PARENTS of a boy who can’t walk or talk have told how his condition has left medics baffled.
Sarah and Robert Parker said a raft of tests have failed to reveal exactly what is wrong with their five-year-old son Rudi.
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And now they’re scouring the world for treatments to help give their child a better quality of life.
So far the couple, from Mauchline, Ayrshire, have been informed their lad has hypotonia — low muscle tone — and global developmental delay.
Usually, both conditions are side effects of something else, such as Down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy.
But doctors can’t work out the cause of the symptoms experienced by Rudi, who has only been able to sit up on his own in recent weeks.
Mum Sarah, 44, said: “He has gone through every test imaginable but the experts still have no idea what is wrong.
“It’s frustrating for us as parents because we would love to know what we can do to support him.”
Despite his issues, she said Rudi is full of smiles and loves watching Rangers with dad Robert, 53.
She added: “Although he is non-verbal, he can say words like ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘mum and dad’ and can be a very vocal wee boy, especially when the football is on.”
The Parkers are now raising funds to get specialist treatment for Rudi.
They’re just back from Bucharest, Romania, where he underwent intensive Cuevas Medek Exercise, a new therapy which can improve a child’s motor skills within a few months.
The mum explained: “We have already seen a huge improvement in him.
“Rudi is now able to sit up unaided, something he could not do before.”
The couple hope to raise £10,000 to enrol Rudi at the Napa Centre in London for intensive therapy.
It’s frustrating for us as parents because we would love to know what we can do to support him
Sarah Parker
Sarah added: “The Napa offers incredible results and we are desperate to take Rudi there.
“We are trying everything to give him the best chance in life.”
Anyone looking to help Rudi can do so here.
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