'My little girl wasn't hitting milestones. I could never have imagined the reason why'

Just 20 days after Effie Middleton was welcomed into the world, her family were hit by a diagnosis which turned their lives upside down.

Effie was just a newborn when she began suffering seizures, prompting her worried mum Ellena to take her to hospital.

The tot was kept on the ward for three weeks where she was treated for an infection before being allowed home.

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But as the months went by, Ellena noticed she was failing to meet milestones including sitting up by herself.

Effie was later diagnosed with triplegic cerebral palsy, a condition which affects movement and posture.

It’s believed the youngster developed the condition when her infection caused a lack of oxygen to her brain, leading to brain damage.

Ellena, 29, can recall the moment she was given the devastating news. “It was very scary,” she told the Manchester Evening News.

“There were loads of tests, injections and antibiotics through an IV which she had to have all through the day.

“It was quite difficult to get an official diagnosis. I kind of knew before we got the diagnosis, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it was quite difficult to know where to go after that.”

Effie, now aged five and in reception, struggles to walk or stand up alone with her condition affecting her lower limbs and upper left limbs.

It also impacts other aspects of her health including blood circulation, digestion and sleep.

Having been given an Innowalk in the past, a standing device which allows users to exercise daily, feel the motion of walking and build up muscle, her family are now hoping to raise £33,000 to buy Effie one of her own.

“Effie adored the Innowalk,” Ellena added. “I