Film On Treating Cerebral Palsied

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 2

Film On Treating Cerebral Palsied

A film which will help mothers of young cerebral palsy children to carry out vital early treatment in their own homes is nearing completion under the clinical direction of a Christchurch woman and will be ready for release next February to be shewn to groups of parents. This is the second film on cerebral palsy attributable to Miss M. D. Hartridge, a physiotherapist with the Department of Health in Christchurch. Both have been made by the National Film Unit under the technical direction of Mr Frank Chilton. International interest was aroused by the first film, made for professional use, wflich shows a series of tests which can be given to babies bv Plunket nurses or therapists to detect early symptoms of'cerebral palsy. Since it was shown at the World Confederation of Physical Therapy in Copenhagen last June, orders for copies have been received from Britain, West Berlin, the United Stites. Cologne, Amsterdam, and Canada.

Ten years ago Miss Hartridge pioneered a scheme in New Zealand by which young children with cerebral palsy could receive early treatment in their own homes Under the supervision of a visiting therapist, mothers are taught the special ways of handling and feeding their children, and the exercises, which are based on the normal play of young children. 'The treatment of a young child fits the ordinary routine of caring for it,” Miss Hartridge said. There are now five visiting therapists throughout New Zealand. The aim of early treatment was to prepare the children to cope with normal primary

school activities and education she said. Visits to homes were made as often as individual cases required. Another service of the scheme was the co-ordinating of educational medical and specialised services available

for cerebral palsy children, and advising parents what help there was available. “And help is always willingly given,” she said. Cerebral palsy i« caused by accidental damage to the motor area of the brain either before birth, during or soon after delivery. Such damage can be caused by insufficient oxygen reaching the brain. The developing of prenatal transfusions for Rh babies would reduce the risk of damage to such babies. A device for monitoring foetal heartbeats, which Miss Hartridge saw in Australia, could also show if a baby was becoming distressed during birth.

A great deal of work on cerebral palsy was being done overseas. Resources once used tor research on poliomyelitis were now being switched to this work, and to other fields, now poliomyelitis was under control, she said.

However, cerebral palsy was not rare, said Miss Hartridge. About 40 new cases were referred to her each year. Early treatment was importaat, and it was this need for early diagnosis that had led to the making of the films, she said. Miss Hartridge visited the United States and Britain in 1950 to carry out study and

observations. In 1958 she was sent to Singapore under the Colombo Plan and spent three months there setting up a school and training school for young cerebral palsy sufferers.