INSPIRATIONAL Thomas Neale who was born with no balance nerves and a host of complex medical conditions has astounded his family and teachers by winning a regional gymnastics competition.
Eight-year-old Thomas is profoundly deaf and was born with a tethered spinal cord, duplex kidneys and an imperforated anus, which meant he had no opening in his bottom so he could not pass waste.
The Royal School for the Deaf pupil has bravely faced four major operations but is most proud of his success in the West Midlands Gymnastics for All Voluntary Team Floor and Vault Championship.
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He won two gold medals in the disability category at the event, scoring an impressive 8.3 out of 9 for the vault and 8.9 out of 10 for his mat routine.
Mum Claire said: “We are so proud of Thomas. He has many medical issues but is the bravest and most determined little boy you could ever meet.
“His little life has been filled with countless hospital appointments, without grumbling, and he is now undergoing tests for possible autism or obsessive compulsive disorder – he has many traits which could be either condition. For example, if we move anything we have to put it back where it was, or if anyone is at the door he has to open it.
“The gymnastics competition was a huge deal for him – it was in a massive hall with hundreds of spectators and it was pretty overwhelming for any child, never mind one with Thomas’s additional problems.
“He entered last year, but his nerves got the better of him and his teacher had to stay by his side throughout his routine. This year, almost as soon as we arrived, he went off by himself and I was so nervous for him I could hardly watch – but he enjoyed every minute of it.
“Having no balance nerves has meant that gymnastics has been extremely difficult for him, but it has also helped him to improve his coordination and balance too.”
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Thomas, who has a fit and able twin brother called Oliver, was just an hour old when he was diagnosed with an imperforated anus, which put him at risk of infection and possible tears of the bowel if left untreated.
Only one in 5,000 babies are born with the condition which occurs more frequently in boys than in girls. It develops in the womb during the fifth to seventh weeks of pregnancy and the cause is unknown.
Multiple procedures are necessary to correct the problem and Thomas had his first operation, to fit a stoma and temporary colostomy, when he was two days old.
A second operation was carried out to create an anus and to disconnect Thomas’s bowel from his bladder. Two subsequent operations removed the stoma and also released Thomas’s spinal nerves which had become bound at the bottom of his spine.
Thomas is also profoundly deaf and he, and the rest of his family, have also had to learn British Sign Language (BSL), so they can communicate – although Thomas and Oliver have also developed their own special language.
Claire added: “The majority of deaf children are born into deaf families and so they grow up with BSL as their first language, learning it naturally in the same way hearing children learn to speak.
“We’ve all learned BSL together but it’s not our first language, so there will always be a slight barrier. But Oliver and Thomas have their own little language, that they developed when they were tiny, and it is wonderful to watch. Despite their differences they are extremely close.
“His gymnastics teacher Eve doesn’t sign, but she is fab and will communicate with Thomas by showing him what to do and then he copies her.
“He is a very caring and loving little boy and he’s very sociable – learning British Sign Language and attending the Royal School for the Deaf has been the making of him, we are absolutely thrilled with the progress he is making there.
“Academically Thomas struggles, but he is improving slowly and making progress every year. It’s hard not to compare him to Olly, who doesn’t have any health problems, but because Thomas is such a strong and positive child, he doesn’t let anything get him down.”
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Thomas, who also has a 16-year-old sister called Lauren, travels to school each day from his home in Stone, in Staffordshire.
Royal School for the Deaf Derby head teacher Helen Shepherd said: “The entire school is enormously proud of Thomas who has brought his gold medal into school to show everyone.
“Like many of our pupils, Thomas has a number of health problems, but he never complains and faces everyday with a smile on his face. He is making excellent progress and we are delighted that his confidence had grown enough to take part in this competition.
“When pupils start at the school they can sometimes lack confidence, especially if they have grown up in a hearing household where it has been hard to communicate.
“But once children are surrounded by peers, with similar difficulties, they thrive and grow and Thomas is a perfect example of this.”
ENDS
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