After seeing some warning signs and ‘quirky’ behaviour, nursery workers helped to get two-year-old Dottie Byfield a life-changing diagnosis of a rare-condition that affects just one in 5000 kids
A mother has shared the heartbreaking story of how her two-year-old daughter was given a devastating diagnosis after her rare condition was spotted with a subtle sign by a nursery worker.
Gemma Loveridge, 41, and her youngest daughter Dottie Byfield live in Sandwell, between Birmingham and Dudley in the West Midlands. After noticing that Dottie wasn’t hitting certain development milestones and that she was showing some quirky behaviour at the pre-school, nursery staff flagged their concerns to Gemma.
She soon took Dottie for several tests, including a brain scan that showed cysts. After some more blood tests, she was diagnosed with a rare condition called dup15q syndrome. The genetic disorder affects around one in 5,000 children. It can cause issues, delays in development, epilepsy, autism and hypotonia.
Speaking to BlackCountryLive, Gemma said: “She was having delays with her development. She started nursery, and after a little while, they started picking up on what they called her quirky behaviour.”
Noticing other concerning signs, Gemma added: “She has very severe separation anxiety, so she has to be held constantly. She flaps and shakes her head and will smack herself in the head, which is stimming-type behaviour.
“If she doesn’t like the feel of food, then she won’t eat it and if a floor has an unusual texture, she won’t stand on it. She is also non-verbal and did not get involved with the other kids.”
The condition can severely stunt the development of young ones, and those with the condition often don’t achieve a mental age of more than three years old.
The mum-of-four added: “She has autism, epilepsy and mobility issues, so most days she can’t walk. When she does, she will walk into things and fall over fresh air.
“She also has to be tested for cerebral palsy. She had pain in her legs and has to sleep on me in bed. I’ll be in a sitting position and her head will be on my knees with her legs on my shoulders. That is the only way she is getting comfortable, and medication doesn’t seem to help.”
After the diagnosis, the family is looking to raise money to help with Dottie’s care and quality of life. They’re looking to buy a machine to help communication, as well as looking into often expensive stem cell treatment.
The fundraiser has already caught the attention of people across the country, who have flooded in with their support, raising more than £17,000 in just a matter of weeks through a sponsored sky dive and other events.
Thankful for all the support Gemma added: “You hear so much about crime and horrible stuff but the fact that so many people want to help Dottie has changed my view on humanity.”
Despite all her hardships, Dottie remains happy and loves to dance around whenever a good tune comes on.
Click here to view the GoFundMe page.