Kids taught how to conquer world on wheelchairs
09/12/2012 01:51
Alyn Hospital therapists teach kids suffering from serious conditions how to maneuver on motorized wheelchairs.
Alyn Hospital motorized weelchair Photo: Judy Siegel-Itzkovich
Children as young as six months who suffer from cerebral palsy, spinal muscular
dystrophy and other congenital or acquired conditions are able to maneuver
themselves about on motorized wheelchairs and carts, thanks to occupational and
physical therapists at Jerusalem’s Alyn Hospital.
The amazing mobility of
young, physically disabled children and their resultant ability to see and
participate in the world instead of staring at the ceiling was demonstrated on
Tuesday at professional workshops at the hospital.
The pediatric and
adolescent rehabilitation center, headed by Dr. Maurit Be’eri organized its
first Conference for Pediatric Rehabilitation which began Tuesday at the
hospital and will continue on Wednesday at the capital’s Crown Plaza Hotel. A
total of 500 people are expected to attend.
Alyn deputy director-general
Naomi Geffen, who has 17 years of experience as an occupational therapist, is an
expert at suiting disabled children to devices that increase their independence,
stimulation, empowerment and cognitive, motor and sensory
development.
Geffen and fellow Alyn occupational therapist Vardit Kindler
demonstrated joy sticks, switches, proximity devices that a child doesn’t even
have to touch and others that can be activated by touching with the head or
chin, sticking a finger in a cup or even licking.
As brain development is
so rapid even before a child’s first birthday, getting them mobile is critical,
they said.
Alyn has over a dozen motorized vehicles of different types
and sizes that it purchased with money from the National Insurance Institute and
lends out to families so the children practice with them in a natural setting at
home. Then, when the Health Ministry agrees to consider allocating money to help
them purchase their own motorized wheelchair or cart, the families and
therapists are able to show what the children can do.
Although the
ministry formerly allocated funds only to children aged six years and over, they
have now halved that to three years of age. The Alyn professionals said,
however, that many children are ready and able to benefit at even younger
ages.
There are currently 10 severely disabled children waiting in the
ministry queue for allocations, they said.
A Health Page feature on the
two-day conference will appear on Sunday, September 23.