Man’s developmental disorder made him regress to being a toddler again

By Hannah Van De Peer

A man said he felt “trapped” in his own body - after he regressed to being a toddler at the age of 11.

Liam Virgo, 21, had been a healthy and “happy” boy during his childhood - and loved his sports clubs, including swimming and biking.

But at the age of 11, he randomly regressed - losing the ability to walk and talk, and behaving like a toddler.

Doctors tested Liam for a number of conditions, but the only conclusion they could come to was that he had functional neurological disorder (FND) - a condition which can change how your brain works.

In 10 years, he’s made “huge strides” towards recovery, and he can now sit up in his wheelchair, talk and is slowly catching up with his education via a tutor.

Liam, from Nottingham, said: “FND stopped me from doing anything - I feel like I’m trapped in my own mind and body.

“I was bed bound for three years - I struggle to remember anything before my diagnosis.

“Life before FND is a total blur.”

Before his regression, Liam was an active and healthy child, who went to mainstream school.

His mom, and full-time carer, Samantha, 57, described him as “quiet, but normal.”

One of Liam’s favourite things to do as a child was to ride bikes with his dad, Jason, 53.

But after finishing primary school, his secondary teachers began to pick up on a cognitive decline.

“We noticed his cognitive skills were going backwards a bit,” Samantha said.

“But, it wasn’t picking back up - it was getting worse.

“It started in his first year of secondary school - he was about 11 or 12.”

Liam was in touch with a paediatrician at King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, who was monitoring his decline.

Within just a “few” weeks from the beginning of his symptoms, Samantha was alarmed to see Liam walking, talking and behaving like a “toddler.”

He’d place objects in his mouth absent-mindedly, as well as losing most of his speech overnight and his voice changing.

“I can remember Liam coming down the stairs and speaking like a toddler would,” Samantha said.

“He said: ‘Mommy! Mommy!’ and his voice completely changed.

“A week after that, he couldn’t walk straight - only in a zig-zag.

“And his speech went completely.”

Liam’s hands clenched together tightly, in a claw-like position, and he couldn’t release them.

Samantha received a call from his paediatrician to come to hospital urgently - they suspected he had motor neurone disease (MND).

They began a series of investigations, which lasted for four months while Liam was placed on a children’s neurological ward.

Doctors tried to treat him with a muscle relaxant called baclofen - which didn’t help Liam’s joint stiffness.

Samantha said: “Doctors really didn’t know what was going on.

“They were testing for all different things - MND.

“But his scans kept coming back clear - after four months, he was discharged and told he may improve on his own.

“But in reality, he was bed bound for three years.”

Liam added: “The only thing I can remember from that time was faces and bright lights.

“My brain didn’t know what was happening - my FND stopped me from knowing.

“I didn’t know what was happening to me - my mind went blank, like my brain had shut down.

“My words couldn’t come out - it was like they were trapped inside my mind.”

Liam missed out on years of education, after having to come out of school at the age of 11.

He was stretchered out to special school for a term - but he wasn’t able to “take to” the lessons.

Thanks to tutors, personal assistants, psychiatrists and his care team from Great Ormond Street, Liam has slowly been gaining his skills back.

He can speak “fluently and intelligently,” as well as sit up in a wheelchair.

“I still use a wheelchair but I can take a few steps,” Liam added.

“I didn’t think I’d even get here - after years of not being able to walk at all.

“We don’t know if I’ll ever recover from FND - all I can think about now are my dreams, wishes and goals.

“I’ve been determined not to let my illness hold me back from achieving my dreams.”

Liam says his condition often makes him feel lonely - particularly as he hasn’t been able to make friends or meet a partner.