07 Oct 2019

Cerebral Palsy Medical Officer, Ms Kgalalelo Bonno, says appropriate services and support is needed for children and adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP) for them to stay well,  be active, and be part of the community.

Speaking at commemoration of the World Cerebral Palsy day in Gaborone recently, Ms Bonno said there was still a lot do to educate Batswana about developmental disabilities.

She said the cerebral palsy was a chronic condition unique to everyone. Ms Bonno indicated that Cerebral palsy was the most common motor disability in childhood, and that it affected a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. 

Most CP is related to brain damage that happened before or during birth and it is called congenital CP.

Factors like being born too small or early can increase the risk for congenital CP. If a child’s symptoms are mild, it is sometimes difficult to make a diagnosis until the child is a few years older.

Chairperson of the Brave Hearts Special Needs Association, Ms Mphoentle Sibisibi said the association was registered in order to advocate for children with developmental disabilities.

Through this association they are able to educate and help those with limited knowledge on different CP cases.

“The aim is to reach more people out there for awareness and also reach villages away from the city. Most of the people are not aware of these disabilities, and there are myths surrounding it more especially about mothers not doing things right during  their confinement,” she said.

Ms Sibisibi revealed that there was still a lot that needed to be done to address challenges faced by CP sufferers and the discrimination and stigmatisation through various policies, programs and acts, including the health policy on the care of people with CP and the revised national policy on education.

 

She urged government to do more to assist people with CP, because they were faced with a lot of challenges. ENDS