By Melissa Jackson BBC News Online health staff

Parents are taught about the treatments too

A team of physiotherapists are working with the young patients to give them greater mobility and a better quality of life. Since it opened in January, hundreds of children have registered with the programme and come for regular treatment.

The centre, housed in the Indira Ghandi Children's Hospital, was set up by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and is funded by the Italian Red Cross.

The four-strong team is headed up by Icelandic physiotherapist Steina Olafsdottir, who also uses the facility to train local physiotherapists to treat the children's disabilities.

Eight people are currently being taught the special skills needed to treat children with cerebral palsy.

Steina's year-long post was to launch and oversee the project, and when she returns home in October, she will hand over the reins to the local team who will carry on this exceptional work.

It is very important for the families to learn what they can do for their children Steina Olafsdottir, physiotherapist

It is a busy centre, with about 100 children passing through its doors every week.

They travel long distances from all over the expansive country to attend the centre, some attending once or twice a week, others less frequently, but all as out patients.

Steina is totally dedicated to her job, which is not just about treating the children, but teaching their family to continue their treatment at home.

She said: "The main thing is that if they are to gain from the treatment, it has to be continued at home.

"We give them some basic things to do, like stretching their muscles and functional things like how to sit or stand up and reach out and grasp things.

"It is very important for the families to learn what they can do for their children.

"They spend most of their time at home, and it is important therefore for their parents to do something constructive with them every day."

Birth difficulties

Cerebral palsy is a motor disorder caused by brain damage resulting from prolonged or difficult labour, diabetes in the mother, a brain haemorrhage, or lack of oxygen during birth.

Very little is known about its causes in Afghanistan, but Steina has her own theories.

She said: "There is a lot of inter-marriage, with cousins marrying cousins.

"And also, on the medical side, many women live in rural areas and give birth at home because they often live two days journey away from the nearest hospital and can't get there in time.

I'm beginning to see some results here and hoping to see some more Steina Olafsdottir, physiotherapist

"It could be that if there are problems with the delivery, their baby could be starved of oxygen."

They have few resources, but physiotherapists' main tools are their hands.

Steina said: "We have a therapy ball and some pillows, some walkers, special chairs and splints.

The centre is the first of its kind in Afghanistan and fills a huge void in health care provision in a country, torn apart by wars where resources are scarce.

Director of the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital Dr Rohullah Rasekh, said: "It fills an important gap in services and supplements the other types of health care at our hospital."

Job satisfaction

Sometimes improvement comes quickly for the children, and you changes can be seen within a couple of months, but more severe cases take longer.

With every sign of improvement comes enormous job satisfaction.

Steina said: "I have always loved working with children.

"It is a rewarding thing to do. I'm beginning to see some results here and hoping to see some more.

Steina loves working with children

"No matter how small the improvement is, as long as something has happened and you're part of it, it's a very good thing."

She hopes that some of these children will improve enough to find a job and avoid a life of begging, which is so often the destiny of the sick and disabled in Afghanistan.

Steina said: "Some of them will be able to work if they get some education, but the majority of them will never work and so will always be a burden on their family."

She does not seek any praise or reward, but often the families of children she treats bring her gifts.

She said: "Some families have left us some nuts, they bring a big sack of almonds as a 'thank you'."

One more unusual gift from a grateful mother was a lipstick.

They are small tributes of gratitude that speak volumes.