Provide 500 therapy sessions to disabled children

Melissa, a bright-eyed 10 month baby, first arrived at KCDC presenting with significant developmental delays.  Her initial assessment showed a significant delay in her physical development compared to children her age. She struggled with poor head and neck control, was unable to intentionally hold or manipulate objects, and lacked the core strength required to sit independently.  The mother was deeply worried about her child's struggles, particularly the potential impact on achieving normal development milestones. This created an emotional burden on the family, who were desperately seeking expert intervention and guidance to address the challenges.

Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Intervention

Recognizing the complex nature of Melissa's needs, the KCDC multidisciplinary team swiftly developed and implemented her intervention plan. Over the past four months, Melissa has been in regular, intensive therapy sessions. Her care has been coordinated by a dedicated team -  occupational therapists (focused on fine motor and daily living skills), physiotherapists (focused on gross motor and mobility), nutritionists (ensuring optimal physical growth and development), and social workers (providing essential psychosocial support to the mother and family).

The core of Melissa’s progress lies in the consistent team approach and the mother’s unwavering commitment. The therapy sessions are supplemented by specific, structured home exercises, which the KCDC team carefully taught Melissa’s mother. This active participation from the mother, who diligently carries out the exercises daily, has been a critical factor in accelerating Melissa’s improvements. Regular reviews by the multidisciplinary team have monitored her progress and made any adjustments to her therapeutic goals, ensuring the intervention remains effective and responsive to her evolving needs.

Remarkable Milestones Achieved

Today, the initial picture of a child struggling with basic motor control has been transformed. Melissa has now achieved several major motor milestones:

• Independent Sitting: She sit's confidently and independently, a foundational skill that opens up a new perspective on her world.
• Grasp and Manipulation: She is actively reaching out for and grasping objects with intent, demonstrating improved fine motor control and hand-eye coordination.
• Strong Head and Neck Control: She exhibits robust head and neck control, a key indicator of developing core strength and neurological maturity.

These achievements have been a source of immense relief and joy for her family. Melissa’s mother now radiates hope and has expressed profound gratitude and appreciation for the continuous support, expert guidance, and encouragement provided by every member of the KCDC team. Her initial feelings of hopelessness have been replaced by optimism and a renewed belief in Melissa’s future.

Future Therapeutic Goals

Next steps in Melissa’s treatment is the integration of a dedicated Speech and Language Therapist. This specialist will focus on supporting her early communication development, ensuring her language and social interaction abilities keep pace with her physical progress.

Occupational and physical therapy will continue to be a core component of her daily routine, paving the way for eventual walking and increasing complex object manipulation.

• Melissa.pdf (PDF)
  

Project: Providing Therapy Services to Children with Disabilities in Western Uganda

          Figure 1 Therapy Session

In Uganda, around 13% of children - about 2.5 million - are living with disabilities. Unfortunately, access to healthcare and rehabilitation services is quite limited. The shortage of rehabilitation therapists reduces  the opportunities for these children to overcome obstacles, hindering their progress, learning, and independence.  Many local beliefs view disability as an untreatable curse or a result of witchcraft, which leads to the exclusion of these children from their communities.                      

Kyaninga Child Development Centre (KCDC) offers free Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) services to children with disabilities in western Uganda. These services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as inclusive educational support. These are delivered through home visits, schools, outreach clinics at local health centers and at KCDC Centre.  We also empower parents, teachers, healthcare professionals, and community workers through interactive workshops.                                                                                                               

From April to June 2025, the Community Based Rehabilitation program served 1051 children across seven districts. This included 289 new referrals and 762 children already in the program. Additionally, 20 children received customized wheelchairs, enabling them to attend school and participate in community activities for the first time.  Our Epilepsy program had 14 new referrals, joining 361 children already undergoing treatment.  Community Awareness & Peer Support groups remain crucial for advocacy, with 23 male and 143 female participants within that period. Advocacy sessions with District Leaders and other Stakeholders were held monthly to foster greater awareness, understanding, and acceptance of disabilities, ultimately helping all children reach their full potential. 

Ten children diagnosed with severe malnutrition due to cleft conditions gained weight through nutritional and feeding therapy. This recovery enabled them to undergo surgical repairs for cleft lips and palates.   This success is credited to families maintaining sustainable gardens, access to Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and enhanced education and mentorship of mothers on home-based support for children with malnutrition.    

  Case Story -  Little Jacinta 

Figure 2 Jacinta with Cleft and Malnutrition, before surgery                   

Figure 3  Jacinta, after full recovery                   

Jacinta, born on January 5, 2025, was brought to KCDC at three weeks old by her mother. The family resides in Kasenda, Kabarole district. The mother's primary concerns were Jacinta's appearance and difficulty with breastfeeding.

Jacinta was initially assessed on January 23, 2025, during an outreach visit to Kasenda. She presented with a cleft lip and palate. A nutritional assessment revealed she was moderately underweight, weighing 2.0 kg. Her mother reported that Jacinta's birth weight was 3.0 kg, indicating a significant weight loss within three weeks due to her condition, which made breastfeeding impossible. 

Jacinta’s mother received education on nutrition,  Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), emphasizing exclusive breastfeeding. Feeding therapy was also provided to ensure Jacinta had safe and adequate milk intake, with the goal of improving her weight and nutritional status in preparation for surgery.         

A home visit conducted after two weeks revealed Jacinta was unwell, with her weight relapsing to 1.7kgs. She was referred to Fort Portal Hospital, where she received inpatient therapeutic care and was discharged after two weeks.  

To ensure close monitoring and adherence to agreed practices, the Speech & Language Therapist  and Physiotherapist conducted home visits every two weeks.  At six months, she was put on a nutrient-dense porridge to supplement her diet, promote quick weight gain, and prepare for surgery.  By July 2025, Jacinta's nutritional status had improved, reaching the required weight for surgery (6.8 kgs, MUAC: 13.0 cm).  She was then referred to a surgical camp where a successful repair was performed. Currently, Jacinta is feeding well and her physiotherapist has confirmed that she has achieved all age-appropriate developmental milestones.

We continue to provide appropriate support to Jacinta and monitor her  speech development to avert any disorders early.  

 Figure 4   Sports Session - Celebration of World Wheelchair Day