Gainsborough: Maxen-John takes his first steps after family thought he would never walk after brain injury

Maxen-John Austen was born four weeks early, weighing 8lb 8oz, and had to be rushed into special care, because he was suffering from sepsis.

Mum Kayley Austen, aged 23, said: “I had an awful pregnancy. I got admitted to hospital in Leeds when I was 28 weeks as they had to stop labour.

“But at 36 weeks he had to come out, as he had a heart rate of 210 beats per minute.

“When we got home everything seemed fine, but I soon started to notice something wasn’t quite right.

“He would get chest infections and had to be on steroids and a nebuliser.

“He also wasn’t meeting his milestones. He didn’t hold his head up until he was nine months old, so he needed to have physiotherapy.

“They did a scan and it showed a brain injury caused byhis traumatic birth.”

Kayley thought Maxen-John, who turns two in January, would never walk and he has to do undergo physiotherapy four times a day to make him stronger.

However, Kayley said: “He got his key walker and started to take his first couple of steps.

“He was so happy, so we all went on a family holiday in September and he saw Mickey Mouse.

“We never thought this would happen. He is now more confident and walks on his own with special pedro boots.

“He has a lot of falls, as he has a left-side weakness, and he also has severe muscle spasms so he has to take diazepam.

“He only sleeps two hours a night due to this and he suffers really bad sickness, and is sick multiple times every day.

“He has hypersensitivity, meaning certain things he touches make him sick.

“In January, Maxen-John couldn’t even sit up, he would just lay there.

“He has come on really well and I’m so proud of him.

“He has put a lot of hard work in to get to where he is today.

“He is such a happy little boy and loves his sister, Tizzy, who has epilepsy.

“It’s still a long road for Maxen-John and we don’t know what the future holds, but one thing is for sure and that is that he is a happy little boy.

“He is under the care of Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre and I’m waiting on more tests, to see if he needs an operation for his vomiting.

“He is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine and dinosaurs and we are wanting to make this Christmas and birthday the best ever as he is in constant pain everyday from muscle spasm. He is so brave.”