List members,

        Beth is having trouble with her server, so she ask me to post this
to the list.

Bobby


 Boy, it must be frustrating to be a parent of child with any developmental
> delay.  First, you must find out what's going on, then they throw all
these
> new words at you, then you have all these professionals giving you
> conflicting advice.  Then just who are these professinals anyways.  Why
is
> it that therapists where I'm from keep telling me that all occupational
> therapists do is upper body physical therapy while this bossy,
know-it-all
> lady on the list is telling me it's more than that.  And why is it that
all
> the therapists seem to be doing the same thing the developmentalist/
early
> interventionist is doing?  How are we going to find the time, money and
> energy to get through all this?  AARGH!!!
> While I'm still new at the therapy gig, I've been working with people
with
> developmental disabilities and their families for several years now.  I'm
> not an expert at everything but, have what I hope is helpful advice.
I'll
> apologize now for the long posting
> The best programs are run by professionals who may disagree but, agree to
> work with the parents and the child as a team.  They use a fun, playful
> approach that supports everyones goals. We do know that unless the child
> has a medical reason for not standing, the best place to be is standing,
> weight bearing and shifting weight, doing something interesting.  Most
new
> theories of motor movement (that's how you move and learn to move) state
> that you don't have to go through all the crawling stages before you
weight
> bear.  That movement should be dynamic, created by the person, and (you
can
> tell I'm an Occupational therapist here) most of all have meaning to the
> child.  Range of motion exercises and passive stretching are nice but,
> unless it is followed by movement, movement, movement, the muscles soon
> return to their usual pattern.  Weight bearing and being upright are
human
> needs.  Who wants to go around looking at peoples butts all the time.
Most
> children who are placed in standers and walkers that are adapted,
increase
> eye contact, socialization, increase self-care skills, increase bone
> density (remember what doctors tell us about preventing osteoporosis) and
> muscle strength.  Being weight bearing on an extremity helps decrease
> plantar reflexes (in the case of the foot).
> I could go on and on and bore you silly.
> My best advice for the folks in the States is to find your local parent
to
> parent support group.  They can help you tap into local resources
>
>
> Elizabeth Thiers, OTR
> email: [log in to unmask]
> homepage: http://www.bv.net/~john/bethsot1.html
>
> ----------
> > From: Oliver Gernand <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Early Therapy and AFO's
> > Date: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 5:05 PM
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > ever since he was 7 months old we have started Bobath therapy for our
son
> Can,
> > who is challenged by quadroplegic CP. He is now 20 months old. In the
> beginning
> > we had 3 times a week 30 mins of PT, then for 3 months 5 times a week,
> not back
> > to 3 times a week, always 30 minutes sessions. We did participate in
> almost 4
> > weeks of Petö therapy in Budapest Hungary, which was 2 hours every day.
> We are
> > scheudled to go back there in Spetember. In the past 2 weeks, we did 3
to
> 4
> > hours 6 days a week on Bobath PT. On top of all this, Can is going
> "swimming"
> > twice a week plus all the exercises that we do.
> > He is now much more mobile and agile, he is beginning to sit better,
but
> not yet
> > absolutely free, when placed on all four limbs, he will do the stepping
> with his
> > hands and will sometimes also pull the right leg forward, but he is
still
> far
> > from robbing or crawling, not to mention walking.
> > Still, there has been constant progress over the past 13 months. He is
> saying
> > Mama and Papa now and is babbling away a lot (like I am probably doing
> just now
> > :-)). It is slow, but it is constant progress and it is very amazing
for
> us, the
> > parents, to note his great achievements.
> >
> > My advice to all parents out there with babies or young children
dealing
> with CP
> > is to keep the faith in your child and to continue exercising. A LOT !
> Don't
> > listen to doctors OR PTs. Just practice A LOT ! Make it a game all the
> time, it
> > is important that the baby has fun and smiles. Stop when there are
signs
> of
> > annoyance. Then try again. As they get older, you may try to be more
> insistive
> > on the exercises.
> >
> > Our biggest problem is the different advice we get from all over the
> place. The
> > PTs at Great Ormond Street Hospital told us to use a stander, our local
> PT here
> > in Germany told us not to, and not to put Can on his feet either. Petö
> says, you
> > MUST put him on his feet as well, and Dres.Delacato have given us yet
> another
> > set of exercises.
> >
> > Best regadrs, OG
> >
> > Barry Ashby wrote:
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I have a 4 1/2 yr old with athatoid CP.  Where therapy is concerned,
I
> am a
> > > firm believer in the more the better, especially in the first 5
years.
> The
> > > brain is continuing to form neurons and neural pathways.  The more
> therapy,
> > > especially with good follow up at home, the better the chance that
the
> > > brain will form pathways around the injured areas.  My Stephen has
> > > progressed far beyond what anyone thought he would and is sitting,
> > > crawling, and pulling up everywhere (this is a problem since he still
> > > doesn't have much balance or the protective movements used when one
> falls).
> > >  Still we allow as much freedom of movement as possible, despite the
> trip
> > > to the ER for staples after a head laceration.
> > >
> > > AFO's have been helpful in maintaining a continuous stretch on his
> achilles
> > > tendons (I've been told that to be effective the stretch should be
> > > maintained for at least 20 min.).  He has very tight tendon/muscles
in
> all
> > > his joints.  The AFO's also give him support while he is walking or
> > > standing and his feet are areas of the body that he doesn't have to
try
> and
> > > control himself and can concentrate on other body parts while moving
> around.
> > >
> > > We also use soft knee immobilizers at night while he sleeps for his
> > > hamstrings (also very tight).  I was worried that we would stretch
him
> > > during the day then watch him spend 10 hours with his legs pulled up
in
> a
> > > fetal position.  These have helped a great deal also.
> > >
> > > Do you have a stander yet?  You might check with your PT to see if
one
> > > would be appropriate for your child. This also helps with stretching
> but
> > > more importantly it allows the child to put weight on the hips,
joints,
> and
> > > legs to encourage better development.
> > >
> > > These early years are difficult for you...often feeling like a roller
> > > coaster ride. It does get better!  Good luck to you all, it sounds
like
> you
> > > are on the right tract.
> > >
> > > Best Wishes,
> > > Kim


>it is suposed that NEVER a TES seems to be uncomnfortable..it needs to be as
>a local stim to help in movements...Cant you suprim the therapy ?? here when
>a parent does not want something we must inmediatelly suprim it, although we
>think its the best for the child...  ANNIE PT
>-----Original Message-----
>De: Cindy Mallory <[log in to unmask]>
>Para: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Fecha: Jueves 17 de Junio de 1999 09:28
>Asunto: Re: e-stim assisted PT and TES
>
>
>>Trisha,
>>        My son's P.T. just got a little E-stim machine and my son
>complained
>>when she turned the volume up. So I put it on me and it was uncomfortable,
>>like a needle prick of electricity, but I wouldn't be able to tolerate it
>>either. Is the TES similiar to this or is it at such a low volume that
>Amber
>>doesn't feel it?      Cindy
>>