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Lively Jamie tackles life

Jamie Reid, 6, with sister Hailey, 15, and parents Brent and Michelle. Picture: Anita Kirkbright

Jamie Reid seems younger than his six years — but he is energetic and has a curiosity for techno gadgets, animals and aeroplanes typical of his peers.

However, the pint-sized Fremantle Dockers supporter was born with bilateral frontal polymicrogyria (PMG), a malformation of the frontal lobe of his brain.

This part of other people’s brains is usually folded and bumpy, however, Jamie’s is quite smooth. He suffers frequent seizures, each one having the potential to further damage his brain and affect his emotions, speech, eyes, memory, balance, cognitive function, swallowing, appetite and more. Many of these episodes are painful and leave his parents terrified.

Thankfully, Jamie appears oblivious to the ugly shadow which threatens the sunshine in his family’s life.

Since he had his first noticeable seizure at the age of three, parents Brent and Michelle Reid have lived day by day, dealing with whatever comes their way.

Though worried for Jamie’s future, they and daughter Hailey (15), try not to coddle him, letting him explore and learn like other children.

“It is what it is. You can’t change it but to give him the best opportunity in life we can’t wrap him in cotton wool, ” Mr Reid said.

“The only limits we have are the ones he puts on himself, ” Mrs Reid said.

Mr Reid documents many of Jamie’s seizures to keep their Melbourne medical specialist informed: there were between 80 and 100 brief ones in a three-day period last week.

Depending on their type, Jamie’s muscles may jerk, go limp or lock up, and he may moan or cry in pain.

He often falls, causing injury, and loses consciousness.

Usually he has no memory of the episodes afterwards.

He has intellectual disabilities, autistic tendencies and epilepsy. Jamie woke up one morning with his eyes misaligned and they’ve been that way ever since.

He has tantrums and meltdowns, but most of the time he’s a sweet kid who gets a giggle out of watching funny videos.

“You have all these dreams and goals for your children and to have everything ripped out from under your feet is devastating, ”Mr Reid said.

“There are highs, like watching Jamie play with his friends and attend mainstream school and seeing him achieve stuff we were told he would never do; like this morning he kicked a goal at Auskick.”

The couple hope by sharing their story it will encourage people to show understanding when they see special needs children.

“Just speak nicely and say, ‘I can see there’s something different about your child. What is it?’ If you are polite, we’re only too happy to talk about it, ” Mr Reid said. “There is a lot of stress and pressure.

“If you talk to a parent of special needs children and they’re snappy, don’t take it personally. They mightn’t have slept for the past two days.

“It doesn’t mean our family is different or that their kids should avoid Jamie.”

The Reid family would like to meet other PMG sufferers to offer support and encouragement. Call Anita Kirkbright on 9956 1033.