By Noor Syafawati | EIP Teacher (Early Intervention Programme)
Zhafran has Growth Developmental Delay as well as some physical disabilities.
Zhafran had a normal birth but involvement in a motor-vehicle accident MVA) at the age of four months, left him with severe and traumatic head injuries.
He has right eye macular haemorrhage and bilateral hyperopia with astigmatism. Due to brain damage from the accident, he was also diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP).
Zhafran has a low vision and cannot walk independently. He is a talkative child although his speech is repetitive and slurred.
He has multiple disabilities but is much loved by all family members. However, before his enrolment into The Early Intervention Programme, Zafran’s mother had given up on her son’s condition, believing that nothing could be done to treat and make his life more meaningful.
Now, after enrolment in the Programme, there are signs of light and hope.
Initially Zhafran did not engage well with his teachers but over a period of time, began to ‘warm to’ and play with them.
He became actively involved with his physiotherapy activities to strengthen his lower limbs and improve balance. Zhafran also engaged in play therapies which improve cognitive, social and fine motor skills.
His teachers involved his parents, showing them how to help train Zhafran towards a more independent life for himself. After all, the child spends the most time with the parents. As time passed, significant improvement was seen in his gross motor skills. Zhafran was able to walk, his once poor balance now improved.
Zhafran is now able to socialise well with new individuals. His fine motor skills have also improved, he is able to manipulate small and larger objects.
His parents are happy, thankful that Zhafran can live his own special life alongside his siblings. This involvement of parents and teachers has played an important role in his development, his condition now the polar opposite of that first seen by his teacher on her first visit.
In addition to that, Zhafran’s own spirit and determination to show the world that his disabilities will not hinder him.
“Children with special needs are not sent to special parents; they make the parents special”.
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