5
“ Ritchie loves to help others as much as he can – well , he thinks he ’ s helping ! He ’ s got a heart of gold . He watches his iPad , he loves his books , plays on the Xbox and he gets on well with the staff . He ’ s got every single one of them wrapped around his little finger !”
As well as providing Ritchie with a safe and fun ‘ home-from-home ’, Acorns has supported his family in other ways too .
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a rare genetic neuromuscular disease , which results in loss of mobility and motor function . SMA is the leading genetic cause of death of infants and toddlers , with around 95 per cent of the most severely diagnosed cases resulting in death by the age of 18 months . Despite his initial prognosis , Ritchie is now a determined seven year old and , as his mum describes , a ‘ real character ’.
Mum Donna , says : " Despite all his many challenges , it doesn ' t stop him doing what he wants . He can do very little for himself but he ' s just adapted . Acorns is one of the places that helps him to do the things he loves .
“ Acorns has been an absolute godsend to us . It just gives us a little bit of a break and we know Ritchie ’ s in good hands . It ’ s not like I can call a babysitter and say ‘ can you have him ’? The staff know him , they know the condition and they know what they ’ re doing when it comes to children with his needs . Even if we just go and walk round the park for ten minutes . It ’ s our little peace and quiet .
“ The joys of being a parent of a child that has complex needs ; you get excited when you have the chance to run the hoover around ! Something as mundane as that . Because 24 hours a day , seven days a week it ’ s ; ‘ what does Ritchie need ’?’ What drugs are due ?’ ‘ When ’ s his feed due ?’ ‘ When ’ s his physio ?’ It ’ s a break and it means so much .”
Find out more at www . acorns . org . uk
The family were introduced to Acorns in the Black Country , based in Walsall , when Ritchie was two years old , and say that it ’ s now like his second home . “ His eyes light up when he knows we ’ re going to Acorns ,” says Donna . “ It gives him confidence . He can go to socialise and spend time with children that are like him , children that have different abilities . He gets to go and make a mess and have fun .