600 Cerebral Palsy Cases In Dominion

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1949, Page 9

600 Cerebral Palsy Cases In Dominion

GISBORNE, Thu. (Sp.)—One of the worst crippling diseases among children, cerebral palsy, has affected 600 children in the Dominion, according to the senior speech therapist at. the Hutt Valley speech clinic (Miss Berys Ball).

Miss Ball, who will study the treatment. of the disease in Britain under a British Council scholarship, addressed the Gisborne Rotary Club.

Since the visit of the American authority, Dr Earl Carlsen, there had been remarkable achievements by some sufr ferers, she said. What could be done for the 600 victims was being discussed by the New Zealand Crippled Children Society and the Government. The cases she had referred to were only those registered with the society. The first steps were expected to be taken next year with the establishment of a diagnostic centre at Rotorua, but this, she understood, would provide for only 30. The Government faced a treatment cost of £IOOO a child. Miss Ball said that a lot had been done by Rotary for the Hiitt Valley speech clinic, which was splendidly equipped. She hoped that Rotary would continue its interest. Many of the affiliated children needed much to be done for them.

Careful Study Needed

AUCKLAND, Thu. (Sp.).—The provision of facilities in Auckland for helping victims of cerebral palsy would need to receive a great deal of careful consideration before anything was embarked upon, said Mr J. W. McGechie, chairman of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society, at the annual meeting of the branch.

There were more than 200 cases in Auckland and, although a great number of them would be unable to benefit from anything the society might do, a special committee set up had found that the cost of any scheme would be very heavy.