Physio against cerebral palsy

Physiotherapy for Nepalese children

Ram lives in a mountain village in Nepal. Ever since he was born, he could hardly move his legs and had difficulty speaking, swallowing and eating. He suffers from infantile cerebral palsy. When his parents heard of a therapy centre in Kathmandu, his father walked there over mountains for five days, carrying him on his back. There he is told that Ram’s treatment can be paid for by donations. They build a wheelchair from an old garden chair and show Ram exercises that help against the pain. His disability will never entirely go away, but thanks to the wheelchair, Ram will not have to spend all day lying down and every four weeks a physiotherapist will attend to him at home.

Background

It is estimated that there are about 60,000 to 80,000 people suffering from infantile cerebral palsy in Nepal. Cerebral palsy is a form of brain damage in young infants. It can be caused by a lack of oxygen before, during and after birth. Other causes can be infectious diseases, proscription drugs or alcohol.

Those affected suffer from neural and muscular damage, which can bring about mental and physical impairments.

The good deed

The organisation SGCP (Self-help Group for Cerebral Palsy) has been treating affected children with physiotherapy and speech therapy in their therapy centres and at home for 25 years. Trained physiotherapists visit affected families in their homes, treat the children and teach the parents on what they can do to support their children. Furthermore, the families are provided with implements, information brochures and by establishing local points of contact. SGCP’s educational work, for instance at schools, also helps to prevent a further spread of cerebral palsy.