EYTHAN Galloway (right) appeared to be a healthy baby when he was born.
He grew and developed well during the early months of his life, with his only apparent illness a minor chest infection.
However, when he was about six months he began to lag behind other babies his age in respect of weight gain and then physical ability.
Doctors initially thought he was just slow to develop, but as the year progressed it became apparent there was something wrong.
Eythan, from Forfar, appeared to be more “floppy” than other children his age. 
He couldn’t tolerate lying on his stomach and sometimes had difficulty lifting his head.
Doctors carried out numerous tests to find out what was hampering the little boy’s development.
Weakness 
They suspected he had a form of spinal muscular atrophy — a condition that causes muscle weakness throughout the body, although often mainly affecting the muscles closest to the trunk, such as the shoulders, hips and back.
People with SMA have a missing or altered gene, called SMN1, which produces a protein in the body called survival motor neurone protein. 
Motor neurons are nerve cells in the spinal cord which link with nerve fibres connected to muscles throughout the body.
A deficiency of the protein causes the motor neuron cells to shrink, resulting in muscle weakness. 
Generally, weakness in the legs is greater than in the arms. Feeding and swallowing can be affected, as can the muscles involved in breathing and coughing. 
Children with SMA are often at risk of feeding difficulties and poor growth. They’re also at increased risk of pneumonia, other chest infections, gastro-oesophageal reflux and constipation.
A test of Eythan’s blood proved the doctors’ suspicions true and two days before his first birthday mum Jillian and dad Ryan were told he has type 2 spinal muscular atrophy.
This type of SMA means he has control of his head movements in an upright position and can turn to either side. 
He’s able to sit independently for short periods, but is liable to lose his balance, be unable to correct himself and fall over. He often has difficulty eating and recently had a tube inserted for feeding.
However, despite all the difficulties he’s had to overcome, Eythan is a bright and sociable little boy. His intelligence is not affected by his condition and he’s currently at nursery. Ryan and Jillian plan to send him to a mainstream school.
A few weeks ago he received a new electric wheelchair and had dad Ryan chasing after him as he tested how fast it could go round the wards of Tayside Children’s Hospital in Dundee.
Relaxed 
Ryan and Jillian would rather he didn’t have to spend so much time at the hospital, but they’ve got to know the staff, which helps Eythan be more relaxed about his appointments.
There’s just one problem. 
At the moment, Tayside Children’s Hospital can’t provide all the tests Eythan and children with similar conditions need.
Spinal muscular atrophy and similar conditions can lead to complications with breathing because of the underdevelopment of the chest wall and lungs.
This also causes children with SMA to have a weak, inefficient cough, which is exacerbated by recurrent chest infections. The problem can be worse at night, leading to a drop in the level of oxygen in the blood and eventually to respiratory failure. Eythan has already had problems with his breathing.
Doctors need to attach Eythan to specialised monitoring equipment for a few nights every three to six months to check for the onset of problems.
At the moment Tayside Children’s Hospital doesn’t have the equipment, which means Eythan and his parents will have to travel through to Yorkhill Children’s Hospital in Glasgow.
This puts an added strain on sick children and their parents, explained Ryan.
“We have baby monitoring equipment in Eythan’s room and we end up constantly listening to his breathing through the night.
“It’s difficult to say if he’s developed sleep problems because he’s never had a full assessment. 
Collapsed 
“Last week he was in hospital being treated for a collapsed lung, which came on very quickly. 
“Tayside Children’s Hospital doesn’t have the equipment to carry out the test so we’ll have to arrange to go to Yorkill Hospital in Glasgow. It’s a long way to go, especially for Eythan.”
That’s why we’re asking Sunday Post readers to help raise funds to help buy specialised equipment to monitor children like Eythan during sleep.
Dr Jonathan McCormick, consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Ninewells Hospital, said the equipment would be used to monitor heart rate, oxygen levels and movement of the chest.
“There are a large number of conditions with the potential for sleep problems,” he said.
“This equipment is essential if we’re to diagnose the presence and severity of sleep disorder breathing in patients like Eythan.”
The equipment costs around £8000, but the peace of mind it will give parents is worth more than money.

IF YOU have a special reason for contributing to or raising funds for our appeal then we’d like to hear from you. It could be that you’d like to thank caring staff for the treatment they’ve provided in your hour of need. 
Or perhaps a relative spent time in one of Scotland’s children’s hospitals and the experience has left a lasting impression on your family’s life.
Whatever the reason, please let us know. 
We’d be delighted to share your experiences with our readers. 
And, who knows, it may inspire others to follow in your fundraising footsteps.

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