Clinic helps Lily walk – Bendigo Advertiser

Every six months, Bendigos Lily-Rose Sparkes dons a happy mask.

ALL SMILES: Five-year-old Lily-Rose Sparkes with Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg at Bendigo Health. Picture: DARREN HOWE

Lily-Rose Sparkes, 5, with Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg. Picture: DARREN HOWE

Lily-Rose Sparkes, 5, with Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg. Picture: DARREN HOWE

Lily-Rose Sparkes, 5, with Associate Professor Adam Scheinberg. Picture: DARREN HOWE

Every six months, BendigosLily-Rose Sparkes dons a happy mask as she undergoes treatment to allow her to walk properly.

The bubblyfive-year-old says as she goeson tippy toes she has to visit the hospital, where doctors give her a mask for happy gas and follow through with a series of injections in her calves to help her walk.

Lily has cerebral palsy and has been receivingbotulinum toxintreatments since she was two years old.

Mum,Mia Smith, said they first realised Lily was having trouble about six months after she started to walk.

Without this treatment, she wouldnt be able to walk correctly, she said.

She would be always walking on her tippy toes and wouldnt be able to climb or do some of the basic things people think kids can just do.

Ms Smith said the treatments gave Lilythe opportunity to be able to take part in life as a child socially and academically at a normal standard.

Lily is one of about 15 children receiving treatments through a clinic at Bendigo Health.

Typically, the patients are between three to seven years old and have cerebral palsy, but the clinic also seesothers with brain injuries.

Ms Smith said Lily had a great team of health professionals helping her in her journey.

Weve got about six different people but theyre all linked in with each other, which we find amazing because they all speak to each other, she said.

There are a lot of other children [that have cerebral palsy] who dont have the opportunities like we do, that don't have a full blown team thats linked in together.

About 30 patients have been through the clinic in its three-year history and Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service statewide medical director Adam Scheinberg said it was incredibly important for a childs development.

Without the treatment the muscles become almost frozen, incredibly stiff and that can inhibit the way they walk, he said.

They can end up with whats called contracturesor permanent stiffening of the joints and that can also lead to problems like arthritis.

Associate Professor Scheinberg said having the clinic visit Bendigo Health once a monthmeant children didnt have to travel toThe Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne.

The treatment is typically given every six to 12 months during the first five to 10 years of life, so its a lot of trips saved, he said.

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Clinic helps Lily walk - Bendigo Advertiser