HIS mates at playschool know him as Theo with the special tummy.

And when his backpack beeps, they know it’s time to get help from the staff at St John’s Playgroup in Golcar.

For little Theo Carnie, four, is the boy who doesn’t eat.

He suffers from an extremely rare bowel condition which means his stomach cannot tolerate food and instead he is fed intravenously with special fluids.

But Theo, of Outlane, also needs regular hospital stays and he and his family are concerned that an invaluable toy service at Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax, could vanish.

Under the scheme, young patients in the children’s wards receive stars as they undergo treatments and then collect small rewards.

But the ward is running low on toys to give out.

Theo’s mum Verity, a former nurse, said: “It isn’t a big thing but it is so appreciated by the children.

“They know if they are going to be brave they will get a star and they allow the doctors and nurses to carry on their work.

“It would be a real shame if it stopped”.

Verity and her husband Nathan, of New Hey Road, Outlane, have to make regular trips to Calderdale and to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

It was there that Theo’s condition was diagnosed last September, after many months of tests.

Verity said: “He was fine as a baby and was weaned normally, but then started having problems with food.

“Doctors thought he may be intolerant to certain types of food but it got worse and eventually we reached a stage when he could eat nothing without being ill.

“The doctors at Great Ormond Street finally diagnosed a very rare condition called Chronic Intestinal Pseudo Obstruction, Eosinophilic gastro intestinal disease and hyper mobility.

“He is unfortunately in and out of hospital a great deal due to the poor state of his gut.

“Theo has two tubes into his gut, one into his stomach and one into his small bowel.

“The tube into his small bowel is his sole source of nutrition. He eats no food at all and has a few sips of water at most.

“He is on several medications a day but is doing well and we hope for better things in the future. He attends playgroup and they know all about Theo with his special tummy, and his backpack which beeps when he needs attention.

“He usually ends up in Calderdale Royal when his gut stops working and he is in a lot of pain. He usually requires intravenous fluids to allow his gut to rest, which usually means painful procedures.

“As a former nurse, I know how hard it is to get children to accept procedures and treatments involving needles and drips and the toy scheme rewards them.

“It would be a great shame if it had to stop and would distress a lot of children like Theo”.

Ironically, Theo loves cooking and baking at home with his mum and dad, and also loves watching cooking programmes on television.

But he is unable to sample any of the food he makes.

Play specialist on the children’s ward Danielle Brook said: “The bravery scheme really helps children when they come into hospital and have to undergo what can sometimes be painful procedures.

“It gives them a real boost and adds a bit of fun to their stay in hospital.”

All toys need to be new and for girls and boys from new-born to 16-years-old.

If you would like to donate a toy to be used in the scheme please contact Danielle Brook on 07825 554859.