Special class in the heart of the hospital gives hope to disabled children

(Dan Tri) - In the middle of the 1A Hospital campus, there is a small classroom where children with cerebral palsy practice speaking, walking, smiling and learning to grow up in their own way every day.

In the early afternoon, sunlight streams through the window into a small, special classroom hidden in the grounds of Hospital 1A (HCMC). This is a classroom specifically for children with cerebral palsy belonging to the Day Treatment Unit, which receives more than 10 children for boarding every day. The class begins accepting students at 7:30 a.m., and at around 4 p.m., the children are picked up by their relatives.

More than a decade of riding a tricycle to take my children to school

Among the scattered parents picking up their children, Ms. Hoai (43 years old, An Lac ward) was there early to pick up her daughter Ngoc (15 years old) from school. For over 12 years, this mother has been persistent in driving more than 20km every day to pick up her daughter from school.

“Every day, at 7am sharp, I take my child to school and at 3pm I pick him up on a special tricycle. Today, the clouds look like it’s about to rain, so I have to finish my work and pick him up early,” Ms. Hoai smiled.

Ngoc is the first daughter of Hoai and her husband. 15 years ago, she was pregnant with twins. The joy did not last long, the couple received bad news: one of the two daughters was stillborn at the 28th week.

After 30 weeks, she gave birth prematurely. Ngoc was born weak and had to stay in an incubator for more than a month. At over 2 years old, her body was still stiff and she could not roll over even though she had been receiving physical therapy since she was 6 months old. At that time, Hoai and her husband decided to have another sibling for Ngoc, and she began to be taken to this special class.

At first, the baby cried all day long, demanding to go home, crying nonstop. Feeling sorry for the baby, and afraid of bothering the teacher and other parents, Ms. Hoai decided to give up after a month. But from then on, Ngoc gradually became more obedient, and the family was also at ease sending the baby to continue going to school.

Over the past 12 years, Ngoc has gradually improved in communication and cognition. From a baby who could only stiffen her body, Ngoc gradually learned to roll over, crawl, and then “talk” to people through gestures.

“Now, my child can distinguish letters, find his parents’ names in the phone book and make video calls even though he can’t speak. Witnessing each step of his development, no matter how small, makes me feel much more motivated,” the mother shared.

For Ms. Hoai, the class has a deep humanitarian spirit, not only helping children practice free physical therapy through health insurance, but also creating a space for them to communicate, integrate outside the family, and improve their quality of life. Parents therefore also have time to do housework or go to work to earn extra income.

The class is also a place to connect parents, where they can confide in other parents in similar situations, to share and receive support, especially for families with difficulties, single parents or those living alone.

“Previously, the class had 20-30 children, but after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of students decreased a lot, maybe due to economic difficulties or geographical distance. Anyway, I really hope the class will be maintained to continue supporting the children and their families,” she shared.

At the same time, another parent, Mr. Pham Nghia (67 years old) entered the classroom to pick up his granddaughter, Su (8 years old). In the classroom, his granddaughter was smiling. Although she could not speak, she waved her hands to call him, her eyes sparkling. The grandfather approached his little granddaughter, smiling gently, the wrinkles on his face seemed to relax.

Su was born with cerebral palsy. When she was over 1 year old, her father left, and her mother took her to live with her grandparents. For the first 4 years of her life, X. grew up in the arms of her grandparents, while her mother went to work to earn extra income. Her family sought treatment everywhere, from traditional healers to doctors, but to no avail.

Four years ago, after being introduced, her grandparents decided to send Su to this class. Since then, she has gradually changed significantly: she can speak, interact and smile more and more.

“Now my child is doing occupational therapy, being guided by teachers, interacting with friends, so he can interact. He can’t speak, but he understands a lot,” Mr. Nghia shared, his voice full of pride.

Every day, his grandparents take turns taking Su from their home in Dong Hung Thuan ward to class at 7:00 a.m. and picking her up at 2:30 p.m., using a tricycle with a support belt.

“For ten years now, I have not gone to work, rain or shine, every day I just worry about taking my grandchild to school. Here, the teachers take good care of him, and have specialized teaching methods, my grandchild has made some progress, his grandmother and I are happy, we just hope to be healthy enough to take him to school again,” said Mr. Nghia.

Teachers in special classes

Having been with the class for 26 years, Ms. Tuyet Mai has never forgotten the students who have been with her. From a kindergarten teacher, she went through many jobs due to difficult circumstances before finding the meaning of her life here. Ms. Mai got married late and has no children, so she sees the children as a source of motivation and daily happiness.

“Taking care of a normal child is hard, taking care of a child with cerebral palsy is even harder, especially those who have difficulty swallowing or stiff limbs,” she recalled, choking up.

When she first arrived, Ms. Mai faced a lot of pressure. Some children were naughty, disobedient, and sometimes dangerous to those around them. Children with cerebral palsy and disabilities often could not express their feelings, so the teachers here had to be extra patient to understand and help them solve their problems.

Every day, Ms. Mai arrives at school early, along with specialists and volunteers, to teach the children basic self-care skills and rehabilitation exercises according to each child's ability.

Ms. Mai has lost count of the faces she has cared for over the past 26 years. Many of them can even take care of themselves, attend vocational schools for the disabled, and earn an income from simple jobs. That is also the motivation that has kept her attached to the class for such a long time.

According to Master Le Thi Thanh Xuan, Head of the Day Treatment Unit, Hospital 1A, the class for children with motor disabilities and cerebral palsy is one of the hospital's humane policies, supporting children from 3 years old and up with motor disabilities or both motor and cognitive disabilities.

Here, children receive free physical therapy and occupational therapy through health insurance, play with volunteers, and learn self-care skills such as writing, reading, or communicating over the phone.

“Teachers here need at least a college degree in nursing (for nannies) or a college degree (for majors like special education, speech therapy, psychology).

The most important thing is the heart, love, creativity and ability to understand the characteristics of children. Teachers need to accept children's shortcomings, teach according to each child's ability, thereby helping children progress towards approaching social norms, instead of forcing children to become normal people," Master Thanh Xuan emphasized.

The small classroom at Hospital 1A is not only a place where disabled children find light, but also a support for their families. Ms. Xuan hopes for a future where children are better supported, parents have less burden and more people join this journey.

For her and her colleagues here, each smile of the children is a fire that warms the heart. Each step of the children, no matter how small, is still a light in her heart. That classroom is a warm shore, where love and patience open the door of hope, guiding the way for special souls.

(Character names have been changed)

Photo: Dieu Linh

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/lop-hoc-dac-biet-giua-long-benh-vien-gioo-hy-vong-cho-tre-em-khiem-khuet-20251022133519452.htm