The Rainham boy who can’t stop falling over

Although Claire Dinnen has been trying since December, it was only this week, after the Recorder stepped in, that Frankie has finally been given an assesment.

Claire, of Rainham Road, Rainham, says that she is a step closer to finding out the cause of her son’s falls thanks to the Recorder’s help.

She said: “I am happy that Frankie has finally been given an appointment to see the paedictrician but I am disgusted that it has taken so long.”

In December, Frankie was diagnosed with low muscle tone, a condition that makes the muscles stiff and affects muscle firmness.

Claire says that she was told that Frankie would need further tests to find out the underlying cause of the condition, but has been waiting for five months.

After intervention from the Recorder, Frankie was given an appointment on Thursday May 10 (yesterday) to see a paedictrician at Queen’s Hospital.

Claire said: “I was fobbed off everytime I called to find out about his appointment and how long he would have to wait.

“I am really worried about his safety because he can’t walk without falling and hitting his head.”

Claire says that she first noticed something was wrong with Frankie when he started walking at two.

Frankie, who also has a twin sister called Stevie, can’t walk down the road without falling and even has to be taken up to bed because of the risk of falling down the stairs.

His injuries have included black eyes and he has to sit in a pushchair when going out, for his own safety.

She said: “We have reached a stage where we are scared for him.

“He is just like any other boy, so he will run but he will fall.

“I wish I could keep him at home to protect him, because the school has also reached the stage where they are finding it hard to look after him.”

A spokesman for Queen’s Hospital confirmed that there was a delay in getting referral notes over to the North East London Foundation Trust.