THE FAMILY of a boy left with a serious brain injury is fundraising to build him a sensory area.

Tyler-James Claydon, from Witham, was born with meconium aspiration syndrome.

The respiratory distress syndrome left him with a brain injury called HIE, due to oxygen deprivation.

Tyler, now five, suffered from seizures and stopped breathing on occasion.

His mum Kerry and dad James, from Blott Rise, are fundraising to provide therapy for him as he struggles with everyday tasks.

As a result of Tyler's birth he was also left with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and Sleep Disorder.

He attends Edith Borthwick special needs school in Braintree but does not get the intense speech and sensory therapy he needs.

Mrs Claydon, 29, said: "It's very hard to get the right help for him.

"He can get frustrated and he has a three-year-old brother called Reuben who has been affected on quite a dramatic scale.

"I don't want to sit around and wait for nothing to happen."

The family did not find out until Christmas last year about Tyler's HIE.

Mrs Claydon said: "It has been an absolute whirlwind but he has got a lot of potential.

"He is a really good, lovely little boy, he just needs to learn a different way.

"It will never change him but therapy will improve his understanding and his communication."

They want to raise £1,600 for one year of private speech therapy, and enough money to create a sensory room in their home.

Noises and bright lights can send Tyler into meltdown, and the community has already started fundraising for a calming environment for him.

Mrs Claydon said: "Everyone has been so kind, we have only been here a couple of years so we just want to get to know people and make some new friends for Tyler.

"He's quite sad at the moment and that's why I wanted to step in. I'm doing this for all the family.

"It affects Tyler every day and it's sad to see but it's not all doom and gloom as he is a lovely little lad."

The family is holding a Halloween party at Dengie Hall in Dengie Close on Friday, October 28.

Tickets are £5 and it will run from 4pm until 6pm.

To donate to the fundraising page visit www.gofundme.com/tylerjames