They call him their ‘special little man’.

Eiden McDowell had to be resuscitated at birth, before being whisked off to the neo-natal intensive care unit.

When mum Sasha was allowed to see him the following day, she was given a long list of health problems her son had been born with, from a cleft palate to numerous dysmorphic features.

Eiden had to be tube fed, had problems with weight gain and suffered regular chest infections.

His bones did not form properly and he spent months in and out of hospital with breathing difficulties.

His optic nerve had not fully developed and he was prescribed glasses as a four-month-old.

Later, it was discovered he has osteopenia and learning disabilities and he was eventually diagnosed with two mutations of the same gene which gives him a syndrome known as Galactosyltransferase One Deficiency.

Now aged four, Eiden has been attending Langside School, one of the services run by Dorset disability charity Diverse Abilities, for the last 18 months.

Sasha, 39, says the support he has received there has completely turned her little boy’s life around.

“It makes him a happier child. They’ve taught him to communicate. Eiden was a very independent player, didn’t want to join in with anyone around him. They’ve taught him to interact.

“He can ask for help – he will bum shuffle over and tap you on the leg, or he will shout and put his hand up.

“In the first year of being there he exceeded the expectations of where we ever thought he would get to.”

Sasha, from Lincoln Avenue, Bournemouth, has health problems of her own and said Diverse Abilities had been a huge support to the whole family, including Eiden’s sister Katinka, seven, and dad Simon Gillings.

“Eiden has a one-to-one at the school, but all the teachers and therapists know every child and how every child works,” she added.

“The school is just incredibly personal, they keep in contact with all of us.

“It’s been life-changing to Eiden and, consequently, to the whole family.”

  • For Cindy Vincent, life is all about her daughter, Alicia.

The 10-year-old loves Frozen, music and being with her friends, much like any little girl her age.

But Alicia has cerebral palsy which affects all her limbs, suffers from epilepsy and is tube-fed, after she was 22 minutes still born at birth.

Initially, Cindy and partner Craig Collins were told she would not survive the night, but as Alicia developed it was clear she had suffered severe brain damage.

“Alicia is so complex and has so many needs,” explained Cindy, 41.

“If she goes anywhere I have to fill out all these forms because it’s so much to remember.

“She can’t tell us what’s wrong, it’s a guessing game.

“It’s very hard to take her somewhere and walk away.”

Alicia, who lives with her parents and younger brother Coby, eight, in Carter Avenue, Hamworthy, has been a full-time pupil at Langside School since June 2011.

“She loves Langside,” said Cindy.

“It just has everything, it was where she was meant to be. Everyone is on hand to accommodate Alicia’s needs.

“They know her there, even the minibus driver and escort know her so well.

“For me, having that is priceless.”

Alicia enjoys music therapy and sensory stories and is currently learning how to use an “eye gaze” method of communication.

She also enjoys events organised by the charity’s Project My Time service, which means Cindy can send Alicia to bubble workshops and Frozen-themed days, while she spends precious one-on-one time with Coby.

They also use the Coping with Chaos initiative, which organises holiday activities for the whole family.

“It’s a time when it’s not all about Alicia,” explained Cindy.

“If Alicia is in the pool, Coby can join her. If she’s in the sensory room, he can go and do arts and crafts.

“Alicia has got the best school she could ever want and our summer is packed full of activities that will accommodate Alicia and Coby.

“Had it not been for Diverse Abilities we wouldn’t have the school and everything that makes life easier for us.”

  • Diverse Abilities runs a range of services for both children and adults, including an advice team, Disability Wessex. To find out more, or how you can help, visit diverseabilities. org.uk.