Mum-of-three Ella Wilson says she was ignored by NHS staff for months before her 18-month-old son Luke was diagnosed with severe brain damage after she fought for answers
A mum-of-three who was told her son had permanent brain damage in a four-minute phone call has told how she was “gaslit” by the NHS when she insisted something was wrong.
Ella Wilson, 22, spent months insisting to doctors that her third son, Luke Clarke, wasn’t developing properly. After being “gaslit” and offered a psychiatrist for her “outbursts,” a devastating MRI finally confirmed the grim reality – Luke has periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), a permanent brain injury that means he may never walk or talk.
Despite being reassured that Luke was fine, Ella was shocked to see a note in his records suggesting that he suffered from sepsis at birth – a life-threatening infection that was allegedly never mentioned to her. Following a damning report that highlighted how harm and injury to babies is often covered-up with medical records falsified, Ella now fears that Luke’s brain damage was hidden to protect the hospital’s reputation.
READ MORE: NHS GP explains why you can get different diagnoses depending on doctorREAD MORE: Woman, 35, died after ordering £1,500 a month of alcohol on delivery apps
“I don’t have a master’s degree, but I have motherly instincts,” Ella tells the Mirror. “From when he was just a few months old I had this feeling something wasn’t right. But every time I raised concerns I was told he was fine. It was like talking to a brick wall.”
Luke, now 18 months old, had spent his first days in hospital after birth in August 2024 and was treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with breathing support before being discharged home.
But Ella says her worries continued to grow as the months went by. He developed loud breathing, struggled with feeding and frequently became unwell, leading to repeated hospital visits. Later on, he had struggled to transition from milk to solid food, prompting Ella to raising her concerns with doctors, health visitors and hospital staff.
But the mum says she was repeatedly gaslit, with officials suggesting she speak to a psychiatrist on one occasion when she broke down in tears. It was only after she pushed for further investigation that Luke finally received an MRI scan – revealing a devastating diagnosis.
“I kept being told he was healthy and that nothing was wrong,” Ella said. “It made me feel like it was all in my head.” In October 2025, Luke was rushed to hospital after developing severe croup and was taken by blue-light ambulance to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
During the admission, Ella again raised concerns about his development and feeding problems. Eventually, a consultant agreed to push for an MRI scan after noticing Luke was behind on key development milestones. When the results came back, Ella says she received the life-changing news over the phone. “At half past eight on a school morning they rang me,” she said. “It took four minutes to explain my son had brain damage.”
Luke was diagnosed with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) – a serious form of brain injury caused by damage to white matter in the brain. The condition can lead to cerebral palsy, motor problems, developmental delay and vision difficulties. Now 18 months old, Luke continues to face major developmental challenges. According to Ella, he has never spoken a word and still relies on medical milk because he struggles to eat solid food.
He has also only recently begun to take his first steps. “He’s never eaten a meal,” she said. “He couldn’t sit up without falling back and he still struggles with that. He’s just started walking now.”
Luke is currently under the care of multiple specialists, including physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and dietitians. Doctors are also monitoring him for possible cerebral palsy.
Ella believes Luke’s brain injury may have been caused by a lack of oxygen around the time of his birth. When she later obtained some of Luke’s medical records, she says she discovered references to “suspected sepsis” and resuscitation that she claims were never clearly explained to her at the time.
His MRI report suggests the brain injury could be linked to what medics describe as a “neonatal insult” – a period where oxygen supply to the brain is reduced before, during or shortly after birth. Luke was not premature, Ella says, which has left her questioning why the possibility was not investigated sooner. “If they had looked deeper into his birth history maybe they would have picked something up earlier,” she said.
The months of uncertainty took a huge toll on the young mum. “I cried and broke down over and over again,” she said. “I felt like I was going crazy because nobody believed me – even people in my own family. When a mum has a feeling something is wrong, they should take that seriously.”
Ella also believes her age may have affected how seriously her concerns were taken. “I’m only 22 and a mum of three,” she said. “I felt like I was shut down because I was young.”
Her experience comes amid growing scrutiny of maternity care in England. A report published last month found NHS maternity units had repeatedly covered up harmful errors, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in the system.
Patient safety experts have warned that failing to properly record mistakes could prevent lessons being learned and ultimately put mothers and babies at risk. Several major investigations in recent years – including those into maternity services in Shrewsbury and Telford and East Kent – have uncovered serious failings affecting hundreds of families.
Responding to Ella’s experience, NHS Greater Manchester said it would welcome the opportunity to review her concerns. Chief medical officer Dr Manisha Kumar said: “We are sorry to hear how distressing this has been for Ella, Luke and their family. Receiving news of a serious diagnosis about your child is incredibly difficult.
“While we cannot comment on individual cases without reviewing the full details, we would encourage Ella to contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service so concerns can be investigated and feedback shared with clinical teams.”
Dr Kumar added that the organisation would be keen to understand more about the case to ensure the family receives appropriate care and to identify any lessons that could improve services in the future.
The UK government has announced new maternity measures this month to act on the recommendations of Baroness Amos’s review which revealed “unacceptable” maternity care and “disregarded” concerns. There’s going to be a £25 million boost for trusts to tackle causes of maternal death, enhance bereavement facilities and improve triage services.
The work is getting underway through the new National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce chaired by the Health and Social Care Secretary. Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said: “I ordered an independent national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services to make sure families harmed by maternity care get the truth and accountability they deserve.
“Baroness Amos will deliver on this vital work this June but to deliver truly meaningful change – so that other families do not face the ordeals too many are already enduring – we must be ready to act swiftly. This 17-strong taskforce will start work straight away, so we will be ready to drive improvement from the moment the investigation’s recommendations are published.
“At the same time, we’re continuing to invest millions in schemes that are working to deliver safer and more equitable maternity care to benefit families today.”
READ MORE: Weight loss jab side effects that happen in ‘one in 10’ people
