(Zaman Al Wasl)- Faten Idris, 6-year-old, was born with paralysis because of lack of oxygen at birth and resulted in loss of speech, too. Due to war and destruction of her family home in al-Mubarakiye village in Homs southern countryside, the family was forced to flee to Lebanon 4 years ago.
The family fleeing was an opportunity to show her case to doctors and some medical intervention. After good people donated for Faten, she received treatment of 8 physiotherapy sessions and 6 sessions on monthly basis for one year and a half.
The child was able to stand on her legs but she could not walk and she was able to speak but in a limited way. However, the treatment had stopped due to high cost and the financial situation of the family which paid all it can. In addition, her father was injured by a mortar years ago which made him unable to work as Faten’s mother says.
She added that her child now needs Botox injections to relax the leg tendon as an alternative to surgery. However, the price of each injection is 300$ in addition to physiotherapy for 6 months.
Doctors confirmed, according to Faten’s mother, on the necessity to accompany injections with physiotherapy so that the leg returns to its natural situation. She pointed out that doctors said the recovery can be 90% if God wills.
Faten lives with her family in a house under construction in Akkar area in Lebanon. The house does not have any windows or doors in the hard winter conditions. But what is important-as her mother says- is for Faten to continue the treatment she has received for one year and a half because if she stopped now, she will lose all the past treatment. She added that she went to many humanitarian and medical organizations and they refused to help due to the high cost. She indicated that they only gave her walker device whose price is only 20$.
From these organizations- as she says- are Handicap International, Red Crescent, Doctors without Borders, Child Rescue Organizations, UNHCR and International Medical Committee.
She indicated that Faten’s psychological situation is currently bad because she sees her peers walking and playing whereas she tries to stand and walk to stumble after few steps.
Her mother said her child has been trying to cope with her medical situation, “we are trying to lessen her suffering with speech and with promises to go to school with other children. Most of the time she becomes very happy but goes back again to isolation and introversion.”
Cerebral Palsy is the main reason in child disability and it spread in 1/400 according to International Health Organization and the disability does not change and remains for a life time, but its effects change with growth.
Doctors indicate that cerebral palsy cannot be treated but they can limit the complications and try to treat the complications in case they happened.
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