The treatment center for disabled children has been successfully treating children with disabilities for several years. It offers treatment options that are unavailable anywhere else in Nepal. A unique feature is the iron-rich thermal water, which is used to alleviate joint problems.
We owe it to chance that iron-rich water is available here. In 1996, a deep well was also drilled in Simari to supply three schools and the village with clean water. But the water drawn from a depth of 100 meters wasn't as desired. It was cloudy due to a high iron content. The system was equipped with a filter that removed the turbidity. Thus, despite the iron content, clean drinking water was available.
The facility was designed as an inclusive center, taking into account its potential and intended use. The treatment of children and adolescents with disabilities was then integrated here. Children with and without disabilities play and learn together. Children without disabilities drive children with disabilities to school in their wheelchairs. The disabilities we treat can be alleviated, but generally not cured. These include malformations of the limbs or damage to the parts of the brain that control muscle movement. Children with conditions such as cerebral palsy often suffer from additional limitations, such as intellectual disabilities, behavioral disorders, visual or hearing impairments, and spasticity. Our task will be to provide relief to these children through social pediatric, special education, physiotherapy, and psychosocial services, and, if possible, to slow the progression of their conditions.
Children with disabilities are often stigmatized in society; they are hidden away. They live in families who could never afford treatment. Creating this facility, where children with disabilities are integrated, fosters normalcy. Here, we can give the children attention and, in many cases, alleviate their suffering. Hydrotherapy with iron-rich water, among other treatments, is a very effective remedy. The water is piped from a deep well through a 1000-meter-long pipeline and heated on the roof of the children's home using a solar collector. On the ground floor, it fills a stainless steel pool into which children with severe disabilities are lifted using a swivel lift system. They remain in the warm water for approximately 30 minutes. Besides the therapeutic benefits of the water, the children's enjoyment is, of course, guaranteed.
