraisers meet the target for little Erinn

Nov 17 2006 By Lisa Boyle, Dumfries & Galloway Standard

A DUMFRIES toddler who has to wear a plastic frame on her head 23 hours a day will benefit after fundraisers hit the cash target to pay for specialised treatment.

Little Erinn Cain, who suffers from Plagiocephaly — or flat head syndrome as it’s commonly known — cannot receive treatment on the NHS because health chiefs don’t believes it works.

The little girl’s condition means her head is misshapen and she has to wear the light-weight brace for most of the day.

Parents Caroline and Clifford had to raise funds to pay for it privately.Now they want to continue raising funds for a Plagiocephaly charity.

Head Start for babies is the only charity which helps low income families pay for treatment for Plagiocephaly.

Caroline said: “Although the NHS acknowledge she has Plagiocephaly, treatment is not available. There is no proof that the treatment Erinn receives works — but then again they have no proof that it doesn’t.

“As far as the NHS are concerned it is a cosmetic problem but Erinn’s ears aren’t straight so if she needs glasses it would be difficult.

“She also has a droopy eye and a perforated ear drum.”

Originally, Erinn would only have to wear the frame for three to four months, but her rate of growth has started to slow down now that she has turned a year old.

She now has to keep wearing the frame for a further three months.

Caroline wishes she had been made aware of the condition a lot earlier.

She said: “Midwives and health visitors should be telling parents about this condition. After 18 months a baby’s head is no longer malleable. If we’d found out about this condition when Erinn was six weeks old there is much more we could do about it.

“There are special mattresses and pillows you can buy to correct the shape in younger babies.”

Caroline says she and Clifford have been overwhelmed by the amount of support they have been given: “The Lions Club raised money for us through curling events and we had a quiz night in the Cavens Arms. My husband also did a parachute jump.”

Caroline and Clifford have been given a lot of advice and support through www.placiocephalcare.org.uk.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to Head Start can contact Caroline on 07739695667.