A Perthshire schoolboy who underwent surgery to help him walk has taken his first, faltering steps.
Jack McNaughton had his achilles tendons lengthened in the latest operation at the St Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.
Previously, the six-year-old had undergone selective dorsal rhizotomy to treat his cerebral palsy.
His mother Stacy posted a video online that shows her son walking for the first time in his life, receiving only minimal help from his father.
Graham placed his hands on the youngster’s hips to help instruct him as to which foot to move forward but all movement was down to Jack.
He is seen raising himself from a seated position before taking 13 steps across the living room of his Almondbank home.
Stacy said it marked a great leap forward in Jack’s treatment.
“He’s never done this before,” she said. “This is the first, shaky steps in his life.
“This time he is very excited normally, it’s a battle to get him to do anything he’s only six years old and that’s to be expected but he really wants to do this. His self-motivation is just incredible.
“Graham was just tapping Jack on the leg so he knew what leg to move, but all the movement was initiated by Jack.”
Stacy said the surgery has dramatically altered Jack’s feet. “His feet have essentially woken up,” she said.
“The orthopaedic surgery has stimulated the nerves that were fixed in the first surgery and both surgeries have worked in partnership.
“He does feel different his feet sit up, they look normal for the very first time. I didn’t realise how bad his feet were prior to surgery.”
She said she is cautiously optimistic about Jack’s future progression.
“I still don’t know how I feel (about seeing him walk for the first time),” she said. “I’m finding it difficult to talk about it in case I tempt fate.
“I am overwhelmed, I am overjoyed but I can’t say it too loudly in case it has a counteractive effect on Jack.
“I just cannot believe what he’s doing and he genuinely wants this for himself.”
His new-found freedom of movement has also had an impact on Jack’s confidence.
Stacy said: “He’s been involved with so much more at school since we came back.
“He’s doing more with his friends and his confidence has undoubtedly changed, which has been reported from the school, it’s just wonderful.”
Stacy added that Jack is working on new techniques that will help him become even more independent.