A toddler had 150 spasms a day because of a mysterious illness that doctors had not spotted

Doctors initially thought that the mysterious illness of a young child was a "severe allergy to milk" or a "reflux".

Tristan Hutchings, two, had up to 150 spasms a day when his parents Adrian Hutchings, 38, and Sarah Huyton, 33, took him to the GP.

He was only a few weeks old at the time, but he was not diagnosed until the age of nine months because the doctors had not spotted his condition.

He was eventually diagnosed with West's syndrome after being referred to a pediatrician.

Mr. Hutchings of Ollerton, Nottinghashire, said, "I do not want other parents to live what we have experienced.

"The late diagnosis left Tristam with cerebral palsy and many other problems and he is so late in his development. He can not keep his head up, walk or talk.

"We need to raise awareness of the symptoms because the sooner the diagnosis is diagnosed, the better.

"He had up to 150 spasms a day and he was shaking and crying and we knew something was wrong, that's the instinct of the parents."

West's syndrome is better known as "infantile spasms" and occurs when children have epileptic seizures or spasms as a result of abnormal brain activity.

Tristan is now much better and is a toddler very smiling and very smiling.

Mr. Hutchings hopes that his son will be able to walk and talk after the doctors do not exclude him.

Dr Manish Prasad, pediatric neurology consultant at the NHS Trust in Nottingham University Hospitals, added: "West syndrome, or childhood spasm, affects about 350 children in the UK each year. legs.

"Early diagnosis means that symptoms can be managed with targeted treatment, which minimizes the distress and discomfort of patients and their families.

"We encourage all those concerned about their child's symptoms to seek the advice of a health professional as soon as possible."

The family is now working with a charity called UKIST – UK Infant Spasm Trust – to help raise public awareness of this disease.