A day at the 'Dream Centre'

by Husna Inayathullah

Seventeen million people are suffering with cerebral palsy worldwide. According to statistics, there are around 40,000 children with cerebral palsy in Sri Lanka.

Director, Dilani Gopi of 'The Dream Centre'

The Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation in Wattala called, 'The Dream Centre' is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. It was set up in 2011 and at present there are 30 children. Every child benefits from art and speech classes and physiotherapy.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common disability in childhood. It is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement and motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way).

Usually CP is caused by brain damage before or during childbirth or during the first three to five years of a child's life.

The brain damage can also lead to other health issues, including vision, hearing, speech and learning disabilities. "There is no cure for CP. Treatment, therapy, special equipment and in some cases, surgery can help children living with the condition," said Director, Dilani Gopi of 'The Dream Centre' for children with cerebral palsy.

The children at the Centre are divided into four categories according to their conditions. Children who are severely affected are in the first category and those in the fourth category follow the normal school curriculum. These children could draw and paint beautifully. Each child has his or her own sign languages. Each of the four classes had timetables with pictures. These children could identify what they have to do according to the timetables through pictures rather than letters.

Chartered Physiotherapist, Gopi Kitnasamy is the President of the Sri Lanka's Cerebral Palsy Foundation.

The Foundation is working on creating a National Register for children with Cerebral Palsy and other developmental disorders. "The children suffering from this disorder should be treated like normal children in the society.

Some parents try to hide them in a corner but that is it not the way one can love these children and help them in life. At the Dream Center, we help these children to make their lives better. We help them to do their tasks independently as much as possible," said Dilani Gopi.

Pix: Kelum Liyanage