Boy with pins and needles paralysed 24 hours later

Ayuub is unable to return home until it is fully adapted.

A 15-year-old boy who complained of pins and needles in his legs was paralysed less than 24 hours later, his mother has said.

In March, Ayuub from Rochdale felt a sharp pain in his stomach before his legs began to feel heavy and numb and just hours later he could not move them.

His mother Hena said: "He's crying out in pain and he's like, 'My arms are burning. My arms feel like they're on fire. They're burning. It's burning'."

The teenager was diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis, a condition that affects the spinal cord, and his family said they wanted to raise awareness about the "devastating" disease.

'Traumatic'

Hena said "everything has changed" for her son, adding: "He'll say to me, 'mum, all I want to do is walk. I just want my legs to move and I want to walk'."

"It was just the worst time possible, just to see him go through that."

Ayuub was treated at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where he was sedated and ventilated in the Intensive Care Unit for three months.

Hena said it had been "traumatic and devastating" but after months of struggling to understand the condition, the family were put in touch with Spinal Injuries Association (SIA).

Carol Adcock, specialist nurse lead for the charity, helped hospital staff with a care plan for Ayuub and supported him and his family.

"I felt like I could breathe after all these months," Hena said.

"If there's anything I'm struggling with, all I have to do is just ring Carol and she will help me."

Despite a traumatic year for him and his family, Ayuub said he is hoping to go to college in 2025

Ayuub was transferred to the National Spinal Centre for Children and Young People in Stoke Mandeville where he has been given physiotherapy to help him sit up independently and use his wheelchair .

Ayuub said he was now feeling more positive about the future.

"I am looking forward [to getting] a plan to finish my GCSES and choose a college to join in September 2025," he said.

Hena said Ayuub's family were looking forward to starting life together again and wanted to make people aware of the symptoms of acute flaccid myelitis.

"We have missed being together since it all happened," Hena said.

"We also hope to raise awareness about this devastating condition for other families to be aware of the signs and symptoms and how to get the support and help needed from SIA and other charities."