Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Help for children with cerebral palsy

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore Nov. 23. Niranjan wants to jump, run and play cricket. But a few months ago, he was not even able to walk properly.

This 12-year-old child had undergone several operations since his birth to correct his ``clubbed foot'' and a spinal condition due to which he had no control over his urinary organs.

But now after a corrective surgery at the Bangalore Children's Hospital, Niranjan is almost back to normal and goes to a regular school.

Children with cerebral palsy and "locomotor" disabilities are often confined to the wheelchair and no effort is made to improve their condition.

The goals of management of cerebral palsy should be to use appropriate combinations of interventions, including developmental, physical, medical and surgical to promote function and to increase a child's development capabilities,<243> according to Deepak Sharan, Head, Department of Paediatric Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Bangalore Children's Hospital and Research Centre. The hospital is creating awareness that deformities due to development disorders such as cerebral palsy, autism, "locomotor" disability, etc., can be corrected by surgery, and that the child can lead a productive life.

The hospital is facilitating the formation of a support group of parents of children who have come there for treatment of cerebral palsy and other orthopaedic deformities, autistic children and children with other developmental disabilities. A meeting of parents was held at the hospital here on Saturday.

"Intervention for language development within one year of age was necessary for the child to speak. All high-risk children should have a visual and hearing assessment done early. A good programme focussing on visual and auditory sequencing, auditory processing, vestibular functions brings a good outcome in these children," according to Nandini Mundkur, paediatric developmental and behavioural specialist and head of the team that is working with these children at the hospital.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Three IIMs may have to defend their stand
• Package tour to Shirdi
• Help for children with cerebral palsy
• Pilgrim dies of heart attack
• A day of disappointment for candidates

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu