HELP FOR SPASTIC CHILDREN

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 441, 5 December 1947, Page 12

HELP FOR SPASTIC CHILDREN

Work of Sydney Parents’ Group

] Written for "The Listener" {

by

BETSY

RATTRAY

RECENT survey in the United States shows that seven spastic children are born each year for every 100,000 of population. Other things being equal, this means tHat an average of 100 children thus afflicted are born in New Zealand annually. Here is the story of how a handful of Australian parents are courageously tackling the problem. * * x HE other day I visited a schoolroom. It was not an ordinary schoolroom with desks and exercise books. The 14 pupils were squatted on mats on the floor. The teacher played the opening bars of a catchy little tune. "Stand and be ready to march like soldiers," she said, "and the ones who cannot march

may beat their drums." About nine little boys and girls, some of them wearing walking irons, scrambled up and stood on wobbly unsteady legs. As the music played, they began to march. Their little faces glowed with happiness. They just loved marching like soldiers-but it was not a game to these children, It was the serious business of learning to walkof teaching feet to step forward firmly and striving to keep bodies proudly upright. My heart went out to the other little ones who sat beating imaginary drums, keeping time with the music. One could see by their eager little faces that they were looking forward to the day when they, $8, could stand and walk. In another room a more ‘advanced group were sitting at their desks writing. It was painstaking and laborious work for most of them because they found it difficult to hold and guide a pencil. © These were spastic children. Do you know what spastic paralysis is? I con- | fess that I knew very little about it before I visited the Spastic Centre at

a — ----- Mosman in Sydney. Infantile cerebral palsy-to give its techriical name-is caused by injury to the brain during, or immediately after, the birth of the child. Nerve fibres running between brain and muscles are affected and the child cannot control its movemeuts. Muscular control varies according to the extent and severity of the brain damage. That is why spastic children may have a jerky unsteady gait; arms which flail about wildly when attempting the slightest movement, heads that loll, fingers that cannot perform the simplest of duties, and speech that is unintelligible.

Because of these overwhelming physical handicaps, spastic children are unable to join with normal children at school or at play. They are condemned from birth to a life of invalidism, depending on their mothers for every need. Until quite recently many of these little sufferers were classed as mentally deficient. One did not see spastic children out in the street. They were hidden away out of sight, at home or in mental hospitals. You can understand how cruel this is when you realise that the majority of spastic children have normal intelligence. That intelligence has to be developed. The usefulness of unaffected muscles must be exploited to the utmost. In the final count, the progress of the child depends upon the formation of habit tracts between brain and muscles to take the place of the damaged nerves. Constant repetition is the foundation of habit. That is why no overnight miracles can "cure" a spastic. It is the grim and constant battle to overcome physical handicaps that brings success, (continued én next page)

(continued from previous page) Fifty per cent. of spastic children (who would otherwise reath adulthood as useless members of the community) can become self-supporting if they are given a chance. All of them can be improved with treatment and training. This has been proved in the United States where there are several modern clinics. Unfortunately such clinics are provided only for wealthy people who can pay the fees, and children whose parents are even moderately well off are not given a chance. Existing hospitals and schools in Australia cannot meet the special needs of the spastic child. From Humble Beginnings That is why the Spastic Centre at Mosman came into existence. Its founders are Mr. and Mrs. Neil McLeod, formerly of Western Australia. Their own little daughter was once a helpless spastic. Her parents originally intended to take her to the United States for treatment, but during the «war that was impossible. While they were staying in Sydney, the McLeods met other parents of spastic children, chiefly through the Crippled Children’s Association. A Spastic Parents’ Group was formed and the foundations were laid for the present organisation. The Mosman Spastic Centre was opened in January, 1945, with 16 pupils. Its assets were a house on a half-acre section, a small amount of equipment and £34. From this very humble beginning the Centre has been developed into an institution where 80 children are |’ given full-time academic education and special treatment on a free non-residen-tary basis. A Medical Director comes daily to supervise the treatment of each child in co-operation with the orthopaedic surgeon of the parents’ choice. Every day each child receives treatment from the’ staff of occupational and physio-therapists. For this highly specialised work, a beautiful modern treatment block was recently opened. Eighteen months ago the Centre had no funds or materials to build the block which was urgently needed to cope with increasing numbers of pupils.. An appeal for funds and building materials brought a magnificent response. The fathers set to work during the week-ends on construction. To their aid came a voluntary band of helpers-bricklayers, plasterers, | plumbers, carpenters, labourers, clerks, electricians and handymen. All cheerfully gave a helping hand with one purpose in mind — a better deal for the spastic child. Special Equipment The schoolrooms are staffed by the Education Department. Here again special equipment is needed to assist the children. Some of them cannot hold a pencil. They learn to type instead, steadying their arms against the edge of the desk. Two typewriters are already (continued on next page)

| HELP FOR SPASTIC CHILDREN

(continued from previous page) in use and eight will be needed shortly. Another innovation is the use of magnetised letter blocks on steel plates to aid in spelling and writing. The programme for school work is just as intensive as for a normal child. Each one is educated to the fullest extent of his learning capacity and although some of the children may not make much progress, others show quite brilliant intelligence. Then there is the speech therapist. Hers is an important task, because some of the children are unable to talk when they first attend the Centre. Others can --

only mumble a sort of gibberish "baby" talk. Constant daily practice under the direction of the therapist is needed before hobbled tongues are set free and clear speech accomplished. The joy of these kiddies is boundless when they can express themselves and make their thoughts and feelings and wants known, after years of being walled in and frustrated by the misery of silence, The non-technical work at the Centre is done by the mothers and by voluntary helpers, A roster system is worked out to enable each mother to attend the Centre for two days a week. They do the washing and cleaning and fetching and carrying, the cooking of a hot twocourse mid-day meal for the childrenin fact everything to allow the skilled workers to give undivided attention to their tasks. The Financial Side Besides their actual work at the Centre, the mothers also toil hard to raise funds. All the facilities detailed above are provided free. Not one penny is’ paid to the Centre in fees. No matter what their income group may be, no child is allowed to suffer because of its parents’ financial position. Except for the teachers and speech therapist, who are paid by the Education Department, the whole of the Centre’s expenses are met by funds raised by the work of the parents and by charity. So New Zealand mothers who have spastic children may take heart, There must be about 1,200 of you. Perhaps it lies in your own hands to give your children their chance. Eighty Australian mothers are showing the way. GEditor’s Note: Spastic cases in New Zealand are treated at the Wilson Home for Crippled Children in Auckland. The Government has plans for improving and extending treatment.)