A TEENAGER who was seriously injured in a car accident when she was not wearing a seatbelt is today returning to school - defying news from medics that she may never recover.
A TEENAGER who was seriously injured in a car accident when she was not wearing a seatbelt is today returning to school - defying news from medics that she may never recover.
In fact Dayle Harper's mother said her 14-year-old daughter has almost fully recovered from her ordeal and if it wasn't for her shaved head from where she had brain surgery it would be difficult to know she had been in a crash.
Joanne David, Dayle's mum, of Downside Close, Ipswich, said: “She has now been given the all-clear from Ipswich Hospital and although she has to return to Addenbrooke's Hospital again we are hoping that will be for the last time.
“Her recovery has amazed everybody and I would say she is 98 per cent back to normal. People wouldn't know she had even been in the crash.”
Dayle suffered three bleeds on her brain, a fractured skull and a fractured neck in the accident, which happened in Belmont Road, Pinewood, on September 21 - the day after her 14th birthday.
The car she was travelling in collided with a wall and the youngster had to be put into a medically induced coma and lost at least five pints of blood.
She later appeared in The Evening Star in a bid to warn others to wear seatbelts.
At the time doctor's said she would have some long-term brain damage although they could not tell how serious it would be.
He mother said: “I have not seen any signs as yet of brain damage.
“She no longer has to use her neck brace and if it wasn't for her shaven hair I couldn't tell anything had happened.
“She won't go out without a hat on but feels strong enough to return to school now.”
In six months time she will return to Addenbrooke's where she will have a scan to see if her skull has fused back together properly. If that goes well she will have her life back to its usual routine.”
The accident happened when Dayle was on her way back from Tesco with a friend. They had booked a taxi to take them home but before it arrived a friend's father stopped and said he would take them home.
They were almost home when the accident happened.
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