Childhood Autism: English Arsonists destroy boy's Xmas surprise treat

An arson attack which destroyed a sensory room built as a Christmas present for a severely autistic boy has been condemned as a "disgusting and cowardly crime".

Fiona and Wesley Ratcliff, from Woodhouse Park in Wythenshawe, Manchester, had spent the last two weeks transforming the summer house into a safe play space for their seven -year-old s on Harvey, who suffers from Phelan-McDermid syndrome, (22q13) a rare genetic disorder.

They had planned to show Harvey the sensory room for the first time on Christmas Day, but instead they discovered it had been destroyed in an arson attack.

Wesley Ratcliff, 32, said: "Everyone was devastated. We had family come down from Scotland. They had put in the money towards helping us build it. They had all come down to see his face.

"We are all in shock. The consequence with what could have happened; it being so close to the house - I think we are lucky."

A guinea pig hutch next to the summer house had also been set alight, but the two guinea pigs escaped unharmed.

Mr Ratcliff, who is a support worker with autistic adults, said: "We bought the summer house at the beginning of the month, and the idea was to get it up and ready for Christmas.

"We painted it, put the flooring down, put the lights in, decorated it with pictures and painted it sky blue because Harvey is a Manchester City fan. It was just somewhere where he could go when he was having a hard time. I had put the final touches in on Christmas Eve."

But yesterday morning Mr Ratcliff found that the summer house had been destroyed by a fire.

He said: "The disco lights and a digital radio had been stolen. We had put soft floor mats inside which were completely burnt by the fire. The bean bag chair and a little stool and easel table were all destroyed as well.

"My opinion is that we have not been targeted, but that it was just a random attack. It was probably just some drunk teenagers, a one off. My wife is really upset and she is scared about being alone with the kids in the house."

Detective Inspector Jane Curran said: "This truly is heartbreaking, the family, like every other family across Greater Manchester, were really looking forward to showing their son his Christmas present when they woke on Christmas Day.

"Whoever did this really has no morals whatsoever.

"It is a disgusting and cowardly crime and I really would like anyone who may have seen anything or who has any information about this to contact us.

"Thankfully we think that the weather overnight extinguished the fire otherwise we may have been dealing with a much more serious incident yesterday."

Touch Bionics I-Limb Ultra: Boy uses Smartphone App to adjust Prosthetic Hand

A teenager who lost his hand to meningitis has become the first in Britain to be fitted with a revolutionary bionic replacement - operated using an iPhone.

Patrick Kane, 16, can now control his state-of-the-art left hand using a mobile application on his iPhone 5 which gives him 24 different pre-set grips.

He can create favourite grips and configure the settings on his arm for different situations, like sport or using a keyboard.

The thumb on the next generation prosthesis now rotates automatically instead of Patrick having to move it manually with his other hand.

Today Patrick - dubbed the bionic boy - showed off his brand new i-limb ultra revolution at the headquarters of Touch Bionics in Livingston, West Lothian.

He said: “It makes a big difference. It has got a mobile phone app which means it can go into 24 different pre-set patterns.

“I can operate it using my iPhone 5. There’s nothing it can’t do.”

Experts at Touch Bionics lead the field in the use of intelligent prosthetics, and Patrick, from London, is the first in the UK to benefit from the latest technology.

At 13, he had already become the youngest amputee in the world to be fitted with one of the company’s pioneering prosthetics when he received an earlier model, the i-limb pulse, in 2010.

But the upgraded i-limb ultra revolution is even more sophisticated, and allows Patrick to create favourite shortcuts to control the arm via an app that can be used on an iPhone 5 or 4S.

He can use the biosim mobile control app to activate 24 different grips or gestures just by tapping the screen.

The grips include different pinches, fist clenches, a tripod grip and a single finger point.

“We believe that the i-limb ultra revolution, with powered thumb rotation and the ability to quickly access multiple grip patterns, offers unparalleled dexterity and control, enabling wearers to more easily perform activities of daily living and thus increase their quality of life. Ian Stevens, CEO of Touch Bionics.

Cerebral Palsy: Botox helps boy take his first steps

Brave toddler Aiden Farrell has taken his first steps after having injections of the anti-ageing cosmetic drug botox in his legs.

Aiden, three, was born with crippling cerebral palsy and his muscles tightened up so much so he was unable to straighten his legs without feeling terrible pain.

The toddler’s parents Sara and Gevun scoured the internet for treatment and discovered that Botox injections had been used to relieve symptoms before presenting the idea to UK NHS medical management.

Botox injections work by unblocking nerve impulses which restrict his movement - the same way celebrities use it to combat the effects of ageing.

Mother-of-four Sara, 31, from Gosport, Hampshire, said: 'Seeing Aiden take his first steps is something I never dreamed would be possible.

'I noticed as soon as we got home after having the treatment the difference was amazing. 'Usually he would sit on the sofa with his legs bent up but his legs were normal, like ours would be when we sit on the sofa.

'It may sound unusual but if it helps my little boy walk I do not care. It´s about trying to build up strength in his legs and walking more. He is using muscles he has never used before.´

'The difference in mobility is unbelievable.' Aiden has suffered health problems all his young life after being born prematurely at 29 weeks, weighing just 3lb and kept alive on a ventilator.´

Sara added: 'When I was told Aiden had cerebral palsy we grieved every day, especially because we have other children and could see them running around the house.

'It was difficult because we wanted Aiden to do the same things they could do.

'Over time his legs tightened up so much he was unable to straighten them. He would cry with any physiotherapy exercises he was given to strengthen his legs.

'I felt useless because all I could do was massage them to make his pain go away.”

After reading about the treatment online, Aiden was placed on an 18-month waiting list and in December last year was given 12 injections, two in each of his calves, hamstrings and groin.

The family were told there was only a 50 per cent chance of it being successful.