THE FAMILY of a disabled toddler hope that an expensive operation in the US will give him the gift of speech.

Finley Rosbotham, who has cerebral palsy, has already overcome great odds by learning to walk while supported, in spite of being born paralysed down one side, with part of his brain missing.

The two-year-old’s parents, who live in Oswaldtwistle, are now hoping he will be selected for £45,000 spinal surgery by specialists in St Louis, Missouri, who say they can reduce the spasms of cerebral palsy.

If surgery is successful, the Rosbothams are hoping it will make it possible for Finley to walk totally unaided and for him to speak.

Though physiotherapy has helped Finley walk, mum Kelly said that the muscles in his mouth remain out of his control.

She said: “Speech has been a big thing because it’s where he is making the least progress.

"He can walk nine steps, but while he makes sounds, he isn’t saying any words.

"He also struggles with his eating, because the muscles in his mouth are not developed. He still eats mashed up food.”

The operation, known as Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Procedure, has only ever been performed once in the UK, but has been carried out at the St Louis Children’s Hospital on 2,100 children with a 100 per cent success rate.

The procedure involves cutting into the spinal cord to expose the spinal nerves.

Each nerve has ‘dorsal roots’ which are stimulated electrically.

By responses from muscles, the surgical team can identify which rootlets cause spasticity.

The abnormal rootlets are cut, leaving the normal rootlets intact.

However, doctors have yet to approve Finley as suitable for the operation.

Kelly said: “We have to send them a video of what he can do and a copy of his MRI scan results.

"In the meantime we are looking at ways to raise the funds.”