Paralyzed boy slightly improved, say doctors<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Heryanto, an elementary school student who was paralyzed during a
\nsuicide attempt two months ago, started learning to talk again on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Guided by his parents, the 13-year-old student was seen trying
\nto say his name and the names of his visitors at
\nthe Hasan Sadikin Hospital in the West Java capital of Bandung.<\/p>\n
However, it was clearly difficult for him to even say a single
\nname. He is also still unable to count to more than five.<\/p>\n
Besides being taught how to talk again, Heryanto was also
\nlearning to walk. His father, Suryana, and mother, Karni,
\ndemonstrated to the visiting journalists and guests how Heryanto
\nwas being taught to walk at the Perinatal Intensive Care Unit at
\nthe hospital.<\/p>\n
Suganda Tanuwidjaja, one of his doctors, acknowledged that
\nHeryanto's overall condition was improving.<\/p>\n
Despite the improvements, he said that a team of doctors at
\nthe hospital would have to continue attempting to stimulate the
\nnerve endings in Heryanto's brain, or otherwise Heryanto would
\nsuffer permanent brain damage within six months.<\/p>\n
He suggested that Heryanto would need to stay in the hospital
\nfor some time to come.<\/p>\n
Heryanto, a student at the Muara Sanding elementary school in
\nthe West Java town of Garut, attempted suicide on Aug. 22 by
\nhanging himself with a cable.<\/p>\n
He was reportedly upset because one of his teachers had asked
\nhim to contribute Rp 2,500 (30 US cents) for the purchase of
\nschool equipment, but his parents could not afford the money.
\nAccording to the doctor, he had suffered Edema cerebrikini
\nresulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain.<\/p>\n
This often leads to brain damage, paralysis and other
\ndisabilities, even if the patient comes out of the coma.<\/p>\n
Heryanto's case has caught the attention of senior government
\nofficials and artists, including West Java Governor Danny
\nSetiawan, Yogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono X and singer Sophia
\nLatjuba. They have visited Heryanto on separate occasions.<\/p>\n
Sophia visited him last week, and presented him with various
\ngifts, including a guitar donated by guitarist Piu from the
\npopular band Padi.<\/p>\n
During her visit, Sophia was flanked by her daughter Eva, and
\nDwi Ria Latifa, a legislator from the country's largest party,
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/paralyzed-boy-slightly-improved-say-doctors-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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