Boy’s the write stuff for charity after coma
Published: May 11, 2005
13-year-old’s book about ordeal could help injury victims.
A boy who wrote a book to help himself recover after a coma is set to see his writings used to encourage other children faced with serious head injuries.
Fraser Horn, 13, was left in a coma for two weeks after being hit by a van when he stepped off the school bus near his Lothians home.
When he first regained consciousness, Fraser was unable to speak, but started to write about his ordeal.
Now a leading brain injury charity is interested in using the book to help other patients who have suffered head injuries.
Jenny Hill, of the Child Brain Injury Trust, said she was keen to meet Fraser after hearing about his talents and was interested in using his book to help other youngsters.
“What no-one can understand is the huge effects a brain injury has without having lived through that experience,” she said.
“Often the information is written in adult language which can be convoluted.
“There isn’t a lot of information written for kids by kids so this could be very valuable.”
Fraser’s ordeal began when he stepped off a school bus in his home town of Kirkliston and was struck by a van. He needed a ventilator to help him breathe and remained in a coma for two weeks.
The outgoing 13-year-old also suffered a fractured pelvis and a broken leg and remained in hospital for two months.
His mother Shona said Fraser, then 12, did not speak for a week after regaining consciousness. But in that time he started writing his book using a word processor loaned to him by his school.
Mrs Horn described Fraser as a joker and said he was giggling as he said his first words which were “near-death experience”.
Fraser’s book is simply titled December 16, the date the accident happened.
The book describes what he remembers of the incident and what he was hearing and feeling when he was in his coma.
The Queensferry High pupil said his favourite chapter describes meeting his Edinburgh Rugby team hero Chris Paterson in hospital.
Fraser said he was delighted by the interest of the Child Brain Injury Trust. “I think it would be a good idea to convey some kind of message,” he said. “But I’ve got a few improvements to make first.
“I began writing the book because I thought I was going to be in hospital for a long time and because I couldn’t talk.”
Mrs Horn said she felt her son, who still attends physiotherapy three times a week and will have to consult a neurologist for several years, has made an incredible recovery.
She said: “It’s utterly amazing what he’s doing now - he’s back to normal really. When he first went in to the hospital, the doctors said the next 48 hours were critical. There was also a risk of brain damage.
“We really didn’t know what was going to happen. We knew by Christmas he was going to pull through but we didn’t know what condition he was going to be in.
“It was the most horrendous situation to be put in for anybody.”
About 25,000 young people each year are treated for head injuries in Scotland and a high number of children suffer long-term difficulties as a result.
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