New scan for life support brain bug tot

A SERIOUSLY ill tot with a mystery degenerative brain condition must have another scan, says a judge.

The parents of 20month-old Alfie Evans, who is in a “semi-vegetative state” and has lost the ability to smile, are fighting to keep him alive to take him to Italy for treatment.

But Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital say continuing Alfie’s life support is not in his interests. A doctor said he could not reverse the destruction of Alfie’s brain.

He said: “In my opinion, there’s no hope Alfie can have derived pleasure or have a good quality of life.”

But Alfie’s dad Tom, 20, told the Liverpool hearing his son responds to stimulus such as being pinched on the chest.