CBM and physical impairment
-
-
© CBM
Children and young adults with disabilities at the opening of the new CBM Partner facility 'CoRSU' outside Kampala
Physical impairments can dramatically affect quality of life, and even shorten the life span if left untreated. CBM works with its partners to prevent conditions which lead to physical impairments, and to support surgery, CBR, physiotherapy and availability of orthopaedic appliances.
Causes of physical impairment
Orthopaedic impairments can dramatically affect quality of life, and even shorten the life span if left untreated. There are many different causes of physical disability and, correspondingly, there are many ways to lessen their negative impact on the quality of life of the affected person.
- Congenital conditions such as club foot or cleft lip/ palate are common, severely disabling if not treated, yet easily managed with early specialist intervention.
- Cerebral palsy is more common in low income countries due to lack of access to maternal healthcare. Support for the family including training in physiotherapy can greatly increase a child‘s quality of life.
- Infections which are not diagnosed and treated early, such as TB, can result in severe damage to bones and joints resulting in physical disability.
- Accidents can lead to poorly treated fractures that have not healed in a good position, or burns that result in scarring and contractures of skin and joints.
CBM combating physical impairment
CBM works with its partners to prevent conditions which lead to disability, and to support surgery, physiotherapy and availability of orthopaedic appliances. This involves:
- Creating awareness and supporting health education.
- Prevention, including promoting better maternal health services.
- Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) to support persons with physical disability and their families to access services.
- Early detection to identify and support children with treatment for conditions such as club foot and cleft lip.
- Early intervention to promote good care of fractures, burns and bone infections.
- Cost effective interventions, supporting specialist healthcare services for common conditions.
Children with physical disabilities
Children with physical disabilities in low income countries may be marginalised and excluded from education and, eventually, a future in employment. It is also known that children with a physical disability are three times more likely to die in childhood than their non-disabled peers.
CBM prioritises activities which support the prevention and treatment of conditions that can lead to disability in children and the inclusion of those children in schooling and community life. Access to specialist health care and rehabilitation services can prepare the child for school, employment and social integration, resulting in a huge improvement in quality of life for both the child and the family.
