Sinn Fein TD’S fury at ‘cruel’ treatment of scoliosis girl
IT is “cruel” a 10-year-old child is no longer able to sit in her wheelchair due to the deterioration of her scoliosis, a Sinn Fein TD said yesterday.
David Cullinane was speaking after the Irish Mirror highlighted the case of Kylie Ann Stewart.
The Donegal schoolgirl is one of 327 children across the country in need of surgery for scoliosis, a disease which causes a curvature of the spine.
She was aged five when doctors said she needed surgery within a year and the curvature is now putting pressure on her lungs.
Kylie’s mum Catherine told the Irish Mirror that her daughter’s spine is so curved that she cannot sit in the wheelchair because of the friction it causes against her back. She lies on the floor to help her pain.
CURVATURE
Sinn Fein’s health spokesman Mr Cullinane said: “The longer they go, the curvature of their spine increases.
“Kylie Ann’s was at 88 or 90 degrees last year. It is now at 130. If it gets to 150, it is inoperable. It is cruel.”
Sinn Fein brought a motion to the Dail two weeks ago calling for better services for paediatric scoliosis, spina bifida and urology patients.
Mr Cullinane added there are “no simple solutions” as he acknowledged the absence of one surgeon is affecting services.
Consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon Connor Green is on leave from Temple Street as an investigation is conducted.
However, Mr Cullinane said promises by the Government, including that waiting lists would be cut to four months have not been kept.
He also criticised current Health Minister Stephen Donnelly for not launching an audit sooner to establish whether €19million allocated to Children’s Health Ireland in 2022 is being used to reduce scoliosis waiting lists.