Growing up, my first information about cerebral palsy was
from Nollywood comedies. Nigerian movies would have one character who was
regarded an “imbecile”, that would have no control of his limbs and mouth, and
would drool. These characters would walk funny and talk funny.
When I grew older, and I volunteered at an autism centre, and
then met a child who had cerebral palsy and autism, I became so angry with
those comedies. I was angry because rather than get educated about the disorder
and create positive awareness about it, these people were compounding the issue
and increasing stigmatization about cerebral palsy and other developmental
disorders.
So what exactly is CEREBRAL
PALSY?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects body movement,
muscle tone, muscle coordination, muscle control, posture, balance, reflex, and
motor skills. It occurs when there is a damage to the brain before birth,
during birth, or during the first 3 years of life; at these times, the brain is
still developing.
There are different types of CP; spastic CP causes stiffness
and movement difficulties, athetoid CP leads to involuntary and uncontrolled
movements, while ataxic CP causes a problem with balance and depth perception.
Some people with CP have a mixture of 2 types, and this is called Mixed CP
(simple, right?)
Like autism, cerebral palsy ranges from mild to severe, so
some people with CP are more limited than others. I have worked directly with
at least 3 children with CP; 1 of them could walk without aid, one walked with
braces, and 1 had no control of his limbs. Cerebral palsy affects standing,
sitting, walking, talking, eating, and many other things depending on the
individual. For some people with CP, the condition may also cause hearing or
visual impairment, and speech limitations.
Although some children with CP may have learning
disabilities, many of them are able to successfully learn and build a career.
Like I said earlier, I have worked directly with 3, and 1 of them in particular
was very intelligent, even though he could not walk, use his hands, or control
his mouth muscles to talk.
Farida Bedwei photo credit: www.bellanaija.com |
In 2015, at the International Conference on Disability in
Lagos, one of the speakers was Farida Bedwei, a Ghanaian who has CP and is
the owner of a major IT firm in Ghana. I have a friend who has CP, and is a
lawyer and a disability advocate; Tobiloba Ajayi is also a Mandela Washington
Fellow. Both Farida and Tobiloba attended mainstream schools, not special
schools.
And that is why I am angry with the image Nollywood gave of
CP, because Cerebral Palsy is not comedy. The stigmatization of CP kids is one
major reason schools do not know that these children can learn. Parents of
children that have cerebral palsy need to know that there’s help for their
child, even though he/she has special needs.
There is currently no cure for CP, but there are therapies
that can help the child achieve maximum potential in growth and development.
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can help to improve motor skills,
sitting, and movement. Speech therapy is also known to help with speech
limitations. Like it is with autism, there are devices and apps that assist
individuals with CP with communication. And as is said, love is the biggest
form of therapy, because it is the foundation for all therapies. Stigmatization
of people with CP should be stopped, and we should love them instead.
Tomorrow (March 25) is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, and the Cerebral
Palsy Centre (CPC) in Lagos is organizing a walk for CP by 8 a.m from the National Stadium. My friend Tobiloba
Ajayi is also organizing a seminar (and launching her third book. Whoop!), with
the theme Inclusive Mainstream Education for children with CP at Ikeja by 11 a.m.
I have seen
children with CP learn, and I have seen adults with CP who are successful
because they were given a chance to be all that they can be, without focusing
on what they could not do.
The Cerebral Palsy Centre is doing an amazing work,
especially helping children with CP whose parents have abandoned.
Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative is also doing an amazing work creating awareness, encouraging an inclusive society, and providing support for individuals with CP.
Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative is also doing an amazing work creating awareness, encouraging an inclusive society, and providing support for individuals with CP.
You don’t need to have a child with CP to help children with
CP and their families. Support these people that have become a voice for
individuals with CP in Nigeria.
You can reach Benola by visiting their website www.benola.org and reach the Cerebral Palsy
Centre on their website www.cpcenter.com.ng
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