Boy born without a brain defies huge odds to live after it 'grew back'

A UK boy who was born without a brain has defied the odds to survive after his brain "grew back" as he got older.

When doctors discovered that he had no brain during a couple's pregnancy, Shelley and Rob Wall were advised on five different occasions to terminate the baby.

Doctors told the parents that Noah would be severely mentally disabled and unable to talk, see, hear or eat.

Noah Wall was born with just two per cent of his brain but now has 80 per cent. Photo / ITV

However, thankfully they decided to stick to their guns and continue with the pregnancy.

Now, at 6 years old, Noah is able to stand and surf by himself as his brain grows.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain with his parents, the family revealed Noah's extraordinary story, which Richard Madley called "a miracle".

Despite his parents being told that there was no chance of his survival, Noah has totally exceeded all expectations.

Parents Shelley and Rob Wall took Noah to Australia for brain development treatment at a radical brain training centre.

From there he has learned how to sit up unaided and even managed to go surfing.

Noah is now determined to learn how to walk and wants to continue learning how to surf and even start skiing.

The treatment that Noah's been having in Australia is called "neurophysics" — a mixture of physiotherapy and cognitive exercises.

Noah Wall was born missing a huge part of his brain but parents Shelley and Rob Wall didn't quit on him. Photo / ITV

Noah's father explained that they were lucky to be able to convince the centre to take on Noah as experts don't usually do give the therapy to kids because of the cognitive side of thing. Now, Noah is prepared for cognitive treatment when he is old enough.

"It's all to do with the brain's ability to heal or correct the body's nervous system."

In the womb, Noah had spina bifida and only two per cent of his brain had developed.

Yet when he was 3, Noah baffled the medical community when a new scan found dramatic brain growth, with him having 80 per cent brain mass.

Rob Wall said that many experts believed there was no brain there in the first place, however others believed that the brain had been squashed into a small space and that after a shunt was fitted, it grew back to where it should have been.

Noah Wall was born missing a huge part of his brain. Photo / ITV

"Even if his brain had been so squashed up, he'd be severely mentally disabled because of all that damage and look at him — he's as bright as a button," said Wall.

The father said that since they were older parents they were determined to resist the doctor's calls to terminate the pregnancy.

"I think possibly if younger people were offered that choice, they may have felt pressured into taking it.

"Because we're older parents, we know our own minds and we're positive people. We wanted to give Noah the chance of life."

Noah was born 11/11 at 11 o'clock.

Noah Wall was born missing a huge part of his brain. Photo / ITV

"We waited with bated breath and they put a 'Do Not Resuscitate' notice on Noah," recalled Shelley Wall, who is a mum-of-three.

The doctors who initially saw the Walls in the UK admit that the birth and development of the boy is "extraordinary".

The family sends them emails, pictures and updates about Noah's progress, and the little boy even goes to visit and bring them presents at Christmas.