Treating a common but misunderstood disability
Born with cerebral palsy, 5-year-old Chhen Sivong has trouble walking, standing and raising his arms, but he also struggles with an even more fundamental motor skill: swallowing. Around the time he turned one, the little boy began having problems eating solid food, which upset both Sivong and his family. … Theirs is a surprisingly common story across the country. In September, the NGO Capacity Building of People with Disability in the Community Organization (Cabdico) released a research paper estimating that communication and swallowing disorders affect 536,000 people in Cambodia. But even though these disorders occur frequently, it is hard for sufferers to find proper treatment. According to Cabdico, swallowing and feeding problems—known medically as dysphagia—can also affect up to 70 percent of children with disabilities. They can also make people who suffer from them 13 times more likely to die prematurely if left untreated. … At the Chey Chumneas Referral Hospital in Takhmau City last week, a small group of people took part in swallowing and feeding therapy, with the help of two plates laden with chips, cookies and small pots of jelly. Each of the 10 trainees at the four-day workshop held by Cabdico will be sent to communities across the country to help families like Sivong’s, teaching them how to train the muscles used for swallowing, and how disabled children and adults can position themselves while eating to make swallowing easier. “The wider objective of this program is to develop speech therapy within the country,” Mr. Yeoh said. “Despite the enormous need for these potentially life-saving services, currently, there are no Cambodian university-trained speech therapists.” …
Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/treating-a-common-but-misunderstood-disability-53425/
