Watching miracles in Hungary unfold for cerebral palsy kids

Published Sunday, May 6, 2012, 8:19 AM

Updated Sunday, May 6, 2012, 8:19 AM

Budapest, Hungary

Photo by Google Images

In the hotel where I lodged while in Hungary recently, there were quite a number of families also staying there who had children affected mostly from the devastating illness cerebral palsy.

The striking thing was that they were of all nationalities, and not just European. They were there from the US, South America, and Asia.

Hungary, despite all its problems associated with poverty as it struggles to adjust to a new situation within the EU, are to the fore in the field of therapy associated with children afflicted with the ailment.

The Peto Institute in Budapest, famed for its success in alleviating the symptoms and indeed greatly improving the lives of children with the condition, was near our hotel, and it was to there these families were either revisiting, or going there for first assessment.

An American father, there with his wheelchair-bound eight-year-old little boy, told me: "This is my third trip to Hungary with Alan, and the improvement in him has been miraculous in a little over two years.There is a great understanding over here about his condition. For instance, they were able to tell me after our first visit, that his brain is not affected, which was a joy beyond compare to learn. Now we sit and look into his eyes in the knowledge he knows us and all that is going on with us as a family. We converse with him and even though he cannot speak, we know by his squeals of delight and frowns of disapproval, that he understands and is participating."

He continued, "Over half of the children with CP(cerebral palsy) are born with their brains undamaged, and it is kids like this which have the best chance at being helped, naturally, and we are very happy that Alan is in this category. Youngsters with spina bifida fare even better, as they generally have more control over their motor movements."

See the rest here:
Watching miracles in Hungary unfold for cerebral palsy kids