A tale of three children

There seems to be a high incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) here in this part of India compared to the UK.  I don't have the statistics for this area - this will be gathered sometime but is not yet availalbe - but seems to be higher than normal.  I can only guess why - it could be malnutrition during pregnancy, little or no medical support during childbirth, early motherhood - plus plain statistical risk.
CP comes in many different forms and levels of disability, from very mild through to very severe.  It can affect motor control, cause paralysis, problems with hearing and sight and a variety of other problems.  It can affect people's quality of life and may reduce life expectancy in the more severe cases.

This lad - who does have a name but I don't want to invade his privacy any more than I already am - is 5 years old and lives with his parents.  He has little motor control in is left side, his limbs flailing when he tried to do things.  SPREAD made a frame to go round a large piece of paper, with lots of coaxing and practice he learned to keep his drawing inside the box.  The box was then made smaller and smaller until he had a box only a a few centimetres wide.  It's helped him to improve his motor control and  his ability to do basic survival techniques like feeding himself.  He is now learning to read and write.

This lad has CP and is quadriplegic.  He has spasticity in his hands and couldn't hold a pencil.  SPREAD has been working with him, doing simple things like adapting his pencil by wrapping it in cloth to make it big enough for him to hold and giving him lots of support and encouragement.  He now goes to school and is learning alongside other children without disabilities. 

This girl is 12 years old.  She has CP, is quadriplegic and has problems with sight and speech.  She is being helped to learn some basic activities to help her look after herself.  She can now sign her name and do some basic calculations.  She seemed to be really enjoying herself  and was playing hide and seek with me and my camera.




Much of the work that SPREAD does with children with disability is educating the parents as much as the children, trying to help them come to terms with having a disabled child in their family.  Advice, guidance and practical support is provided to help them claim any legal entitlements to education, health and food support from the government.  It's hard to find out what you are entitled to if you are unaware of your rights, can't read, can't write, can't sign your name  and can't afford the fare to get to the official offices.  Support workers will accompany them to see officials and to courts, providing advocacy and encouragement, helping them with the forms and translating for them as most only speak their tribal language.

Along with this goes the all-important moral support needed to help parents anywhere in the world to come to terms with having a child with disabilities, helping them to see the value in getting their child an appropriate education and aids to living a reasonable life.

It put a few things into perspective for me when I met these people.