Health Notes, January 31st 2010, by Sarah Stacey

A wonderful school for students with disabilities

Alex, 17, was born prematurely at 30 weeks.  ‘He was unlucky, he had a bleed to the brain and we knew from early on that he would have cerebral palsy. We just didn’t know how severe it would be,’ explains his mother Kathleen. It turned out that Alex has quadriplegia in all four limbs so he will never be able to stand or walk on his own, and he has learning difficulties.   

That may paint a sad picture but when I meet Alex at Treloar College in Hampshire, a centre of excellence for students with complex physical disabilities, the reality is very different.  His mother Kathleen and I are chatting in the big hall at the College when Alex whizzes in in his electric wheelchair– excitedly calling out to his mother, his face one huge, happy beam. ‘His life has changed in so many ways since he came to Treloar School at ten [it’s for nine to 16 years old], and then on to the College [for older students].  Both have the most amazing teams who give the students truly holistic care and education.  One of the biggest things for Alex is having mobility – it’s given him a whole new world,’ Kathleen tells me. ‘Before he came to Treloar’s he couldn’t drive himself in his chair.  The engineers here adapt chairs especially to each student; some can only use head movements.  Alex presses “jelly bean” buttons to control his chair because a joystick was too complicated.’  

‘Mobility has given Alex independence – he takes himself to classes, goes shopping, and to watch his football team – Fulham - at their home matches.’  Alex chips in here, disgruntled that his team lost their latest match against Birmingham City.  ‘And he‘s now quite confident about asking for help,’ says Kathleen.  ‘For instance, he goes to the park with his granny, who’s 81 and can’t push him up the subway,  so he‘ll say to passers-by, “’scuse me – could you help my granny push me up?”.’   

Kathleen credits her son’s ‘lovely life’ to this ‘marvellous place’ and after spending a day there I was bowled over.  The students’ disabilities are profound (including muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, ataxia as well as cerebral palsy) but the staff’s determination to help develop their highest potential is seemingly limitless.  As one student said: ‘Treloar’s has enabled me to be “me”.’  That embraces everything from education, speech and language, mobility and sport (expect to see Treloar’s students at the Paralympics) to cooking, art, music – and a good social life.  ‘Alex was at a good special school in Kingston but he’d be dropped off at home at 4 and he had no friends; now he has a friendship group in his house, plus the friends he makes at all his after school activities.’   

No problem is too small: amid the sophisticated equipment in the Assistive Technology department, engineers Richard Rivers and Graham Wallis (who used to work on Polaris missiles) showed me a chunky wooden block with a rounded top - a hand rest they’d made so that one of the girls could paint her nails… 

Treloar’s has extended its services with the Trailblazer, a 40ft hightech trailer unit that goes to other mainstream schools and colleges, providing the same services and also multidisciplinary assessments for young people in mainstream education.  Currently, Treloar’s Direct, as the service is called, covers London and the South East, with plans to go nationwide later. 

But the cost of such excellence is high.  Treloar’s relies on substantial voluntary funding for life-transforming items such as customised wheelchairs and hightech communication aids, and music therapy, proven to help neurological conditions. As Kathleen says: ‘it’s hard and tough work looking after young disabled people but Treloar’s do care for each one and each bit of their life.  That’s what makes it such a success.  I come away from seeing Alex and I feel really happy because he is.’   

For information (and donations), tel: 01420 526526, www.treloar.org.uk   
 

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Vitamin D deficiency

Experts now believe that many of us, all ages, unknowingly suffer from vitamin D deficiency, leading to problems including low back pain, muscle weakness, fragile bones and low mood, as well as life-threatening diseases. I take Vitamin D3 1000 IU by Life Extension, £16.95 for 250 capsules, from Victoria Health, see below..  Get out in the sunshine whenever possible and eat eggs and oily fish too. More information on healthresearchforum.org.uk   Do consult your doctor if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication. 

Website of the week: www.womensaid.org.uk

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