Eight-month-old Cavan is facing almost certain amputation of his legs and arms as he suffers from hemimelia, a very rare disorder, in which the bones do not form properly and sometimes not at all. It is thought he is the only person in Britain with a condition this severe.

Now, after spending months trying to track down specialists to help Cavan, his parents Bernadette and James, who have an older son, Joey (6), face new setbacks.

Mr Kirkham-MacCallum has lost his job at Seaways Services (UK) Ltd, a Simonstone haulage company after spending a significant amount of time off work to help take Cavan to vital appointments in Sheffield. The company was unable to comment.

However, the fact Mr Kirkham-MacCallum has lost his job means there is no money coming in, as his wife has to stay at home to care for little Cavan. The family cannot receive disability living allowance until he is three.

Mrs Kirkham-MacCallum said: "It seems at the moment we are entitled to nothing. If we could work we would, but Cavan dictates all our time and energy at the moment. It is an impossible situation."

Mrs Kirkham-MacCallum added: "I feel like we are at breaking point and I don't know what to do or where to go for help."

Since the Express featured Cavan's story last month, his tale has reached the United States on the powerful Fox News website, which prompted hundreds of responses and offers of help.

Mrs Kirkham-MacCallum said the family looked into many of the offers, but they would mean relocating to America for a decade while experimental bone-replacement was carried out.

A support group set up on social networking site Facebook now has dozens of members affected by hemimelia.