A grandmother could come to the rescue of her unborn grandchild who may be taken away from its epileptic parents.

Penny and Stephen Greenwood fear they could lose their baby because Bradford Council social services want to carry out an assessment to decide whether they can care for it properly.

The move comes as the National Society for Epilepsy said practical management plans can be devised to protect infants should a parent have a fit while looking after them.

The couple's baby was due to be born at Bradford Royal Infirmary today.

Following the birth of their first child four years ago a round-the-clock care package was arranged but despite that social services officials had significant concerns about their ability to care for the child and he has now been fostered by Mr Greenwood's sister.

Mr Greenwood, 38, said: "We've got a solicitor to look into what we can do.

"He suggested once Penny has given birth, we will see if social services will let my mother come over for a few days to keep an eye on us and go through what we'll need to know so they know we are being shown all the right things."

Douglas Bennett, chief executive of the National Society for Epilepsy, said: "We cannot comment on this specific case but, in general terms, in the majority of people with epilepsy, seizures will be well-controlled by medication and their epilepsy should not interfere with looking after a child.

"If seizures are still occurring it may be appropriate to devise a practical management plan that takes account of the parent or parents' pattern, content and frequency of their seizures and gives advice and practical support to minimise risk.

"This might include such measures as sponging the baby down rather than bathing, not bathing the baby alone, changing nappies with the baby in the security of their cot and selecting a secure place to feed the baby."

Mike Stow, Bradford social services assistant director, said: "We have a duty to the new baby to ensure that Mr and Mrs Greenwood can provide effective and safe care. Currently this is in doubt and a full assessment of their skills is needed. Initially this assessment with the parents may involve the child being placed in care."

Mrs Greenwood, 39, has suffered epilepsy since she was 11 and has mild fits, at most once a day which result in her fingers shaking or legs and arms stiffening for perhaps 20 seconds. Mr Greenwood, a self-employed mortgage consultant, has been epileptic since birth and used to suffer from serious fits as often as every three days which could result in him losing consciousness for hours.

But since an operation to remove the part of his brain affected by epilepsy nearly four years ago, he has suffered milder fits, as infrequently as ten days apart, which usually happen when he is asleep.

The couple, who married four years ago, said they can generally detect if a fit is coming on and are adamant they could care for their baby.

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