By Therapies 4 Kids
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have significant problems related to sensory processing and sensori-motor deficits, even when their primary diagnosis is not sensory integration dysfunction (SID). Children with SID have difficulty registering or organizing and using the sensory information from their body and from the environment. When this process is disordered, problems in learning, development or behavior may become evident. Frequently, they show motor impairments, including poor muscle contraction around joints, low muscle tone, and decreased balance and equilibrium skills. Children with sensori-motor dysfunction typically have problems in accurately producing a movement or controlling the execution of a movement. Sensory processing, motor planning and motor performance delays are seen in young children with SID and ASD.
Rehabilitation center Therapies 4 Kids inPediaSuit™ therapy has been proposed as an alternative to conventional physiotherapy and is based on a suit originally designed by the Russians for use by cosmonauts in space to minimize the effects of weightlessness. Suit therapy or Dynamic Proprioceptive Correction (DPC), has been popularized as a treatment modality in
PediaSuit™ consists of a vest, shorts, knee pads and specially adapted shoes with hooks and elastic cords that help tell the body how it is supposed to move in space. Therapists use the PediaSuit™ to hold the body in proper physical alignment. During specialized exercises, the therapists adjust the elastic connectors that topographically mirror flexor and extensor muscles, trunk rotators and the lower limbs. Additional attachments correcting the position of the feet, head and other areas of the body have also been designed. A patient, while wearing the suit goes through various exercises including “how to walk.” The suit works as an elastic frame surrounding the body and does not limit the amplitude of movement but adds an additional weight load on it within designed limits.
PediaSuit™ therapy increases proprioceptive awareness and positions the child in a more ideal alignment during various activities. Re-establishing the correct postural alignment plays a crucial role in normalizing muscle tone, sensory and vestibular function. The suit aligns the body as close to normal as possible and the idea is to move body parts against resistance, thus improving muscle strength. An attached series of elastic cords provides compression to the body’s joints and resistance to muscles when movement occurs. Through placement of the elastic cords, selected muscle groups can be exercised as the patient moves limbs, thus, suit therapy is a form of controlled exercise against a resistance. It is also claimed that the suit improves balance and coordination.
Intensive integrated physical therapy programs are customized to fit the needs of each child, with specific functional goals and usually involve a rehabilitation program that includes about 200 minutes of exercise per day for 6 days a week, including 90 to 120 minutes of the suit application. PediaSuit™ therapy is often used as part of a comprehensive program of intensive physiotherapy of five to seven hours a day for four weeks (UCP, 2003). It combines the best elements of various techniques and methods, and has a sound rationale based on physiology of exercises. It is important to note that use of the suit is only one component of an overall approach. Parental involvement is highly encouraged and parents are often part of the treatment program. It needs to be mentioned, however, that a true intensive therapy program is not merely doing the same exercise over and over again, but rather is a structured approach to physical activity with consideration to person’s individual cycles of progressive overload, fatigue and recovery. You can find this type of therapy at www.therapies4kids.com
The key element in an intensive plan is a strengthening and balance program established for the participant based on his/her individual needs, strengths and weaknesses. Increased strength is reflected in daily functional activities that usually follow or are combined with strengthening exercises. Elimination of pathological reflexes and establishing new, correct, and functional patterns of movements is of significant importance. A typical day of an intensive program may consists of warming up and deep tissue massage, tone reduction and sensory integration techniques, decreasing pathological movement patterns, increasing active proper movement patterns, stretching/strengthening specific muscle groups responsible for functional movement, progressive resistance exercise, balance/coordination and endurance training, and transferring of functional activities and gait training. Thus, intensive therapy is ideal for those looking to accelerate their progress in developmental and functional skills.
The Ability Exercise Unit (AEU) is also sometimes used to assist children in functional activities along with strengthening exercises. The AEU is utilized to isolate and strengthen particular muscles or muscle groups to help gain muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, as well as functional skills. Children sometimes refer to the AEU as the “spider cage” because of the cords used. The children are hooked up in the unit with a belt around their waist that is attached to the cage using bungee cords. Just enough assistance is given using the bungee cords to allow the child the security and balance needed to practice activities on their own. The cage also allows the child and therapist to work on activities that would normally take two or three therapists to work on, by acting as extra hands. Children are able to accomplish activities in the spider cage that they are not able to do without the assistance of the bungee cords. Depending on the way the bungee cords are placed, one can practice sitting, crawling, standing, strengthening exercises and many other activities.
Children’s physical development and movement is linked closely to other aspects of their daily learning. It is influenced by their growing confidence and enjoyment of physical play, by their increasing ability to control their own bodies through movement and by their physical well-being and strength. As children develop physically, they become faster, stronger, more mobile and more secure of their balance, and they start to use these skills in a wider range of physical activities and also begin to become more aware of themselves as individuals. This developing sense of identity is linked closely to their own self image, self-esteem and confidence.
For more information please call 954-491-6611 or visit their websites: www.therapies4kids.com and www.pediasuit.com.
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