4 October 2023
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CEREBRAL PALSY: EXPERTS DISCUSSED TOPICAL ISSUES
A round table “Open Dialogue on Cerebral Palsy” dedicated to the International Day of Infantile Cerebral Palsy was held at the S. Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University.
As the organizers noted, this day exists not for congratulations and nice gifts. Its purpose is to attract public attention to the problems of people with chronic diagnosis.
Heads and specialists of organizations involved in the support of special children at different stages of life took part in the discussion of topical health issues.
In particular, the Department of coordination of employment and social programs of East-Kamenogorsk region; Department of employment and social programs of Ust-Kamenogorsk city. Ust-Kamenogorsk; “Regional Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Consultation” of EE EKR; Ust-Kamenogorsk Children’s Center for Special Social Services; “Ak-Niet Boarding School”; “School-Center for Additional Education #19”; “Center for Rehabilitation and Correction DEMEY”; Rehabilitation Center “DEVAL”; Early Intervention Center; Medical Center “NARPY CLINIS” and Center for Continuous and Inclusive Education “Dana bala” of EKU named after S. Amanzholov. S. Amanzholov.
In addition, Alexander Dyachenko, Vice-Consul of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Ust-Kamenogorsk, became the guest of honor of the round table. He stated that such dialog platforms between parents of children with cerebral palsy and qualified personnel reduce the percentage of ignorance of the topic and develop adaptation to special living conditions.
During the round table, the parents present shared their difficult experiences, raising pressing issues. Thus, one of the parents of a special child over 18 years old asked about opening a specialized institution for adults.
– We need constant support from specialists. Where do we turn to, as my son is already an adult,” the woman asked.
Experts recommended that she contact the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”. According to them, in the organization it is possible to raise the issue of a state order for the creation of “a special community for adults with cerebral palsy”.
The grandmother of the girl, who was diagnosed with a complex form of the disease, told about the insufficient material equipment of some specialized centers. Then Dosym Erbolatuly, Ph.D.-M.Sc., Professor of the Department of Physics and Technologies of the S. Amanzholov Higher Educational Institution, demonstrated a student startup project – a verticalizer. Earlier, the university developed a domestic modified model of wooden verticalizer. It is designed to restore children in standing, lying, sitting, partly lying, partly sitting.
According to the project curator Dosym Yerbolatuly, the approximate cost is 250,000 tenge. Foreign analogs cost about two million tenge. Parents and specialists were instantly interested in the innovative Kazakhstani “product”. At the moment, the university team is working on improving the project – it is planned to replace artificial leather with breathable natural fabric and make the back of the verticalizer not straight, but with the necessary bend to support the child’s back.
At the end of the event, S. Amanzholov EKU professors made reports. Candidate of Psychological Sciences Yulia Kukina told about the peculiarities of psychological support for the family of a special child. Her colleague Svetlana Stelmakh analyzed modern directions of personnel training for working with children with cerebral palsy.
According to Gulmira Bytykova, a mother of a special child, the round table was rich. All parents received recommendations on the questions asked. She notes that the most joyful and useful news was the presentation of a verticalizer.