Girl 'can't walk unaided' months after stage injury

A 12-year-old girl is unable to walk unaided seven months after suffering an injury while performing on stage, her mother says.

Niamh, from County Durham, had been performing in London's West End with her drama school when she hurt herself last June.

She has since been seen by clinicians across four NHS trusts in north-east England.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said doctors had found she had not needed surgery on her left foot when she was initially assessed, but medics would look again if she was referred by her GP.

Niamh's mum, Helen, told BBC Radio Tees: "She's gone over on her foot or ankle and come off stage and not told anybody because she thought she'd just twisted it.

"Because of the adrenaline, she kept going. For any person to get to the West End - especially a 12-year-old - is big.

"When we'd got back home she asked if it was a normal position for her foot.

"I went and sought medical attention, but it's never been right [since].

"I've got a child that's been left with a deformed foot. The positioning of her foot needs correcting."

Helen said doctors initially told her it had been a sprain and referred her daughter, who has autism and mental health difficulties, for physiotherapy.

However, the ongoing issues have "set her back loads".

"Her confidence has gone backwards," her mum said.

"Her schooling is being affected and I've had to go and get more help from mental health services.

"Going from dancing on stage to going about on crutches and sometimes in hired wheelchairs [is difficult].

"She's had adaptations like a bath lift put in. That's massive to anybody."

Helen praised the help received from the local authority and her GP, adding that private and the NHS physios who have seen Niamh say "it needs another surgical opinion because it's got worse that it was initially".

She said: "As a parent, I feel like I'm being passed from pillar to post.

"Even the chronic pain team she's been referred to, their waiting list can be up to two years.

"All we want is an appointment and another surgical opinion.

"She's missing her musical theatre and all her friends. She had hit rock bottom and we've worked tirelessly to get her out of her bedroom."

A spokesperson for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said Niamh initially visited Accident and Emergency and was referred to the organisation's trauma and orthopaedic team "who made further checks confirming she did not need surgery".

"A specialist physiotherapist supported her with a programme of exercises and guidance offered about how these were key to helping her recover from her injury.

"All care through our trust has been completed and a referral has been made to other services.

"If Niamh's GP feels our orthopaedic team can be of further help, we will be happy to review her again."

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