THE family of a young boy diagnosed with a rare and terminal condition said Julia’s House “has had such a positive impact on all of us”.

Ted Grove-Welsh, 12, was born with Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency, and was one of only five children in the UK to have it.

His mum Zoe said: “Ted’s our little hero – he’s so special. On the darkest of days when you’re sat in intensive care with him, he’ll look at you as if to say ‘I’m okay, Mum. We can do this.’ He’s got an inner strength which has taught Sven and me so much.

“Ted’s neuro transmitters don’t work in the same way as ours, so from birth he wasn’t able to produce dopamine or serotonin, which are vital for everyday living.

“For the first 10 years of his life, he’d have fits that could last up to 10 hours a day.”

The condition also causes Ted to have scoliosis, which has caused his spine to curve so severely that without surgery his lungs would eventually be crushed.

“My mum died in a hospice due to cancer, so when a hospice was first suggested to us for Ted, we thought the worst and found that really hard as a family,” said Zoe.

“But we couldn’t have been more wrong – Julia’s House has had such a positive impact on all of us, and especially Ted.

She added: “One of the things we like the most about Julia’s House is the community sits. When the nurses and carers come into our home, I actually feel like I relax.

"They know Ted’s got a character and how to entertain him, and he always gives them his biggest smiles.”

“It’s exhausting caring 24/7 for a child who is incredibly disabled.

“So, when the nurses and carers from Julia’s House come in and take over for a few hours, it literally lightens everybody’s day up.

"It means I can go for a walk with my six-year-old, and I don’t have to worry about Ted because I know he’s happy and safe.”