They have a code because Peter is unable to speak. He is bright, intelligent and inquisitive, but he is unable to express his thoughts. He cannot move without a wheelchair, or the aid of a special device called a spacer, which helps him walk.

In such a short time, Peter has been through more than most people suffer in a lifetime. For the first five years of his life, he craved heroin. And that is at the core of his many problems, Peter is one of thousands born every year with an inherited drug addiction.

On Monday, new disturbing figures were published in the Tele showing that in the past five years there were 1329 cases of babies born in Scotland craving heroin or methadone. It is feared that the statistics do not show the full extent of the problem as they do not account for home and non-NHS hospital births.

And after reading the article, a Dundee grandmother, who has cared for her drug-addicted grandson all his life, came forward to reveal the full horrific consequences faced by those who are left to pick up the pieces.

“It is all very well for the Scottish Executive to release statistics, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story of what the child and their carers go through afterwards,” she said.

“Peter was born in London. He was supposed to be born in Dundee but his mother had a bad episode with drugs and she went into labour two weeks early. She was addicted to heroin, cocaine, you name it. His father, my son, also had a severe addiction.

“Peter was born addicted to heroin. Straight after birth he was put on substances to try to fight it. It was a terrible struggle and I was not sure if he would survive.

“The doctors said he would be lucky to live to the age of two and anything after that would be a blessing. I went down to London to bring Peter back up here and it took me 10 months to complete all the legal wrangling and get custody. After that I brought him back to Dundee and he has been with me ever since.”

The grandmother has not been without her own problems, having been afflicted with osteo-arthritis for 25 years. As a result she struggles to lift and carry heavy objects, but despite her disabilities she has always managed to provide care for her grandson.

She said, “It has been relentlessly traumatic. The doctors were able to wean Peter off heroin in London but he suffered from withdrawal symptoms until he was five years old.

“When he was very young I would be lucky if he slept for 10 minutes before the pain caused by the craving woke him up. He was always crying and screaming when he was younger and I have never heard such painful cries.

“It is tragic because Peter is a beautiful, bright young boy but he is permanently disabled. He cannot speak and he cannot walk. He has very limited mobility thanks to his spacer, but he is unable to do much. He communicates by smiling and making gestures with his head.

“At night he has to be fed with a pump because he cannot keep his weight up. He goes rigid when he sleeps, his arms and legs go ramrod stiff and the tension caused by that causes weight loss.

“For the past year he has been on medication to control that and his weight has been a bit more steady, but he really has had a rotten life in terms of the problems he’s faced due to the addiction.”

The impact of caring for Peter has been huge on his grandmother. She went on to say that she loved him more than anything, but admitted that the past seven years had had a devastating effect on her life.

“His mother hasn’t seen him since he was six months old and his father has only recently come back into his life, but the rest of the time I have been alone.”

“We hear about drug-addicted babies a lot these days, but there is never any attention paid to those who are left to care for them.

“Quite often it is the grandparents who are left with the responsibility of bringing up the children. In my case I was happy to do it but it is very, very difficult.

“I would love to care for Peter forever but my health will not allow it and eventually different arrangements may have to be made.

“I have had no life for the past seven years. My house is full of nappies because Peter is incontinent and the place is full of tubes, cartons and supplements that he has to be fed every day.

“I am not complaining because he is my wee angel, but I think people should be made aware that, beyond the birth, there is a lifetime of pain and suffering for those who are left to pick up the pieces.

“I have come close to breaking point on more than one occasion. We get financial support through disability allowances, but there is little in the way of extra help on a day-to-day basis. The only option is to put him in temporary foster homes so I have a break, but I really don’t want to do this.

“I think it is important the plight of drug-addicted babies is publicised so they are more than just a number on a page. They suffer from day one, and in the case of my grandson there will be a lifetime of difficulties to be faced.”

Due to his lack of mobility, Peter does not get out much, but he remains cheery and is determined to make the most of his life. He has recently got a new computer, which he and his grandmother hope will give him greater freedom by allowing him to communicate easier. It will be a small but important step for the boy.

His grandmother concluded, “He is a victim of terrible circumstances but he is determined to make the most of things. Peter is a happy wee boy and to look at him there is nothing obviously wrong with him. It’s only when his wheelchair comes out that you begin to realise the problem. It is just really tragic.”