In Bangladesh, most children with cerebral palsy miss early rehabilitation due to staff shortages, high costs and travel challenges. Cerebral Palsy Australia’s SMART CP initiative is delivering care through telehealth and community networks, enabling earlier diagnosis and practical support.

The boy couldn't walk. His limbs curled unnaturally, like dried leaves. But what struck Gulam Khandaker most was not the condition—it was the silence. No one had ever told the mother what cerebral palsy was.

In Bangladesh, half the children with CP receive no treatment. Nothing. By the time help arrives—if it ever does—the brain has long missed the chance to rewire itself. And even for those who get something, the first appointment usually comes at four years old. That’s years too late.

This isn’t about neglect. It’s about access. The numbers are brutal. One physiotherapist for every 106,000 people. In Australia? One for every 750. Distance and money strangle what little hope remains.

But a quiet revolution is happening. Backed by Australia’s Cerebral Palsy Alliance, the SMART CP Model has started rewiring more than just brains—it’s changing systems.

Khandaker and the team at CSF Global have built a network of community informants—teachers, imams, health workers—who identify kids early. Mothers form support groups. And rehab comes via mobile phone.

The change is simple, but profound.

Families no longer travel for hours. Therapy arrives by screen. And for the first time, a device here or a diagnosis there is delivered on time.

It’s a model born of necessity, but its success points to a deeper truth. Innovation doesn’t always mean high-tech labs or billion-dollar budgets. Sometimes it’s a mother learning what her child needs, when it still matters.

And sometimes, a country’s forgotten children begin to be seen.

This model paves the way for future global health improvements. See a Sustainable Model of Early Intervention and Telerehabilitation for Children With Cerebral Palsy in Rural Bangladesh in the JAMA Paediatrics journal for a more detailed information on the SMART CP Model’s impact.

For more information contact Professor Gulam Khandaker at [email protected]