June 30, 2007
Orthotic Boots for Children With Cerebral Palsy: The Next Step in Pediatric Rehabilitative Boots
For Immediate Release
The Next Step in Pediatric Rehabilitative Boots
ASQ grant helps Miami University students develop
breakthrough design to benefit children with cerebral palsy
MILWAUKEE, July 18, 2005 A grant from the
American Society for Quality (ASQ) Biomedical
Division awarded to Miami University of Ohio has
led to the design of a new and improved active
orthotic boot for children afflicted with
cerebral palsy (CP). The prototype, designed to
assist patients in their rehabilitation process,
was unveiled at ASQ’s World Conference in May
2005 by the team of students from the
university’s manufacturing and mechanical engineering department.
“Children who have spastic diplegia CP often will
walk on their toes,” said Michael Bailey-Van
Kuren, Ph.D., assistant professor at Miami
University. “Many methods of rehabilitation, with
existing problems, are applied to curb this form
of cerebral palsy. With new materials and
controls technology, new design, and new system
components, we hope our orthotic boot leads to
improved rehabilitative therapy.”
Recognizing a need for improvement in
rehabilitative orthotic boots, and working with
healthcare professionals, Bailey-Van Kuren led a
team of three students to develop a prototype
that seeks to advance the rehabilitation of
children with CP. Spastic diplegia, a commonly
occurring form of CP, often requires surgery in
later years to lengthen calf muscles.
Current orthotic boots provide stability without
actuation. The new device incorporates actuators
and a microcontroller that will monitor patient
feedback through foot angle and pressure exerted
against the boot. As each step is taken, the
microcontroller will analyze pressure and input
signals while providing output voltage to the
system actuators. The magnitude and duration of
the system output can be tuned and customized for
each patient according to the recommendations of
a professional pediatric physical therapist.
The new active orthotic boot hopes to alleviate
several problems that exist in the rehabilitation
process of children with spastic diplegia CP. One
is the inability of therapists to effectively
enforce daily stretching routines for patients.
Second, dynamic ankle foot orthotic (DAFO) braces
hold the patient’s foot in a stretched position
that prevents the ability to walk normally.
Third, the current design and serial casting
cause (s) itching, loss in muscle strength and
discomfort to the user. Also, in order to achieve
the ultimate goal of normal patient walking, the
boot must be equipped to measure results and track progress.
A system of components with enhanced designs has
been created for the current orthotic boot to
overcome existing problems. The system actuators
have the ability to move and stretch leg muscles
as part of a daily physical therapy routine.
Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) has been implemented to
provide the structure and motion needed for
therapy and the flexibility for added comfort.
System sensors, placed at the ball of the foot,
will differentiate when the patient is sitting
versus standing and monitor the interaction
between the user and boot. The electrical system
and configuration will help rehabilitate the
patient by constantly monitoring and adjusting to
the therapist input incorporated in the microcontroller program.
As the prototype and new active orthotic boot
take the next step – refinement of the original
concept – and ultimately completion, Bailey-Van
Kuren is proud of the work completed by his team
of students. “The new device could improve home
therapy for children with cerebral palsy and be
applied to other rehabilitative devices,” added Bailey-Van Kuren.
To highlight the potential of quality to benefit
humanity, ASQ provides grants and knowledge
transfer to improve our communities and life.
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ASQ is the
world’s leading authority on quality. With more
than 100,000 individual and organizational
members, ASQ offers technologies, concepts,
tools, and training to quality professionals,
quality practitioners, and everyday consumers,
encouraging all to Make Good Great®.
For more information, visit http://www.asq.org. Find out more about cerebral palsy treatments and therapies at 4MyChild.
June 28, 2007
Free Oral Motor Therapy Exercise Sites Online
Here are some sites that offer free exercises for oral motor therapy. Do you know of an oral motor therapy site? Please share with us! Just post in the comments section.
Are you unable to pay for speech therapist? We may may be able to help. Call 1-800-4MyChild to find out if your child is eligible for free speech therapy.
You can also chat online with one of our Care Specialists now.
A PDF file that has some good exercises: http://www.clarian.org/pdf/neuro_oral_motor_exercises.pdf
Designs for kids with cleft palate, but they work equally well for anyone : http://www.widesmiles.org/cleftlinks/WS-563.html
Excellent oral motor exercises, games, etc : http://www.speakingofspeech.com/generic.html?pid=1
http://www.altonweb.com/cs/downsyndrome/index.htm?page=fiocca.html
Good info here: http://www.speech-therapy-on-video.com/oralmotorexercises.html
Another PDF muscle based oral motor therapy : http://www.mshausa.org/2007/Purdy.pdf
More Information about exercise for children with cerebral palsy.
June 26, 2007
Financial Help for Summer Camps from Your Local ELKS
Your local ELKS society can often help with coming up with extra money for Respite Camps and Therapy camps for your special needs child.
Many non-profit organizations are struggling with finances, and where they could have provided full scholarships in the past, now most are having to charge a fee to attend horseback riding camps, etc.
You can go to ELKS website to find your nearest local chapter.
Here is more information on state and other assistance for children with cerebral palsy.
Oral Motor Therapy Toys
Achievement Products offers innovative oral motor therapy items including chewy tubes, grabbers, Z vibes, Nuk toothbrushes, oral probes, bubbles, vibrating teethers and blow games.
June 24, 2007
Good Article on Success of Therasuit
The Therasuit is gaining more and more popularity as a treatment for cerebral palsy. The article below chronicles one child’s progress using the suit.
Hope springs eternal for
cerebral palsy patientsBy Johanna M. Sampan
Patients using the TheraSuit have shown a
94-percent improvement
in fine and gross motor skills, while speech
productivity and fluency is noted in 64 percent.My eldest brother, JS, is a teacher for special children. Day after day he shares the classroom with them and treat them like any other ordinary kid in school. But of course, he treats them with more patience and understanding. He always tells me that teaching the kids bring him mixed emotions of joy, fulfillment and sometimes helplessness because he can’t be there for all of them at the same time as a teacher. He also shares that he has so much love and respect for the parents of these special children who continue to show selflessness and unconditional love and affection.
Read the entire article. Find more information about the Therasuit for Cerebral Palsy.
June 22, 2007
Easy Off the Shelf ” Adaptive Equipment “
Have you found a product that you can use with little or no adjustments for your special needs child? Please share with us!
Here are some ideas for some “Adaptive Equipment” .
Use glue stick instead of liquid glue
Keep two sets of school books- one at home and one at school so they don’t have to lug back and forth.
Use a mechanical pencil ( one that clicks like a pen) - its easy to use and writing will be neater.
Travel mugs as cups -easy to to carry around
Large numbered watches with “expandable” wrist band.
Remove buttons from clothing and use velcro.
Adaptive equipment information for children with cerebral palsy.
June 18, 2007
Donate Your Child’s Used AFO’s
Not Sure what to do with your child’s AFO’s when she has outgrown them?
Why not donate them?
You can sell /trade or give away your AFF’s on our Cerebral Palsy Support Forum
Other places to donate used AFO’s- Give them to the place where you got them from. Your hospital or care centre will usually have some sort of program in place to help distribute used adaptive equipment to families that need them.
You could also donate to local special needs or special education school.
Wonderful Video Of Team Hoyt
Beautiful ad MUST SEE video about Team Hoyt- the father/son ( who has cerebral palsy) team that have been in almost a hundred marathons together.
From Team Hoyt website : ” Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America. ”
More inspirational cerebral palsy stories.
June 12, 2007
Swimming Aids and Pool Floats for Kids with Cerebral Palsy
All kids love swimming, and kids with cerebral palsy are no exception! However the swimming aids available for kids are usually made for babies and toddlers.
One idea- using a PFD (life jacket) in combination with ankle weights ( about 2.0 lbs depending on child). The weights will help them control their kicking.
Try also the PFD with a swim ring or water wings.
You can also find TONS of products for kids with cerebral palsy to use for swimming (though pricey!) at Abilations under the category “aqua splash.”
Here is more information about aquatherapy (water therapy) for children with cerebral palsy.
June 10, 2007
Let’s play Buddy Ball! Buddy Ball Special Needs Althletic Leagues
I am looking to amass a National List of Buddy Ball Leagues Available.
Do you belong to a Buddy Ball league or know of one that is NOT on our list? Please let us know! Post in comments section so we can add to tthe list!
What is Buddy Ball Special Needs Athletic League?
Buddy Ball provides individuals with a mental or physical disability the opportunity to sports, regardless of their limitations. Buddy Ball helps individuals learn teamwork and promotes self-esteem, one of the tools needed to help overcome the stigma often associated with a disability. The Buddy Ball league is aware of the extra expenses on the families of disabled children.
Buddy Ball does not charge any fees to participate.
Buddy Ball League List
North Carolina:
WIlson County
Mickey Davis, athletic director for the Wilson County Youth Athletic Association, at 239-0652 or 230-2467.
Virginia:
Bambino Buddy Ball League
http://herndonbaseball.com/buddyball.html
Jay MCann janajama@att.net
