‘Corner Seats’ to aid kids with cerebral palsy

According to officials from the Department for the Welfare of Differently-Abled Persons, children with cerebral palsy are given early intervention treatment as early as three years. However, during the early intervention, children face difficulty in coping during the practise session. “To overcome the practical difficulties, the government has decided to procure Corner Seat, which will be of immense use for such children,” said an official.

‘Corner Seat’ is a specially designed seat for children with cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone and posture. Such children face difficulty in not just movement but even to sit, and cannot move freely with peers of their age.

To overcome the difficulty, the government has planned to procure Corner Seats in special homes where training is being given for children affected with cerebral palsy. “In the first phase, government has decided to procure 500 Corner Seats at a cost of Rs 15 lakh. The procurement will continue to cover all the children affected by cerebral palsy,” said an official from the department.

These special seats, officials added, would offer good support for their back. They would also be able to relax their legs by stretching. Using this, children affected with cerebral palsy would be able to sit along with regular students. By helping the special children sit in the right position, Corner Seats, when used regularly, would lead to visible results, they added.

Earlier, children with cerebral palsy need to have the assistance of an adult to help them when they are taken out. But with Corner Seats, there is no need for elders as these children would be able to sit in a classroom comfortably. Apart from comfort, the Corner Seats can also be easily transported, asthey are lightweight, and can be taken to all the places where special children travel, the officials further said.