PARENTS of a baby boy suffering from a skull condition say they are “scared and nervous” as they prepare for his operation.

Rafferty Adams, of Claremont Road, Higham Hill, was born with a rare condition called craniosynostosis, which means parts of his skull fused together too early, stopping his brain from growing.

The eight-month-old will have to have surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital early next year to open his skull and leave space for his brain to grow.

His mother, Dr Rosie Green, who works as a researcher at the London School of Hygiene and Tropi-cal Medicine said the thought of the operation is "daunting."

The 38-year-old said: “I feel pretty awful. It is quite scary but Great Ormond Street are a great hospital and they spotted it when Rafferty was born.

“We are not sure about his condition because it can be genetic or else it can be an accident in the womb.

“At the moment, fingers crossed, he seems to be doing okay.

“I am heading back to work soon after maternity leave. I don’t want to leave him but I will take a lot more time off when he has his operation next year.”

Rafferty will be assessed by doctors at the children's hospital and a date will be decided for his operation early next year around his first birthday.

Craniosynostosis can cause behavioural and development problems in children and although it is too early to see these symptoms in Rafferty, he is experiencing problems smiling.

Rafferty’s father Peter Adams, who is engaged to Dr Green, said he is looking forward to getting the procedure out of the way.

He said: “I am pretty nervous about it really but I know it is for the best.

“I’ll be grateful when I know it is done and out of the way and we won’t have it hanging over us.

“I have faith in the Great Ormond Street team. They have been really good.”

September is craniosynostosis awareness month and Dr Green and Mr Adams have joined an online campaign, Cranio Ribbons, to raise awareness about the condition.

Dr Green said: “The campaign is to raise awareness because the condition is often not diagnosed.

“If they think their baby has got a funny head shape they should get that checked out.

“It can be really serious if it is not spotted so it is important to make people aware of it.”

Mr Adams added: “Going into Great Ormond Street hospital we have seen other children who have the same thing and they are four or five years old.

“Their pressure could have been relieved if it was spotted earlier on and they could have had a better quality of life.”