A CLACKMANNAN child with severe disabilities and complex needs is unable the receive relief from severe dystonia because the council will not install a specialist bath at home, his mother has said.

Archie Leith, 7, was born with most of his brain missing, is blind, has cerebral palsy, cannot move independently or speak, suffers from a double hip dislocation as well as seizures caused by dystonia and epilepsy, requiring care all day around.

Single mum Laura Gavigan and Archie's caring sister Georgie Leith, a 10-year-old who featured on BBC Children in Need as she helps out so much in the household, do everything they can to take care of and comfort the young boy.

The family moved to the area this year, having faced eviction from a tenancy in Stirling, and through fundraising efforts managed to get a mortgage to settle in their very own property for the first time.

Laura has been appealing to the local authority to install a specialist hydraulic bath in the home as she says it helps with the seizures caused by dystonia, a movement disorder in which a person's muscles contract uncontrollably.

She has already acquired the bath and says all Clackmannanshire Council would need to do is foot the bill for its transportation and installation.

Instead, the family say they were offered a shower chair, which can cost thousands of pounds.

Laura said: "To be honest, the last four months have been absolutely ridiculous, it's been a nightmare."

Archie used to have access to a specialist pool daily at his previous school and the lack of hydrotherapy has led to weeks of sever seizures from dystonia, according to the mother.

Laura added: "They know this and they know the reason why, but they are still not helping.

"No one knows what it's like to hold a seven-year-old who has every muscle spasming, pushing against you, and you can't put him down, you can't put him in a chair and you can't do anything.

"The only thing that helps him is being in the water.

"If [the council] is going to buy me a £3,000 shower chair, why can't they spend £1,000 to put the bath in?"

Following weeks of inquiries, a Clackmannanshire Council spokeswoman told the Advertiser: "Due to regulations, we cannot comment on individual children and families who are supported by the Children with Disabilities Team."

And added: "Our small specialist team of social workers and occupational therapist support many children across Clackmannanshire by providing enhanced support to them and their families where the need for this has been identified in a Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) Integrated Assessment and Child's Plan.

"Our aim is to promote children and young people's health and well-being to help them live as full and active lives as is possible within their own home and community.

"To achieve this, the team collaborates with a broad range of partners in health, education and third sector services, assisted by immediate and extended family."