Parents' relief over healthy baby

Five-month-old Brandon Kramer is teething and attempting to talk

A couple who were told their baby would have severe disabilities say they bear no animosity to medical staff after he was born in perfect health.

Becky Weatherall and Kriss Kramer's son Brandon, who is now almost five months old, was christened on Sunday.

The Pembrokeshire couple were told he would be born deaf and blind and might survive only a couple of hours.

A spokesman for University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff said they could not comment on individual cases.

The first-time parents from Pembroke Dock were offered a termination up to a few weeks before he was born.

They were told Brandon suffered from rhomboencephalosynapsis, which affects fewer than one in a million people worldwide, and causes the two halves of the brain to fuse.

The couple were also told Brandon had water on the brain, which can cause learning difficulties and behavioural problems.

Tests every two weeks until just before the birth had shown his condition worsening, said his parents, who are both aged 24.

We are not there to blame anyone but we want to thank them for the help and advice they gave us Kriss Kramer

But he was born on October 1, 2007 and is teething and attempting to talk.

They were given the all-clear on his health on 24 December, which was "the perfect Christmas present", said his father.

"We thought we were going to have to plan a funeral, so it is really special," said Ms Weatherall.

Her partner added: "Just to be told everything was fine and we had a perfect healthy boy and we were going to be able to do all the things that other mums and dads could do, it was just a huge huge weight off our shoulders.

"We can start enjoying every little moment with him now."

The couple said they did not blame medical staff at the fetal medicine unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, who believed Brandon would be born with the condition.

"We are not there to blame anyone but we want to thank them for the help and advice they gave us," said Mr Kramer.

"They went over the MRI [scanner] results with us. They haven't given us any explanation.

"This is why he is our miracle baby because there were no signs that they had got it wrong.

"It was a mistake, but all that is put to the side now and we are trying to forget about it because Brandon is normal."

Ian Lane, medical director with Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust said they were unable to comment on individual cases due to patient confidentiality.

"If patients or their families have any questions regarding any aspect of the care or treatment that has been received whilst a patient in the trust we would urge them to contact us directly in order that we may discuss any concerns with them," he said.