Early palsy screening could help offset issues

Early screening of children with cerebral palsy would help prevent orthopaedic problems that can cause severe pain and affect quality of life, a conference in Cork heard yesterday.

Delegates attending the conference, the first of its kind to focus specifically on paediatric spasticity — an abnormal increase in muscle tone that causes exaggerated reflex jerks — and orthopaedic management, were told Enable Ireland Cork, a disability services provider, already operates such a programme to the benefit of children it treats.

Conor Coughlan, 11, from Ballinhassig, Co Cork, who attended the conference, bore testimony to this.