The mum of a schoolboy left paralysed after he was hit by car has told how his Playstation helped him move again.
Shareen Hussain watched in awe as her son Ayaan Manir took a massive step forward in his recovery after she put his games controller on his hospital bed.
The nine-year-old, from East Kilbride, suffered horror injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Paisley on September 16 last year.
Shareen, 40, said Ayaan was unresponsive for a week before he woke up in intensive care and doctors feared he may not be able to move or talk again.
But in a desperate bid to get a response, the mum-of-five brought in his PlayStation controller.
Shareen said: “It was an emotional moment to see. I’m his biggest supporter and I believed he could do it. It was a big milestone in his recovery.
“When Ayaan woke up he wasn’t moving at all.
“Gradually his right arm came back but when he looked down at his left arm as if it wasn’t there, doctors were worried it might not move again.
“I would tell him, you’re not going to be able to play Fortnite or play your games again if you can’t move them both.
“I decided to bring in his PlayStation controller and it turned out to be a great idea. Slowly but surely his fingers started to move.”
The Record previously told how Ayaan was rushed to Glasgow’s Royal Children’s Hospital where he was given emergency surgery for multiple pelvic fractures, and a snapped calf. Medics also discovered two haematoma and a major bleed on his brain.
Ayaan went from strength to strength and was able to leave hospital two months after his accident.
Shareen says the hospital’s gaming services – funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity – also played a huge role in her son bouncing back.
Ayaan, who turned 10 this week, would regularly spend hours after physiotherapy sessions relaxing and playing Mario Kart with the hospital’s Gamer-in-Residence Steven Mair.
Shareen said: “Gaming made a huge difference in Ayaan’s recovery. It encouraged movement in his fingers, made him feel happy and gave him something to look forward to.
“Doctors thought he’d still be in hospital this year but he is such a determined boy.
“He loves games so much it shows he never lost that despite what happened to him.”
“His favourite game to play with Steven was Mario Kart. He loved how they played as a team and always won.
Shareen has spoken about the importance of the hospital’s gaming service on Children’s Mental Health week. With Steven playing a vital role in lifting Ayaan’s spirits.
She added: “Everyday was tough. It was a lot of hard work to Ayaan to relearn how to do everything again.
“He was away from his friends and unable to do what he loved. But having Steven there helped ease the loneliness and boredom and always lifted his mood.
“It put a smile on his face. As a parent it made me feel more comfortable that my child was still happy despite going through so much.”
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