August 14, 2007
Getting Ready for School: Special Needs Strollers and Safety
As we get ready for kids going back to school, or sending our kids off to school for the first time, consider safety for a minute. Many parents use a special needs stroller such as the ones made by Convaid and use it on school bus. Please note-it is required by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association you have tie downs, head extension and five point harness system. At the time of purchase, you will need to have the head extension, along with a 5 pt harness system.
Find out more information about “adaptive equipment” and products for children with cerebral palsy.
August 12, 2007
Speech Therapy Toys and Tools
Here is a simple and affordable Speech Therapy Tool Kit. It is a pretty simple, self-explanatory program although you can also use with the guidance of a speech therapist.
This program is particularly good for addressing issues with articulation & breathing.
From the TalkTools website:
A motivational and fun therapy tool that serves as a beneficial adjunct to traditional therapy techniques. Each of the fourteen horns in this Airflow Hierarchy also addresses a specific speech component. The system is designed to normalize oral musculature, correct articulation errors, improve abdominal grading and speech clarity, and also serves as a prerequisite for working on oral-nasal contrasts. Each horn’s position in the Airflow Hierarchy is based on its difficulty and degree of potential benefit. Refer to the “Horns as Therapy Tools” video for detailed information on the proper use and benefits of therapeutic horn blowing. Instructions included (available in English, Spanish, and Italian).
More information about therapy and treatment for cerebral palsy.
July 27, 2007
Makaton Language Development and Sign Language for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Makaton is a popular program used with children with cerebral palsy that are having trouble with communication. The program starts the family off using pictures, symbols and sign language with the aim to have speech take over.
From the Makaton Site:
This might surprise you, as you would perhaps think that signing would prevent speech developing. But research suggests very strongly that this is not the case. In fact the opposite occurs, as signing seems to positively encourage speech development. Many hundreds of thousands of children and adults have been helped significantly in this manner.
Many families of children with cerebral palsy have found the technique extremely useful and a better solution than sole use of communication boards.
Have you had experience with this program? Please share your success (or not!) with us. Just post in the comments section!
Find out more about therapies and treatments for children with cerebral palsy.
Nice Communication Boards for Children with Cerebral Palsy
Using a communication board will help children who are non-verbal or are having difficulty getting their wants and needs across to family, friends and caregivers.
Particularly good are the products from Mayer-Johnson company based in California.
They sell software that allows you to make your own personalized communications boards and communication aids as well as traditional aids.
Visit their site at www.mayer-johnson.com to ask for a catalogue or browse their products online. Some of their products, particularity the software, is expensive. It is a good value but pricey.
You may be eligible for Lifetime Benefits which will pay for item like these contact
one of our 4MyChild Care Specialists now to see if your family is eligible.
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 26, 2007
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 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.
May 28, 2007
Unique Way To Play Music and Communicate for Special Needs Children
Rapid advancement of technology has been opening more and more doors for people and children with disabilities. In this article from Discovery News website we learn of another new type of computerized instrument you play with your nose!
Nose Can Play Music on New Instrument
Tracy Staedter, Discovery News
May 29, 2007 — A computerized instrument that allows people to play music with the tip of their nose could give those who suffer from physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, the chance to experience music’s positive effects.
Not only could the interface allow for musical communication, it could also be adapted for speech, giving physically challenged patients the ability to form full sentences, rather than just providing yes or no responses.
“This instrument will give a voice to those who are all too often ignored, due to their physical disability,” said Zane Van Dusen, a recent graduate of computer science and electronic media arts and communications at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.
Van Dusen developed the interface with Pauline Oliveros, a musician and distinguished professor of the arts at Rensselaer.
May 24, 2007
Special Needs and Cerebral Palsy: Using A Creepster Crawler to Help with Crawling
Many physiotherapists will suggest using an aid to help a young child with cerebral palsy or other conditions that impair head control in learning to crawl. Products like the Creepster Crawler help children without head control, or who can’t roll over or crawl, to develop mobility. A device like this comes with a hefty price tag, over $500.00.
Items like these are much sought after in the second hand market. Many moms will sell their used ones or even donate. If you have any gently used adaptive equipment or are looking for adaptive equipment for you special needs child, such as the Creepster Crawler- please post in our Buy, Sell and Trade Equipment Classifieds
If you have a child with cerebral palsy and you are not sure of you are eligible for Benefits for Life or want to see if you can get your adaptive equipment for free, please contact one of our Care Specialists. They can answer questions and concerns you may have.
Find more help with adaptive equipment for children with cerebral palsy.
