LITTLE miracle Ryan Williams will celebrate his third birthday on Christmas Day after an incredible battle against the side affects of a rare illness.

Natasha Williams, 28, of Quakers Road, Devizes, spent the first year of her son’s life staying in charity hospital accommodation so she could be at the side of her desperately sick child.

She was warned many times that he might not survive or if he did he would have little quality of life.

Ryan suffers from a rare form of dwarfism called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome. One of its most dangerous side affects is heart problems.

He underwent major heart surgery in Bristol Children’s Hospital when he was a few months old and doctors feared he would never be well enough to return home.

Ms Williams said: “Doctors warned me that they were not sure that intervention was the right thing for Ryan. They didn’t actually use the word but I knew they meant they feared he would be a vegetable.”

But incredibly Ryan is now an active and bright child walking confidently around the living room of his home and concentrating as he fits a toy railway track together.

Ms Williams, who lives with her partner John Strange, who treats Ryan as his own son, said: “It really is miracle to see him so well.”

She puts part of his recovery down to the help and support he has received at Devizes Opportunity Centre. Two years ago, when Ryan was finally allowed home from hospital, he was referred to the centre and staff have helped with his mobility, speech and development.

Ryan still has problems breathing and has a tracheotomy tube. Ms Williams said: “Staff have learnt how to change the tube and have been amazing.”

She also receives help from carers who stay at her home five nights a week as Ryan has to be constantly monitored.

Ryan’s mum was told he had problems when she went for her 20-week scan. She went into the Royal United Hospital, Bath, on December 23 to be induced and he was born by caesarean section on Christmas Day, 2011.

He was immediately taken to the neo-natal intensive care unit and then after five weeks transferred to Bristol Children’s Hospital. She said: “It was a very difficult time but now I am just grateful he is doing so well.”