Helping Children get back on their feet
Rehabilitation Department
This is one of the major departments in the school. It consists of: the Occupational therapy department (OT), Physiotherapy department (PT) and general nursing/ sick bay department that has a visiting doctor.
The major aim of the department is for children with special needs to be medically rehabilitated and cared for.
The department is responsible for carrying out assessments, plan and administer treatments for all the students in the school, and planning individual therapy sessions.
Some of the disabilities we deal with:
Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture. It’s caused by damage that occurs to the immature brain as it develops, most often before birth.
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. This extra genetic material causes the developmental changes and physical features of Down syndrome.
Microcephalus a rare neurological condition in which the infant’s head is smaller than normal compared to other infants of the same age and sex. The condition can be present at birth or develop within the first few years of life.
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up within the ventricles (fluid-containing cavities) of the brain and may increase pressure within the head.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease. It is caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis.
Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly – there is incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord.
This is a general term used to describe a condition that occurs during developmental period of a child between birth and 18 years. It is usually defined by the child being diagnosed with having a lower intellectual functionality than what is perceived as normal.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Also called reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language.
PTSD is an intense physical and emotional response to thoughts and reminders of the event that lasts for a period of time.
This is a disability that develops as a result of physical damage to the body i.e. a fall, road traffic accident, gun shot etc.
Mobility Independence
The Kampala school of physically handicapped therapy program includes a One on one therapy that is tailored to individual children’s physical and/or cognitive needs.
The KSPH therapy department program includes:
Tacpac an activity for children with sensory integration and sensory processing difficulties. It also provides sensory motor input for the children. 2 sessions are carried out every Tuesday of the week with 12 children
Oral motor stimulation and facilitation for children with difficulties in feeding. Speech and motor control like drooling. Its done once in a week on Wednesdays.
Hydrotherapy is especially important in the Department because it benefits children with both physical and cognitive challenges physically.
It has a general relaxation and calming effect that soothes muscle tension and stimulates all body systems and organs by nourishing the energy flow. It helps to lower the joint stress level which helps to lower the pain level in addition to helping release positional awareness to the patient, among other benefits. The Department trains the use of assistive devices to correct deformities and secondary complications like orthoses, prosthetics, other mobility aids, and calipers and also does adaptations to the aids and environment of the special needs child.
The sick bay provides basic first aid treatment to the pupils and refers them to the nearby hospital in case of severity.
Cognitive challenges include:
- Memory
- Problem solving
- Sequencing
- Orientation
- Perception
- Attention/concentration
- Praxis
Mobility Independence
are wheelchair users
without an aid
