LITTLE Flynn Ellis is defying the doctors who feared he would struggle to walk, let alone run, by tearing around like any other toddler.

The youngster, aged just 20 months, has a real appetite for life and takes living with an extremely rare combination of conditions in his stride.

Flynn has a skeletal abnormality, called chondrodysplasia punctata, and dwarfism, while also having to deal with brittle bone disorder, liver and spine problems.

He has spent so much of his young life in hospital that staff at Southend and Great Ormond Street hospitals know him very well already.

Yet despite all this, the tot seems remarkably unfazed by all the fuss.

His parents, Debbie and Daniel Ellis, were first told their baby had problems when Debbie was 28 weeks pregnant.

Debbie, 28, said: “A scan showed he had patches on his bones, so we were sent to King’s College Hospital, in London, for a more in-depth investigation.

“He was diagnosed with chondrodysplasia punctata, which is very rare.

“It’s like patches of crumbling bone.

“It is very hard to explain and even the doctors don’t know how he’ll develop, or how it will affect him as he gets older.

“It could even fizzle out by the time he gets to adulthood.”

The condition is a group of inherited disorders affecting the skeleton, skin, eyes and mental function.

But Flynn’s brother Morgan, eight, has no problems and nor do his parents.

Daniel, 29, has no history of it in his family, but Debbie is unsure because she was adopted.

Flynn was born one month early, weighing 6lbs 8oz, and spent nine days in Southend Hospital’s special care baby unit.

Debbie said: “He was a good weight and, to look at him now, he looks like a normal child. But when you look at the growth charts for babies, he is below the average size, and his scans and X-rays show the problems with his bones.

“It was horrible to get the diagnosis because we just don’t know what it means for him, even the doctors don’t but we just take each day as it comes.”

For now his doctors are happy with Flynn’s progress and he has surprised them by learning to walk quickly.

But his parents have to watch out as he can break his bones easily when he falls, though, fortunately, this has yet to happen.

The youngster was on Vitamin K to improve the strength of his bones, but doesn’t need any ongoing medication or special diets.

However, he has a low immune system and often gets very poorly.

Debbie added: “He has a strong personality and will shout and run about like a typical boy.

“So when he’s not well, it’s sad to see him quiet. The doctors thought he’d have trouble walking, but he is walking and running about fine with his older brother Morgan.”

He will continue to see specialists and have scans throughout his life, but for now the family want to improve awareness of the condition.

Debbie of Toucan Close, Shoebury, said: “There is just no information out there about the condition and not even normal dwarfism.

“The hospitals have been really helpful, but I wanted to do something proactive so I can set up a group in Essex for other mums and our children will have something in common.”

She has set up Squidger’s Cause, named after Flynn whose nickname is Squidger, to raise awareness and connect with parents in similar situations.

They will also hold fundraisers to support both Southend and Great Ormond Street hospitals.

The first is a pamper evening on June 9, at the Freight House in Rochford. For details, visit www.squidgerscause.weebly.com.