'When you have a disability, it doesn’t stop you doing what you like' says Ben, 10, from Cork
Ben Mellis with his mum Michelle Sylvester at home in Carrigtwohill, Cork. Ben receives much of his treatment in Cork and, in some circumstances, in his own home. Picture: Dan Linehan
While the huge amount of obstacles facing many children with spina bifida and scoliosis regularly cause outrage, Ben Mellis, 10, has been able to get help near his home in Carrigtwohill, Cork.
One of his favourite activities is swimming in a therapy pool with his dad, he said.
“When you have a disability, it doesn’t stop you doing what you like,” he said. “I play football and I play basketball, I love both of them.”
Ben is one of the children with spina bifida being supported by an partnership between Enable Ireland, the South Infirmary, and CHI at Crumlin.
His mother, Michelle Sylvester, said he has been with Enable Ireland on Curraheen Rd in Cork, since he was three months old.
“He goes up to Enable for physio, wheelchair fittings, but if Ben has had surgery they will call out to us here,” she said.
“If we weren’t able to go out, they will call out or do a Zoom. It’s up to us, they make it very easy in that sense.”
This project has streamlined Ben’s treatment. He has rods in his spine and his spinal surgeon, Pat Kiely, is in CHI at Crumlin.
“We go up there. And he comes down and does clinics in Enable as well. He does clinics there with Ben, and the last clinic we couldn’t go to; he gave us a call instead,” Ms Sylvester said.
"From our experience we could not fault them. When Ben has surgery, he has to have X-rays, they facilitate for him to go to the South Infirmary. So Enable help with that as well.”
Radiologists at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) share X-rays with Dr Kiely which reduces the family’s trips to Dublin.
SIVUH recently installed a specialist X-ray machine, EOS scan, for children who need repeat X-rays.
This delivers a lower dose of radiation, said Enable Ireland physical disability support pathway coordinator Gillian O’Dwyer.
She also highlights local physiotherapists who refer children to Enable. “The child could be in primary care, or they may sit on a children’s disability network team. The child may present with asymmetry of posture or mild scoliosis, and then once the child has been seen they will come to ourselves.”
They triage children, Ms O’Dwyer said, explaining: “Once we pick up a child who has a mild curvature, they go on a surveillance pathway.” This includes regular X-rays.
Milder conditions are managed in Cork, while more serious spinal curvatures and certain conditions are sent to Crumlin, she said.
Dr Kiely described the project as “amazing”, saying: “They’re very switched on, things are followed up on very well, it’s very, very good.”
He goes to Cork every two months, but would like to increase this.
“We’re not able to deal with the volumes who need the care, so otherwise they’re coming to Dublin to see me which happens regularly,” he said.
For him, this type of project should be replicated nationally.
“Advancing disability care in the country is the type of work that needs to be recognised, that needs resources and time to be allocated and assigned there,” he said.
He explained: “We have such a volume of information that the people in Cork know the children so well, so it’s very effective. We might look after 20 to 30 kids in one day.”
He also connects with paediatric orthopaedic consultants at SIVUH to help these children.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
