LITTLE Kane Quirk doesn't have a care in the world. As he cheerfully plays with his toys or writhes playfully to evade the tickling of his loving mum, there is no hint of the rare illness that will mean demanding times lay ahead for the youngster and his parents.

Kane was born with a condition called chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), which means he is incapable of fighting off many infections.

As a result he is not able to undertake many of the activities most youngsters take for granted.

And with the warmer spring weather and lighter evenings now upon us, that means extra vigilance for his parents Mick and Vicky - and frustration for little Kane.

While it is over-stating the issue to say - as has one national newspaper - that Kane is allergic to spring, there are a list of things considered too dangerous for the youngster to take part in.

He is not allowed to play around hay, cut grass or wood chips or go into caves, barns or other dusty or damp areas.

Kane is not allowed to swim in lakes or rivers while pets that most children would take for granted pose too much of a health risk.

Contact sport and boisterous games are also out.

Any cuts that Kane may pick up are potentially dangerous and require rigorous bathing, while even dust from simple household DIY tasks could prove troublesome.

Then there is the medication and the regular visits to medical experts who routinely assess Kane's condition.

It all adds up to an extraordinary burden of care for Mick, 40, and Vicky, 24, who also have two young daughters Jade, three-and-a-half and Sasha, who is nine months.

Mick said: "Because of Kane's condition, there are many times when he wants to do something when we have to tell him 'no'.

"He is too young to understand why he cannot do things so it must seem to him that we are just being wicked.

"Of course nothing could be further from the truth, but Kane's condition also has ramifications for his young sisters.

"It is difficult when the girls want to do something that may be harmful to Kane.

"Do we let them, and not let Kane join in, or do we say no to the girls so Kane is not left out?" said Mick.

Another looming dilemma is little Kane's love of football.

"He likes to play and it is fine at the moment, but when he's older and likely to get kicked it will probably be best if he doesn't get involved.

"The same will go for all contact sports," Mick said.

CGD is so rare that latest estimates say there is just a one in 250,000 chance of being born with the hereditary condition.

Looking at the youngster, however, it is as though nothing is wrong with him.

It was only at the age of seven months when a small lump appeared on his forearm that the Quirks first became aware of their son's illness.

Said Vicky: "We took him to the GP who said it was most likely an infected insect bite.

"He was put on antibiotics but the lump continued to grow and look angry."

Mick and Vicky continued to seek medical advice and were sent from St Mary's Hospital, Newport, to Southampton General where the problem -- now also affecting Kane's liver and spleen - was diagnosed.

Luckily the consultant they saw had seen the condition before even though it is so rare."

"Some people have not been diagnosed until they were in their 40s, so we were lucky in that respect," Mick said.

"But it came as a great shock to both of us."

Making sure Kane gets the antibiotics necessary to boost his immune system and careful planning - keeping him away from the many potential dangers he faces daily - are the keys to the youngsters' health.

He starts pre-school shortly and a series of meetings with staff have identified possible risks and briefed them what to do should Kane receive a cut.

Kane sees a doctor at St Mary's every two or three months, a specialist at Southampton General every six months and will visit London's Great Ormond Street Hospital once a year.

But his parents know that they hold the key to their son's day-to-day welfare.

Mick said: "If we did not care for him properly, he would be in hospital all the time.

"It is up to us to keep on top of things all the time."