LITTLE Elliott Baker is determined to keep up with other kids his age despite battling irreversible brain damage.

The three-year-old spent the first year of his life in and out of hospital before being eventually diagnosed with the condition.

Although it affects his speech and mobility, the toddler, from Watlington, is now making good progress and is determined to lead as normal a life as possible.

The goal of his parents, Caroline and Peter Baker, is to see their son become more mobile and fit in with the other children who will soon attend Watlington Primary School.

But for the time being, Elliott needs to use a walking frame and his parents want to buy him a motorised wheelchair.

Weekly physiotherapy sessions at Ormerod School in Oxford have helped him make progress, and he also has regular check-ups at Oxford Children’s Hospital.

Last year, the community in Watlington, near Thame, rallied to help the Baker family buy a special bed costing £4,500.

Now the Brook Street family needs their help again, to raise £18,000 for the new wheelchair, which will be specially adapted by a Cambridgeshire company.

Mum-of-two Mrs Baker, 42, said her son’s symptoms were similar to those of a child with cerebral palsy, but added: “We don’t know yet what caused the damage, which affects his muscle tone and mobility.

“At the moment Elliott uses sign language, but he is just starting to talk and can say ‘mummy’ and ‘daddy’.

“He is a very determined little boy and wants to do everything other children his age are doing.

“He is regularly set targets by his physio and always achieves those targets.”

Mrs Baker added: “We are really grateful for the support of people in the local community – they have really rallied round.

“When we needed to buy a special bed last year mums at the school baked cakes and raised £1,000 in a sale in the high street.

“Other people in the town have run charity races or marathons and we are often being approached by people who say they would like to raise funds for us.

“We are overwhelmed by the support.

“Last week when Elliott fell over in the garden and split his head open another mum helped me to take him to hospital and looked after my daughter Ella, who is seven.”

Mr Baker, who works as a clinical scientist in haematology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, said: “It has been a very tough journey, but our plan has been to allow Elliott to lead as normal a life as possible.”

Donations can be made online through the Turbo Trust charity to justgiving.com/Elliott-to-go