Doctors at the Naivasha Level Four Hospital have raised the red flag over the rising cases of cerebral palsy in the area, a condition which is affecting their learning.
According to Dr Mwangi Mahinda attached to the hospital''s occupational therapy department, in every four children who visit the hospital, three suffer from cerebral palsy.
“We have a great burden in helping these children because it is our responsibility….out of 150 children according to the register who come here, one third are cases of cerebral palsy,” he said Wednesday during a tour of the facility by Nakuru County First Lady Lucia Mbugua.
He added that the illness has surpassed other diseases such as clubfoot that are quite common in young children.
“There are many more illnesses that are very common among children but cerebral palsy here is increasing by day and it is a worrying trend,” he added.
Cerebral palsy has no definite cause. It is a set of neurological condition that causes physical disability in human development.
Symptoms include crawling in an unusual way, abnormal muscle tone, difficulty in suckling and feeding; hearing problems, body imbalance, slow learning, bladder problems, eyesight problems among other symptoms.
Dr Joseph Lenai from the county health department said the county government is taking measures in addressing the situation and will hire more nurses.
Mbugua supported the initiative to have more nurses sent to the facility’s occupational therapy department in a bid to help the young children suffering from the illness.