Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - The Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital in Rome opens “All for One” multidisciplinary centre which offers families an opportunity to give comprehensive treatment to infants and children suffering from a mental or physical disability.
The centre is the first of its kind in Italy where until now people with a disability, especially minors were faced with a dispersion of offers of specialist care which exposed them to serious health risk and long waiting lists.
Italy, according to ISTAT, has over 2,615,000 seriously disabled people over 6 and if people with less serious disabilities are counted the number of sufferers is 13% of the population. According to the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research Italy has 160,000 minors with a disability. But the actual figure is certainly higher since many parents fail to register a disabled child. In fact disability is regarded as a "stigma". Furthermore there are no figures with regard to the phenomenon among children under 6.
The multidisciplinary centre for patients with a disability at Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital offers in one session an overall evaluation of the needs of the infant or child and a plan for the necessary assistance, surgery, therapy. In this way with one surgical session it is possible to solve health problems which, without the multidisciplinary approach would involve various sessions, operations and total anaesthetic.
In fact the multidisciplinary team doctor who takes charge of the individual patients will be act as a ‘clinical tutor’ and follow the patient’s progress in hospital even after the patient is discharged. The ‘clinical tutor’ will also serve as point of reference local doctors at home who will be able to interact with an assistance which meets all the clinical needs of the little patient after when he or she leaves the hospital.
Arriving at the hospital the family and the child will be welcomed by a paediatrician, a psychologist and a neuro-rehabilitation expert who together will trace a first clinical profile and make the first analytical examination with all the doctors of the multidisciplinary centre team. (AP) (31/3/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:391; Parole:33)
