A MOTHER has lashed out at the NHS for not providing treatment for her baby son who has a head deformity.

Little 14-week-old Ewan Reading was born with plagiocephaly – a condition meaning his head is flat on one side.

Although it can lead to problems later in life, only one NHS Trust in the country provides funding for treatment – the Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

Ewan’s mother Natalie Reading, of Capstan Mews, Gravesend, claims she has been left with no option but to pay out £2,000 for private treatment. She fears his deformity could lead to him being bullied in later life.

She said: “From the back it is very obvious and I am worried he will get bullied. I remember a child at junior school with something similar and he was bullied. I don’t want his self-esteem to be affected by it.”

Baby Ewan, who was born at Darent Valley Hospital, weighing 10lb 2oz, developed the condition after a traumatic labour, during which he became stuck in the birth canal.

Natalie underwent an emergency Caesarean, and it was not until a week later the 25-year-old noticed something was wrong with her newborn son.

Mrs Reading said: “He was healthy when he was born, but a week later we noticed that his head was very flat on one side and his ears were out of line.”

Natalie took her son to the Gateway Medical Practice in Hunt Road, Northfleet, to see her GP, who told her it should correct itself over time.

Dr Shilleena Rama did not refer Ewan for treatment, and explained: “On the NHS you cannot get the helmet that Mrs Reading wants – it is a common condition, and it’s not cost effective as most babies correct themselves.”

Mrs Reading decided to seek further help and visited a private osteopath.

Natalie said: “The osteopath has managed to help Ewan’s ear alignment, but his head is still bad so he advised us to see a specialist.”

The cranium remoulding specialist at the London Orthotic Consultancy, in Kingston Upon Thames, confirmed Ewan had a severe form of plagiocephaly and said it should be treated in the first seven months.

Natalie said: “She told us a skull should be equal on each side, taking diagonal measurements. Normal range is 0 to 6mm difference, 12mm plus is severe plagiocephaly and Ewan’s is 17mm.”

Mrs Reading and her husband Matt have now forked out thousands of pounds on a special helmet to help correct his skull.

Mrs Reading said: “His treatment is going to cost £1,950, plus £25 travel every fortnight. Both me and my husband have worked since we were 16 and have paid taxes.

“It seems really unfair the treatment for our child is not being paid for by the NHS. It is going to be hard for us as we sold our house to clear debts.

“But we can’t risk not getting it done. My husband works in the construction industry as a scaffolder and poor vision runs in the family. If Ewan needed a hard hat for work, or glasses, he wouldn’t be able to wear them because of the shape of his head.”

For more details about plagiocephaly log on to www.plagiouk.co.uk