The woman was reassured that it was normal for her son to cry. He now has cerebral palsy

The family of a child who was brain damaged after hospital staff did not explain the importance of feeding a newborn have won their High Court claim.

Nilujan Rajatheepan was in good condition when he was delivered by caesarean section at King George Hospital in Goodmayes, northeast London, in July 2009. His parents are Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka who came to Britain in 2008. His mother, Sinthiya, who was 21 when Nilujan was born, spoke very little English.

When the community midwife visited the family at home after the birth Nilujan was pale and lethargic, having not been fed for more than 15 hours. His hypoglycemic state resulted in catastrophic brain injuries. The eight-year-old has cerebral palsy with severely impaired physical and cognitive function.