The Nurses and Midwifery Council ( NMC), has included training on cerebral palsy in its curricula.
This was disclosed by a lecturer at the Physiotherapy Department of the University of Ghana, Dr. Gifty Gyamah Nyante.
According to Dr. Nyante, one out of three children with cerebral palsy is unable to walk, one in two suffers from an intellectual impairment, and one in five suffers from behavioral disorders.
Speaking at the 3rd annual public lecture by the Ghana Physiotherapy Association, Dr. Nyante said the inclusion of training on cerebral palsy into the curricula enables nurses to easily identify and manage these children.
“We are training community health nurses to identify children with cerebral palsy and give the appropriate referrals; so that training has been going on and I must say that it is now part of their curriculum. So they will be thought in school, how they will be able to identify a child with cerebral palsy and thanks to the Nurses and Midwifery Council, they have accepted our proposal and they have now included it in their curriculum.”
Limited information on cerebral palsy hurting healthcare delivery – Report
Knowledge of cerebral palsy among health care professionals is low compared to other disabilities, Dr. Kwame Sakyi, Director of the Centre for Learning and Childhood Development has said.
He said a survey conducted among health care professionals showed that only about 35 percent of healthcare professionals understood and were able to manage cerebral palsy.
He therefore called for training of more health-care professionals on the condition to lessen the burden of managing the disease on parents.
He also suggested that healthcare professionals consider the inputs of parents on how the disease is managed to make the management of cerebral palsy more efficient for both sides
What is Cerebral palsy?
Cerebral Palsy is the result of a brain injury or a brain malformation. Individuals with Cerebral Palsy were most likely born with the condition, although some acquire it later.
It was once thought that complications caused cerebral Palsy during the birthing process.
While this does happen, it is now widely agreed that birthing complications account for only a small percentage, an estimated 10 percent of Cerebral Palsy cases.
Current research suggests the majority of Cerebral Palsy cases result from abnormal brain development or brain injury prior to birth or during labor and delivery.
Accidents, abuse, medical malpractice, negligence, infections, and injury are some known risk factors that may lead to Cerebral Palsy.
Most cases of cerebral palsy can’t be prevented, but one can lessen risks.
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By: Nii Larte Lartey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
