Maddisons Story

Bringing an awareness and understanding of Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS), Symbrachydratyly and other pre-natal conditions.

My Beautiful daughter Maddison was born perfectly healthy at 36 weeks in sept 2009.

It had been a very worrying pregnancy as we had found out at my 20 week anomaly scan that Maddie would be born with a congenital defect affecting her right hand.

It had all began when i was 18 weeks pregnant, when out of the blue i had a PROM (premature rupture of membrane).  So I was scanned every week from then onwards.

It was a difficult time for all concerned, especially for myself and my partner……… I had previously had 3 other children all born with no problems so that was the first time I have ever been concerned about the welfare of my unborn child.

So after 18 more weeks of continuous PROM and 1 episode of preterm Labour at 25 weeks Maddie was born perfectly healthy in sept 2009.  She was beautiful…. still is, she is a little fighter and has certainly put my life into perspective.  We spent a week in hospital and was then discharged home with our bundle of joy.

After leaving the hospital, after having no guidance or explanation of the NHS I researched congenital limb deformities on the internet but to no avail.

There is not many sites in the UK that are designed to help support those directly or even indirectly affected by upper limb deficiencies so, I have made it my goal that, in 2010 and onwards I am going to raise awareness and understanding of Amniotic Band Syndrome and Symbrachydratyly.

The reason these two conditions are highlighted is because Maddie has had two professional diagnosis, the first ABS (which after much research is what i believe had caused Maddie disability) and secondly Symbrachydrtyly.  Both are very similar and are quite often mis-diagnosed as each other.

Up until today Maddie is doing very well, at only 6 months old she is now sitting up for long periods, attempting to hold an adapted bottle to her needs and can pick up small objects using both hands!!! We are so proud of our little angel, we couldn’t have asked for a more content and happy baby.  She has turned our lives upside down, for the better and we love her very much, we all do, she is becoming quite the community baby.  Everybody in our community are going out of their way to support us and Maddie by helping us with fundraiser’s etc etc…… So Thank You everyone.