THE CONTENTS OF THE PROGRAM FOR TRAINING COURSES FOR COMMUNITY ON REHABILITATION OF  DISABLED CHILDREN.

  Because  the number of motorically disabled children is largest among  those children that have other disabilities the need to treat large numbers of children is still vast. Besides, the number of motorically disabled children who need to be cared for at home rather than in an institutional setting is 70-80%. In order to respond to this need, local doctors, physiotherapists and nurses need to upgraide their professional knowledge. Local volunteers and families need training to detect the diseases early and to know how to care for the disabled child and finally how to help them integrate into the community.

For these reasons, the opening of the training courses is vital. Depending on different goals and demands of different trainees, the courses are designed as follows:

I/ Training courses for local doctors:

·       Goals:

  -Upgrading knowledge on rehabilitation for motorically disabled children.

  -Examining and indicating physiotherapy and orthotics.

·       Contents:

    1. Examining and evaluating motorically disabled children ( Polio, Cerebral Palsy, congenital deformities and motorical disabilities due to other causes.)

    2  Indicating the need for  physiotherapy.( occupational therapy, electrical modality therapy etc.)

    3. Early detecting of deformities and recommending treatment.

    4. Indicating orthotics.

    5. Checking and supervising orthotics usage.

Duration of training courses: 05 days.

Place of training courses: the Center.

Participants quantity:  10 – 15 trainees / class.

II/ Training courses for physiotherapists and nurses:

·       Goals:

-Can apply techniques of treatment on patients.

-Can evaluate and track patients for the  long term.

·       Contents:

    1.      Examining, evaluating, designing physiotherapy program and indicating orthotics.

    2.      Preventing deformities and stretching contractures.

    3.      Early detecting of  deformities and the diseases.

    4.      Techniques of physiotherapy as they pertain to the diseases.

    5.      Recording in the patients medical chart.

    6.      Helping disabled children integrate into  the community.

Duration of training courses: 15 days.

Place of training courses: The  Centre.

Participants quantity: 10 – 15 trainees / class.

III/ The training courses for local volunteers:

·       Goals:

-Can detect  diseases early.

-Can supervise the patients’ exercising and orthotics usage.

-Can cooperate with local authorities in helping patients integrate into the community.

·       Contents:

   1.      Distinguishing Poliomyelitis sequelae from Cerebral Palsy and other types of motoric  disabilities.

   2.      Understanding Cerebral Palsy( causes, prevention, types).

   3.      Understanding Poliomyelitis  ( cause, prevention, process, deformities)

   4.      Understanding the goals of the treatments for disabled children.

   5.      Detecting early the diseases and deformities.

   6.      Recording patients’ progress.

   7.      Helping patients integrate into the community.

Duration of the training courses: 05 days.

Place of the training courses: in the locality where the skills will be applied.

Participants quantity: 25- 30 trainees / class.

IV/ The training courses for parents having disabled children:

   Of all the disabilities, cerebral palsy has the most number of children afflicted. Every year, the center admits and treats about 700 children with disabilities . The average duration of treatment is 03 months / patient. However, there are some patients who stay for 06 months if surgery and then orthotics are required. Most these patients’ families are poor, they do not have time to understand about their children ‘s disabilities as well as learn the proper the care of them. Unfortunately, many children after being treated at the center, may  still have to  depend on their families for activities daily living.

Through a poll conducted by the center, we discovered that  most of these families want to have certain knowlegde about how to help their children function in the ares of daily life such as negotiating on the roads, functioning in the house, and being productive at school…So, the opening of training courses for families to learn how to help their children  is necessary.

The contents of the courses:

   -Rehabilitation at home: daily caring and exercises.

   -Home made devices.

   -Integration of disabled children into the community.

    -Vocational training  for disabled adults.

The training courses not only help change  the parents and families/caregivers minds about caring but also help them understand more about psychological development and their children’s ability to integrate  into  the community . Besides, the contents of the courses are  also useful for local authorities to understand in a consultative role   as they will be able to disseminate information  and  knowledge to the population which contributes significantly to the caring and rehabilitation for a large number of disabled children.