FAQ

How can Malamulele Onward help children with cerebral palsy?

There are the skills and resources in South Africa which can be used to change the lives of these children and their families. Recognizing that there is no easy solution to the problems of poverty and the lack of specially trained therapists in disadvantaged areas calls for a unique and innovative strategy, which is how Malamulele Onward was born. Malamulele Onward links the available skills and expertise in South Africa to the children who need it most.

Q. Is there equipment that can help children with Cerebral Palsy?

Equipment is very helpful. It assists children by offering them a means of mobility or stability and aids them in everyday functioning. Malamulele Onward provides children with the basic equipment that is needed to help them in their everyday lives. This equipment includes:

• Standing frames, which are wooden boxes that act as a frame that supports the child’s body and helps them to stand up. The standing frames have a tray which can be used
when eating or as a place on which the child can place
things and play.
• Buggies, which are rather like a push chair or stroller, are used as a means of transporting the child. In rural areas children are often transported on their mother’s back as they have no other way of getting around. Buggies give the child a place to sit and see the world, eat and be transported in comfort. These buggies are custom fitted so they properly support the child.
• Chairs. Many children with CP living in rural areas do not have chairs that work for their needs. Malamulele Onward therapists custom-make chairs for the children so they have somewhere to sit.
• A “long-sitter” and table give the child support to sit as well as opening up possibilities for upper body movement. The childcan use the table for many things including a play area and an eating area. By being supported so he can sit up, the child has a view of the world around him and is therefore more able to interact with others.
• Foam supports. Many children with CP cannot sit up or stand. Custom foam supports are made by Malamulele Onward therapists to support the children in a lying position.
• Supports – when available, a specialist Orthotist volunteers for Malamulele Onward and makes children custom supports for their legs.

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