We moved to Ireland at the beginning of 2019, my disabled son was 2 at the time, he was born with multiple conditions, myleomeningocele spina bifida, chiari malformation and neurogenic bladder and bowels, he also has acquired hydrocephalus and is paralyzed from the knees down.
Before we left we got letters from his neurosurgeon, therapists and pediatrician, our neurosurgeon also contacted Temple Street and organized a check up the day following landing in Dublin.
Our little guy has multiple conditions, myleomeningocele spina bifida, chiari malformation and neurogenic bladder and bowels, he also has acquired hydrocephalus and is paralyzed from the knees down.
2 days after landing we ended up needing to see a doctor after hours so we contacted South Doc, unfortunately due to my son's diagnosis we were sent directly to A&E in Cork which was eye opening with long waits and very full emergency rooms. He was treated very well, we had a few ambulance rides to hospital because local doctors were not comfortable dealing with my sons issues, we then signed up to a local GP and they have gotten to know my son, his conditions and to trust me with what I can do (I think in South Africa we do a lot more ourselves than parents do here), he was eventually linked into services 9 months after arriving, I found therapy very hands off, they aren't as physical as in SA in the government sector, so if you are used to a lot of PT, OT etc then I would suggest having a private consult and possibly working with both to meet the needs of your child. Equipment wise, the waiting list is long, but they do provide you with loan equipment if they have on stock, they give you a lot!
With appointments, do not cancel more than one every 6 months or they threaten to kick you out of services, another thing that is different here is that asking for second opinions isn't common.
Important links:
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
Resources for this topic- Special Needs People related - Links to getting assistance with various special needs and disabilities, adults and children
If you have a story to share please email us a blog at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
