I was told my baby’s head was too small for his brain – what happened next was terrifying
A MUM who was told her newborn baby’s head was too small never imagined what happened next.
Vic Frost's son, Daniel Bradley, seemed perfectly healthy when he was born in October 2011.
But aged three months, a health visitor became concerned that his head was too small.
Not long after, Daniel was diagnosed with the rare condition craniosynostosis.
It causes the joints in the skull to fuse together too early, instead of around two years of life, leaving no room for the brain to grow.
Signs include a rugby-ball shaped head or a pointy forehead. The soft spot on the top of the head disappears before the age of one.
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Vic, a beautician, said: “I didn’t think it was anything serious at first, but then doctors explained that there was not enough room for his brain to grow.
“We were warned that he would die without surgery. It was a terrifying time.”
Not all babies with craniosynostosis need surgery. But Daniel’s parents were warned that without it, he would die.
If left untreated, craniosynostosis can lead to serious complications, such as seizures, developmental delay or head deformity.
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Not even one years old, Daniel was taken into a life-saving operation that would take nine hours and prevent his skull crushing his brain.
Surgeons at Birmingham Children's Hospital had to painstakingly dismantle and rebuild his skull piece-by-piece.
They moved his forehead to the top of his head which took away his eyebrow bones.
Their aim was to create an artificial gap in Daniel's head in order for his to skull fuse together as he grew older.
Vic and her partner, Stu, faced an anxious wait.
Vic said: “When we were finally allowed to see him, he just didn’t look like my baby.
“Facially he was so different. It was such a shocking feeling.
“For many months after the surgery, I grieved for the life he’d had before, and the son I’d had before.
“I know the surgery was lifesaving. But it was so difficult to come to terms with what he had been through.
“When he went to nursery, he was very set in his ways, but we were told this behaviour is common in people who have had surgery in younger years.”
Heart-breaking images show the aftermath of rebuilding Daniel's skull, leaving him with a huge zig-zag scar.
But it was all worth it, for Daniel made a full recovery and led a normal life.
Ten-year-old Daniel, who has a 19-year-old brother, Jak, is a healthy school boy and is nowfor the hospital which saved his life.
He will complete a mini triathlon, alongside best pal Finley Whysall, on April 24, after they were inspired by the Tokyo Olympics.
Vic said: “We are incredibly proud of Daniel.
“The photos after his surgery are a horrific memory of what he went through, but also a reminder of how brave and inspirational he is.
“Now he’s 10, he has decided he wants to give something back to the people who saved his life.
“He’s a big sports fan, he loves Derby County FC, and the mini-triathlon seemed like the ideal way for him to say thank you to Birmingham Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald Housing Charity.”
Daniel said: “Me and Finley are going to do a 20-length swim, a three-mile run and a six-mile bike ride.
“I have been training at my local swimming pool and they have closed a lane especially for me.
“We have been out running too, although not too hard as we want to try and save ourselves for the day of the event.
“We are raising money for the hospital and for Ronald McDonald Housing Charity who looked after me and my family while I was poorly in hospital.
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“All of our teachers, family and friends have been really helpful and I am really pleased with how much money we have raised so far. I really appreciate it.
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“I am really enjoying doing the training at the moment, I do want to be a footballer, but I plan to do more triathlons."
To donate to Daniel's GoFundMe, .
