Written by Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti |Updated : October 7, 2015 9:28 AM IST
October 7th is World Cerebral Palsy Day
Unlike diabetes and heart attack, taking care of a special child takes a toll on the mental as well as physical well-being of the caregiver. With a kid suffering from cerebral palsy, a neuro-developmental disorder that mostly causes physical disability, requires special care and attention. Here are a few tips to make the journey easier.
Accept the condition: According to Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist, Institute of Neurosciences, Hyderabad, A caregiver of a child suffering from cerebral palsy should bear in mind that it is a lifelong condition unlike other physical abnormalities and doesn t improve with time or age. As in most cases, it takes a toll on the mental health of the people taking care of the special kid as they may lose their control. However, if parents or caregiver s accept the fact that good recovery is not possible and the child will have to live with the disability for the rest of their life, it prepares them mentally to deal with the condition.
Teach simple exercises: Kids with cerebral palsy commonly experience disparity in movements and thus, a caregiver should focus on improving their motor ability. In most cases, kids with this condition are either bound to a wheelchair or have to be carried by their parents, however with simple exercises to improve their hand and leg movements, these kids can carry out their daily routine without much help. You can even hire a physiotherapist and teach your kids small things, one at a time. With daily exercises at home, there are high chances that the kids might lead a better life and also deal with their inability. In this way, the overall load on the caregiver is reduced.
Look for small improvements: You can start with simple games and small in-house tricks and tips to keep your kid engaged in a sport. From simple at-home games to brain games like sudoku or word puzzles, try to involve your kid in as many games as possible. You can even make them play with balls or involve them in walking and running games with the help of a physiotherapist. Also, involving these kids in leisure activities with other members of the family go a long way in improving their condition. This will not only help the kids to mingle with other members of the family but also lower the pressure on a single person and help others to take care of the kids in case of an emergency.
Treat them as per their condition: While physical disabilities can be treated with the help of in-house games and exercises under the guidance of a physiotherapist, there are various problems these kids might experience. In some cases, these kids might suffer from fits/seizures due to less supply of oxygen to the brain. Known as hypoxic, it requires the caregiver to give antiepileptic drugs on time. Also, if your child suffers from hearing impairments, the condition can be improved with the use of hearing aids. While with proper check-up, lack of proper vision movement (squint) can be treated with surgery. So depending upon the physical impairment a kid is suffering from, getting treated for the same might help a lot in the overall development of the child.
Don t lose hope: When you deal with special kids, you need to put in extra efforts and in some cases, you might feel drained out completely. Also, some kids might not respond well to treatment and might be open to learning new things at a faster pace. Whatever might be the reason, you are a caregiver and need to be extra cautious about their needs without giving up. It might take some time to adjust but with proper care and treatment everything will fall in place. So give yourself some time, if you ever feel you can t take it anymore -- take a break.
Work on their ability (not disability): No two kids suffering from cerebral palsy are same or suffer from the same disability. But, these kids have a special hidden talent that you as caregiver s should recognise and help them polish their skills', says Dr Sudhir. It is not possible for them to achieve conventional things or create a mark as an engineer or doctor but can become an artist, painter or an athlete as well. The entire brain is not damaged in these kids and thus, channelising their skills in proper direction might help these kids to become independent and take care of themselves.
You may also like to read:
Image Source: Shutterstock
For more articles on diseases and conditions, visit our diseases and conditions section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. For Natural Remedies related queries, visit our forum.
Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!
Refresh Page