By Claire Elliot

LITTLE Finlay Sangster is receiving botox injections to help give him the best chance of a normal life.

 The three-year-old, who spent the first eight weeks of his life in an incubator, has severe cerebral palsy.

He can’t walk, crawl or sit unaided and relies heavily on his parents, Gail Finlay and Bruce Sangster, to carry him from place to place.

 But in a desperate bid to improve the quality of his life, the couple has allowed doctors in Aberdeen to give him the anti-wrinkle treatment.

 Research has shown that it can help children with cerebral palsy to perform simple everyday tasks by improving their muscle control.

And Finlay’s parents hope that, in the long run, it will also help prevent their son from needing radical surgery on his ligaments and tendons.
 

Miss Finlay, 29, who gave up her career as a teacher to care for her only child, said: “When botox was first mentioned I just thought of old folk with wrinkles and lots of money.

"I didn’t realise it could be used on muscles.
 

“But there’s been some excellent research to show it’s not just for getting wrinkles out.

“The botox helps him to take more control over his muscles.

“A lot of it was trial and error but we knew it wouldn’t make him any worse so we wanted to give it a go.

 “I didn’t want to be sitting here five years down the line thinking: ‘if only we had tried that we might be at a different point’”.
 

Finlay, who was born 12 weeks premature, weighing just 2lb 12oz, has already had botox injected into one of his eye muscles to correct a squint and in his calf muscles to improve the alignment of his legs.

His condition causes abnormal stiffness, resulting in irregular postures and restricted movements.
 

The botox works by numbing certain “overactive” muscles to encourage the use and improve the strength and flexibility of others.
 

Miss Finlay, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said: “There were so many areas he could have had it. But he is only allowed such a small amount.
 

“It was initially meant to be in his thighs but by injecting his calves they thought it would help his feet for standing.
 

“It’s been successful. So here’s hoping it can help him a little bit more.”
 

Finlay’s parents are now waiting to see his consultant to decide how they should proceed.
 

Family and friends have also helped set up a webpage and fund to raise money for the thousands of pounds worth of equipment needed to assist Finlay now and in the future.
 

His parents claim over-worked health professionals and red tape means they can wait months on vital therapy and equipment on the NHS.

They have already raised the £2,000 needed to pay for four weeks of intensive therapy at the Craighalbert Centre, in Cumbernauld, which caters specifically for children with motor impairments.
 

The next item they hope to purchase is a specially designed bed to improve his posture as he sleeps.
 

Miss Finlay said: “A lot of the equipment is preventative, providing him with the correct posture or stretches.
 

"We know it’s not going to cure him but through exercises it can help him to have a more fuller life.
 

“We just want to do the best for our child.”
 

Miss Finlay knew there was something wrong when Finlay failed to meet the same milestones as his peers at six months old..
 

But it was not until he was a year old that he was formally diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, the more severe form of cerebral palsy.

 As a result his development has been delayed. While most youngsters his age are now able to sit and eat unaided, Finlay, has only just started to learn how to feed himself.
 

But like most toddlers he loves Fireman Sam and is able to join in with his friends thanks to a specially designed tricycle.
 

Miss Finlay said: “He’s our son and I wouldn’t change him for anything.

“All children are hard to look after, he’s just hard in a different way.
 

“We don’t treat him any differently. He’s just a typical three-year-old and gets a row like any other child.
 

“He gets frustrated because he knows exactly what he wants to do, he just can’t do it.
 

“But he’s got a great sense of humour and such an outgoing character so I think he‘ll be okay.
 

“We just want to ensure he has the best chance to lead as independent a life a possible,” she added.