RUNNING from one activity to the next is the daily life of any parent but running from one therapy to the next for an indefinite number of years is the life of a parent who has a child suffering from cerebral palsy.
The issue will be the subject of the first conference of its kind, which is taking place tomorrow, and focuses on informing parents what treatments are available in Cyprus and worldwide.
“It’s an endless process of running about taking him from speech and occupational therapy to physiotherapy,” said Yioula Pitsalli, speaking of her eight-year-old son Nicolas.
Pitsalli is organising the conference with Angalia Elpidas secretary of the association set up to confront the situation.
“We had a breakthrough with speech therapy just recently and now he says ‘yes’ which for us is like a treasure,” said Pitsalli of her son.
The conference will host a number of specialists from Cyprus and Greece, including a speech therapist and a molecular biologist.
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that can affect brain and nervous system functions such as movement and learning. It is caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain, many of which occur while the baby is still growing in the womb, but can happen anytime during the first two years of its life.
The more common forms are spastic cerebral palsy, that may involve paralysis of one or two limbs or both, muscle weakness and tight joints. Most symptoms require a lifetime of physiotherapy to keep joints supple.
“I’m one of the lucky ones because I’ve got my husband, my mother and a live-in helper,” said Pitsalli. Nicolas, who is a tetraplegic and also suffers from spasticity, has a twin who does not suffer from any similar disorders.
Pitsalli said certain facilities are necessary to improve the quality of life for those suffering from the disorder. A rehabilitation centre is one of them, so that parents can just visit one place, where there will be a neurologist and most importantly a doctor who will set a programme tailored to suit each child’s needs.
“This is something that is lacking and a lot of times you see parents taking the role of teachers and therapists,” said Pitsalli.
For more information on the conference and association look to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Agalia-Elpidas-Non-Profit-Organisation/110696582325724
