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 Panorama
Aja Riley
Aja and her mother
Aja's mother has been her carer for nine years
Aja Riley was a normal child and seemed to have no problems until she was two months old.

But she has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and spastic diplegia - a brain disorder that affects her leg movements.

As a result, she has - and always will have - severe learning difficulties that restrict her development capabilities.

This effectively means that she will always have the mental capacity of a baby and she will always be hyperactive.

Dependent

Aja, who has a twin brother also with learning difficulties, is in need of constant surveillance. No matter how old she gets, she will always be dependent on others.

She is one of an estimated 100,000 children in the UK suffering from a severe disability.

Her mother Barbara has been the main carer for the past nine years - Aja's father went back to the US when the twins were two.

To find out more about Cerebral Palsy, click on the link below:

For information about Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia click on the link below:

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Panorama asks why the families of disabled children appear to have been forgotten


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