Home / Health / Desperate Mother Fights Rare Childhood Dementia to Save 4-Year-Old Son
Desperate Mother Fights Rare Childhood Dementia to Save 4-Year-Old Son
12 Nov
Summary
- 4-year-old Tate diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A, a rare genetic condition
- Tate expected to lose ability to walk, eat, and not survive to adulthood
- Mother Tammy exploring expensive treatment options not available on the NHS
As of November 12th, 2025, a 33-year-old mother named Tammy McDaid from Swansea is in a race against time to save her 4-year-old son Tate, who was recently diagnosed with a rare and terminal condition known as Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A.
Tate was initially diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, but Tammy always felt there was something more. After 18 months of testing, the family received the devastating news that Tate is suffering from a genetic disorder often referred to as "childhood dementia." Children with this rare condition gradually lose all the skills they've learned, including the ability to walk, eat, and eventually even move on their own.
Heartbroken, Tammy is now meeting with specialists to discuss treatment options not available through the NHS. These potential trials or therapies could give Tate more time being mobile and active, allowing him to continue climbing, running, and exploring as long as possible. However, these experimental treatments will be extremely expensive. Tammy has set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes of raising funds to access these life-extending options, or at the very least, to create as many special memories as she can with her son before the disease progresses.
