Stunning pictures capture the tender moment between a father and his son with Down syndrome - who didn't learn to walk until he was five but is now kicking goals on the football pitch

• e-mail

Henry Pavitt was fed by tubes until he was three years old, and learnt to walk when he was five.

Now almost seven the Wagga Wagga boy – who has Down syndrome and congenital heart disease – is tiny for his age and requires regular surgery on his main aorta.

But Henry has overcome a host of health issues to pursue his love of football.

Henry Pavitt (right) and his father Dean (left) at the Football NSW Football4All Gala Day on Sunday

Photographer Gavin Leung captured tender moments between Henry and Mr Pavitt as they played on the pitch

 Henry, from Wagga Wagga, has Down syndrome and congenital heart disease and suffers from many health issues as a result

Henry's father Dean Pavitt said Henry, who was kicking footballs while he learnt to walk as a five-year-old, started playing for the Wagga United team earlier this year.

'He absolutely enjoys it, he loves it to pieces,' Mr Pavitt told Daily Mail Australia. 'We thought it would be great for his motions and cognitive thought patterns.

'He loves playing with the other kids and Dad's always on the field with him.'

Henry and Mr Pavitt attended the Football NSW Football4All Gala Day in Glenwood on Sunday.

Photographer Gavin Leung captured tender moments between Henry and Mr Pavitt, as they played together on the pitch.

He is tiny for his age and requires regular heart surgery but has overcome a host of health issues to pursue football

Mr Pavitt told Daily Mail Australia Henry loves football 'to pieces' and enjoys playing with other children on the field 

'We didn't even know people were taking photographs,' Mr Pavitt said.

'We were ecstatic, they're beautiful photographs. They've seen the bond him and I have and how close we are.

'We're playing soccer and as you can see he's an affectionate boy so is his dad. We just thoroughly enjoy each other's company.' 

'They're beautiful photographs. They've seen the bond him and I have and how close we are,' Mr Pavitt said

Henry's parents thought football would be great for his motions and cognitive thought patterns

Henry was tube fed from birth and had to be flown to Austria when he was three years old to receive special treatment.

'They run a program over there that teaches children who are peg fed or who have food aversions to actually eat and drink on their own,' Mr Pavitt said.

'He was tube fed from birth because of all his surgeries and he was so sick in between all his surgeries - he'd just become used to being fed all the time and wouldn't try and eat or anything himself.'

Henry, who will turn seven in August, is well below average size – weighing just 13.2kg and measuring 93cm when an average seven-year-old boy weighs about 25kg and measures 122cm

Henry's main aorta is reinforced with a synthetic graft. He needs regular surgery to replace it as he grows

Henry, who will turn seven in August, is well below average size – weighing just 13.2kg and measuring 93cm when an average seven-year-old boy weighs about 25kg and measures 122cm.

He took his first steps without the assistance of a walker when he was five years old and he communicates using a combination of words and sign language.

Henry has also lost both testicles and his main aorta is reinforced with a synthetic graft, meaning he requires regular heart surgery to replace it as he grows.

He took his first steps without the assistance of a walker when he was five years old. He is pictured aged five

Henry, pictured at several weeks old, was tube fed until he was three years old. He had to receive special treatment in Austria

Mr Pavitt said Henry, who is in Year One, is very timid but is an extremely cheerful little boy.

'He's just a very happy, very well-mannered kid. He's such a loving, beautiful little boy,' he said.

'He loves to read, he loves the alphabet and numbers, he's absolutely become like a big sponge soaking everything up and learning so well at the moment.'

Mr Pavitt said Henry, who is in Year One, is very timid but is an extremely cheerful little boy

'He's just a very happy, very well-mannered kid. He's such a loving, beautiful little boy,' he said