Parents with Cerebral Palsy children to be trained

 ShareCare, Ghana, a non-governmental organisation for people with autoimmune diseases, in collaboration with the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy programme on Cerebral Palsy, is organising a workshop for parents with Cerebral Palsy children on 2 July, 2016.

The workshop, which would be held at Accra Physiotherapy Centre, Abelenkpe, is supported by Diligent Care Services, a UK-based organisation passionate about helping parents with Cerebral Palsy children in Ghana to better handle their children.

The workshop would also serve as a skill learning platform as it seeks to bring professionals and parents together to interact.

A dietician, Ms Ruth Nyarko, would be at the workshop to educate parents on the right combination of food to feed children with Cerebral palsy with, while Mr Augustine Acquah, a physiotherapist at the Accra Physio Centre, Abelenkpe, would take the parents through basic physiotherapy techniques that could be done at home.

Mrs Hannah Awadzi, the Initiator of the Special Mothers Project, said: “We have also invited an experienced mother to share her experiences with parents and give them tips on how she was able to handle her own child who is now a successful adult.”

She said parents with CP children would get the opportunity to network and meet other parents to share ideas and experiences.

“Having a child with Cerebral Palsy is not a hopeless situation because with the right love and a supportive environment, the child can grow up to be a responsible adult,” Mrs Awadzi said.

Cerebral Palsy is a neurological disorder that affects movement and sometimes the speech of children.

Soliciting support for Lady G

For the purposes of this article I will like to call her Lady G, I met her on the 11thof June, in a certain hospital in Accra, a woman had informed me about her peculiar situation and I was keen to meet her and share some words of encouragement and prayer.

Lady G is a mother of four, her last born Nkumim (Victory) born on the 7^th of June, 2016 came out through Caesarian Session (CS). Nkumim is physically disabled, the legs are turned someway that we are not use to.

Lady G instead of celebrating the birth of a child, burst out crying loudly and uncontrollably, the statement on her lips is continuously “Why Me God!!!”

Her first born a boy now 14 years is okay, but the two children after him are all Autistic, yes, two Autistic children and now the fourth which she named Nkumim (Victory) even before the baby came out is physically challenged, besides the baby got jaundiced soon after birth.

The baby was immediately taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (nicu) and put under phototherapy but Lady G simply cannot control herself.

She weeps continuously for the first two days of the baby’s life refusing to eat at all, till she is sent to see a psychologist.

At the Psychologist’s office Lady G continues to wail, she cannot understand why that is happening to her life, she sobs “I am a very young girl and I am facing so many challenges in life” My husband is on a very meagre salary and I have not been able to work because I need to stay home to take care of the two Autistic children.

Lady G has learnt bead making, (using bead to make earrings and other accessories) and can also weave hats suitable for weddings and other special occasions but she is not able to work, getting the start-up capital is even a problem

This is couple with the fact that she has to seek regular medical attention for the children.

I did not share this story for us to only show pity, When I met her, (Lady G) the first thing I told her, is not to be engaged in self-pitying, strengthen faith in the lord and pray for strength at all times.

Now the issues, she wish that the two Autistic children could go to school, but where is the money and besides some special schools even demand that your special needs child comes to school with a Carer, how is she going to do that.

It seems that there is absolutely no support for families privileged to raise children with special needs.

  Some time ago when it came in the news that disabled children were being killed in the Northern part of Ghana, many people were outraged

But come to think of it, isn’t it the whole of society that is helping families perpetrate this barbaric act (I meaning killing special needs children) Please think about this story and pray for this lady.

blessingsabound81@outlook.com

 

Teachers trained to deal with challenging behaviours of pupils

Selected teachers in the Kasoa municipality have been trained to deal effectively with challenging behaviours of pupils in the classroom

The over 100 teachers were taken through topics that will enable them improve the quality of life and inclusion of pupils with challenging behaviours.

Mr Padmore Quansah, Executive Director of the Campaign for Learning Disabilities (CLED) organizers of the workshop told the Ghana News Agency that some teachers got frustrated by challenging behaviours by children with special needs

“There is the need to help teachers understand the issues, especially children with special needs to enable them teach effectively in an inclusive environment.

Mrs Jane Toure, Specialist Occupational Therapist, who took the teachers through “Positive Behavioural Support” said many challenging behaviours among pupils were linked to social learning and communication.

“Some children for instance may need help to learn skills for communications” she said explaining to the teachers that understanding an individual’s challenging behavior will enhance tolerance and coping.

Mrs Toure said that if teachers understood challenging behaviours especially from special needs children it could lead to effective ways of providing support.

“Instead of punishing challenging behaviours, we need to find out why the behavior,” The Specialist Occupational Therapist advised, pointing out that knowledge about such behaviours could help find the way forward.

The teachers selected from pre-schools and basic schools in Kasoa were also taken through Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder  (ADHA) Mrs Florence Akua Mensah from the Department of Special Education, University of Education, Winneba