Do you know anyone who has suffered from cerebral palsy? Do you feel as though you have been informed about the condition? Cerebral palsy, which majorly affects children, is a neurological disorder caused by brain injury or malformation that occurs while the child’s brain is developing. Families and parents hide children with the condition because they don’t want the rest of the public to know of their existence.
The condition is said to appear in early childhood and persist for a lifetime. Medics in Naivasha called for intensive efforts to combat rising cases of cerebral palsy especially in rural areas. They blamed the problem on mothers’ failure to get prenatal care, leading to complications during delivery. It can be caused by abnormal growth or damage to parts of the brain that control balance, movement and posture.
On Tuesday, the Rotary Club of Naivasha hosted more than 700 children with special needs from all schools for a fun day. The Rainbow Rally event was meant to ring together learners from all public and private schools to interact and enjoy performances as one way of highlighting their plight. “We need to realise that failure to go to a clinic during pregnancy can be dangerous to the unborn child and contributes largely to the rise in the condition that these children are facing right now,” Dr Evans Makumba said.
The disorder cannot be treated, hence the need for awareness as a prevention measure, he said. “Right now we know the Nakuru county government is doing a lot in establishing and equipping health centres at the grassroots level. I urge women to take advantage of that and get screened.” Club director for special projects Rosana Mbaya said most children with special needs are hidden in homes as parents fear to show them in public.
“We came together and mobilised recourses to ensure the children who live amongst us enjoy and feel they are part of us just like the rest of children with whom they go to school,” she said. Caregiver Margret Wanjiku said children with special needs face a myriad of problems even at school, hence they require round-the-clock attention. “Some of them have complications to the extent they can’t feed on their own and thus requires a caregiver to be with them on a full-time basis.” Well, what is your take? Do you feel the government has done enough to create awareness?