Muscle wasting illness tragedy of Doncaster boy, aged five

When little Jaden Wardle took a long time to learn to walk, his mum first thought perhaps he was being lazy.
Jaden Wardle with mum LindseyJaden Wardle with mum Lindsey
Jaden Wardle with mum Lindsey

But as he grew older, mum Lindsey noticed her son become tired after walking just a short distance. Climbing stairs was difficult for him.

Worried, she got in touch with her doctor.

After he was referred to a pediatrician, a expert in children's illnesses, at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, he was sent for blood tests.

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Finally he was diagnosed earlier this year with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The news came shortly before his fifth birthday.

Muscular dystrophies are a group of inherited genetic conditions that gradually cause the muscles to weaken, leading to an increasing level of disability.

MD is a progressive condition, which means it gets worse over time. It often begins by affecting a particular group of muscles, before affecting the muscles more widely.

Some types of MD eventually affect the heart or the muscles used for breathing, at which point the condition becomes life-threatening.

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There is no cure for MD, but treatment can help to manage many of the symptoms.

There are many different types of MD. Duchenne MD like that suffered by Jaden, is one of the most common and severe forms, it usually affects boys in early childhood; men with the condition will usually only live into their 20s or 30s.

Lindsey, aged 32, said the she was devasted to hear of Jaden's conditions.

She said: "It's killing me. Every day I cry about it, but I have to be strong for hum, but it is hard. I just wish that it was me, not him who had this.

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"Jaden doesn't really understand, and that is hard. he just knows his legs really hurt sometimes.

"He never walked until he was two, and he was a slow crawler, so he was different in that respect. But I just thought he was a lazy baby.

"He struggles to walk now. I have to pick him up after five or 10 minutes because he gets so tired. he ca't run, he can't ride a bike, and he can't go on trampolines."

But family and friends have rallied round. Lindsey has been moved the the support she has received from mum and dad Karen and Jim Wardle, of Bentley, and sister Lisa Slack, of Toll Bar.

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They have planned a fundraiser for Jaden and for research charities.

Jaden is expected to need items such as a wheelchair between the ages of eight and twelve, a stairlift and modifications of their home on Manor Estate, Toll Bar.

Family and friends have organised a coffee morning fundraiser at Toll Bar Community Hall, near Toll Bar Primary School, on September 28th. It runs from 12noon until 4pm.