We are privileged to live in first-world countries. Although there are still cases of those with disabilities who experience discrimination, we are at least lucky enough to have access to cutting-edge medical treatments that can improve disabilities for many. Unfortunately, the same is not true in some Third World countries, and this week we are looking at the problems surrounding clubfoot in Senegal. As an NDIS registered care provider on the Gold Coast, it is always pleasing to see the progress to help others recover their quality of life.
What is clubfoot?
Clubfoot is a genetic deformity that is present from birth. Medically it is called talipes, and a person is born with the ankle at the wrong angle turning their feet inwards, making walking difficult, if not impossible. Africa is holding a conference about clubfoot for the first time in history, and it’s estimated that about 200,000 people are born each year with the condition. In the western world, treatment is started very early after birth, and the results can fully correct the problem leaving the child with no impairments. However, this is not the case in Senegal; children as old as 14 are still struggling with their condition. MiracleFeet is a charity that works with sufferers of the condition, and there are 10 million people known to have been born with it, and up to 8,000,000 of them have never received any treatment to correct it. Ponseti is a recognised method of fixing the problem and, as you might have guessed, is named after the doctor who came up with the procedure. It is already prevalent across Uganda and Malawi, but Senegal is just discovering this life-changing treatment.
How is it being corrected?
It was previously thought that children as old as 14 or too old to benefit from this method are now seeing good results that it does work. A plaster cast is applied to the foot and leg that gradually holds the foot in a better position each time. Recently a 14-year-old in Senegal had 20 or so cast changes over about 20 weeks because his clubfoot was so severe. Towards the end of the treatment, some patients will require a minor operation to slightly release the position of the Achilles tendon, but it is so simple it works. The other benefit is the technique can be used by those with minimal medical training making it cheap to roll out. And the best results are seen in children under two, but older people can also benefit. Once the ankle and foot are optimal, physiotherapy takes over, the leg is strengthened, and the correct walking gait is taught. While the older children are very grateful to be part of the program, the most important thing is getting the message to people that this is an easily correctable birth deformity if treatment is started quickly. Parents in Senegal and other Third World countries have tended to hide children with clubfoot because they see it as a stigma.