From TCNEWS
To help relieve the stress they pass through, parents and caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy, CP have passionately called on the government to establish schools where children with special needs could go to learn and develop their potentials.
This is even as the parents and caregivers of CP children have been enjoined to set realistic goals that would aid them to relieve stress and frustrations.
In a talk entitled “Taking care of the Caregivers”, during Parents’ Support Group programme of The Straight Child Foundation, TSCF in Umuahia, Abia State, a physiotherapist, Dr. Samuel Abbah, harped on the need for the caregivers to take good care of themselves, in order to be in a better state of mind to take care of these children.
Dr. Abbah, who torched/touched on the Essential Family Practices and Balanced diet; unrestricted communication between family members and healthcare providers; getting respite and seeking verified information and training; time management; inclusion and self compassion; emotional and physical health of the parents and caregivers of Children with CP, reminded them that having the right people around, would also help to overcome most of their challenges.
The physiotherapist who also observed that taking care of the children with special needs could be overwhelming, encouraged the caregivers to always seek for professional help, prioritize their physical health in order to be fit, and not forgetting their nutrition, exercise, sleep and rest, which he said remained essential and necessary.

Speaking earlier, the founder of The Straight Child Foundation, Dr. Peace Amaraegbulam, reminded the parents of the existence of Abia State Disability Act and the need to digest its content to be better equipped.
Dr. Peace Amaraegbulam added that there are a lot of things available such as the disability law which as a lot of things that parents should know about and there are things parents can asses if there’s a formidable force.
Dr. Amaraegbulam, who is a consultant orthopedic surgeon at the Federal Medical Centre Umuahia, said apart from the Parents Support Group programme, TSCF is also into advocacy, and most recently met respectively the Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor Alex Otti on people with disabilities, Mr. David Anyaele; Commissioner for women affairs and poverty alleviation, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix; National Orientation Agency, the traditional institution in the state, to help spread the information of the care provided at the foundation, which Cerebral palsy and clubfoot is among.
Lending his voice, Mr Amadi Bright, the TSCF Project Supervisor, who also gave a brief explanation of what the Parents’ Support Group was all about, disclosed plans for the establishment of a gym room for CP children in the foundation in Umuahia.

In their respective speeches, some of the parents who include Mrs. Emelike Ozioma, Mrs. Uche Rita and Mrs. Florence Okorie, appreciated the efforts made by the Foundation in reaching out to the Government for collaboration, and passionately pleaded that the government should assist in establishing and equipping the Special needs schools to ameliorate their headaches.
While also appreciating TSCF founder, Dr. Peace Amaraegbulam for the humanitarian services and assistance selflessly rendered to them, they encouraged other parents to be happy with the situation they have found themselves and equip themselves with the strength God has given to them.

Palliatives, fliers of the Foundation among other valuables was shared to the parents and caregivers during the programme.