Cerebral Palsy in Yemeni society [Archives:2007/1084/Health]

By: Ismail Al-Ghabri
Educating mothers of children with cerebral palsy and how to deal with it properly, as well as finding relationships within the community, has been a priority for many health organizations in Yemen.

Simple mechanisms are the best way to prevent Cerebral Palsy. For example, proper and safe pregnancy ensures the health of babies as well as the mothers. Hygiene awareness and proper nutrition are also key factors. Finally, pregnant mothers should be educated to the fullest extent. For example, they should not smoke, they should not use medicines during pregnancy, and they should avoid any form of radiation. Regular tests are also required so as to help physicians to diagnose the medicine at the earliest possible stage.

Furthermore, females should take vaccines against the German Fever as another preventative measure. Parents should also follow up on keeping their children's medications up to date.

The Islamic religion orders us to take care of children, thus infected children must be treated well and tenderly, taking their agony into consideration. The entire family should also tolerate this disease even though the psychological aspect is very difficult to deal with. Thus the family should deal with the patient kindly, paying attention to his/her nutrition.

The purpose of the Skills Development Establishment on Cerebral Palsy is to help infected children feel independent. It also aims to increase the level of education and awareness and to spread a culture of education among the patients' mothers. The foundation holds educational seminars where physicians specialized in cerebral palsy as well as social workers are invited to deliver lectures about how to psychologically and physically deal with infected children.

The foundation also works nobly to involve infected children in the entire community through social activities and works to educate parents since most of them lack information about cerebral palsy.

Furthermore, it organized an educational seminar on cerebral palsy in Sana'a, last month. The seminar was mainly held for mothers. However, it was also attended by parents of children belonging to the foundation, primary care physicians, and the technical managers.

Neven Al-Kaff, the executive manager of the foundation delivered a speech in which she stated that the foundation is “exerting every effort to develop a community of joint work and cooperation”. She also said that the foundation has “humanitarian and charitable objectives.” It offers financial support for poorer families in an effort to bring their infected children to the foundation and receive medication. “There are more than 75 male and female children out of 200 children registered. The 75 children are receiving medication inside the foundation