Category Archives: Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Many disabled children from well-off families at the Coast do not get treatment or special care because of a myth that their condition protects wealth, researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute say. Yet, most of these children suffer from neurological disorders that cause drooling. Drooling by a person with a disability is sometimes related to the perceived wealth of a parent, often the father, they say in a study, which was published in the peer-reviewed open access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science (Plos One) last week. Drooling (dripping of saliva) can be caused by neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome and autism among others, which can be managed. In the past, myths on disability were associated with poor, uneducated people. But researchers said both rich and poor families tend to view many of those disabled children as sources of wealth. Kemris Joseph Gona said they are described as having been placed under or on a seat for demons or ghosts. The child just sits with saliva dripping; he-she is in a terrible condition while the father has a lot of money, said one of the respondents in the research conducted in Kilifi County … Continue reading →

Conrad was 17 months old when Dave, his grandfather, was babysitting him at their home in Temple, Texas. The two had been playing in the pool and went inside for a break. Dave set to unloading dishes in the dishwasher, unaware that Conrad had snuck back outside. As he finished the dishes, Dave looked out the window and noticed something odd. There was what looked like a floating bundle of clothes in the swimming pool. It was his grandson. Fortunately, Conrad responded to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but its unclear how long his lungsand his brainwent without oxygen. Drowning is the second most common cause of accidental death in children to age four. As in Conrads case, CPR is fortunately very successful, with 66 percent of nearly drowned children surviving. But even when resuscitated, the seconds and minutes that the brain is deprived of oxygen come at a great cost. This type of damage is known as anoxic brain injury. Anoxic brain injury is a clinical term that indicates damage to the brain that occurs due to lack of oxygen. There is a spectrum of injury ranging from complete recovery to minor to widespread brain damage. Within this spectrum lies what … Continue reading →

Siskin Childrens Institute announces the addition of Kimberly Arnold, DPT to the Center for Developmental Pediatrics team. Dr. Arnold brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to an already outstanding team of medical professionals serving children with special needs in our community. Dr. Arnold received her doctorate degree in physical therapy in 2005 from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California. She has a special interest in treating children with Cerebral Palsy and other neuromotor disorders and became certified in Pediatric Neuro-Developmental Treatment in 2015. In addition to working in multiple public school settings in northern Georgia with pre-k through school age children and young adults, Dr. I am so excited to join the Siskin Center for Developmental Pediatrics as the physical therapist. I so loved the experience of my son attending the Siskin Early Learning Center when he was younger and being part of the Siskin family. I am honored to join the therapy team and look forward to serving this wonderful community of children and families, says Dr. Arnold. Link: Siskin Children's Institute Hires Kimberly Arnold, DPT - The Chattanoogan … Continue reading →

A childhood friend of the Duchess of Cambridge has died after a three-year battle against a brain tumour in which she suffered the utmost pain, distress and loss of dignity. Isobel Kennerley, who was a member of Kates Brownie pack and went on a pack holiday with Kate and her sister Pippa - lost her battle against the disease in May at the age of 34. Isobel, who had cerebral palsy, met the sisters in 1990, when they joined the 1st St Andrews pack of Brownies. She was in Kates six and joined them on a pack holiday in Easter 1991. The trio slept in camp bunk beds in old RAF buildings, set in 17 acres at Macaroni Wood, in the Cotswolds, where they fed chickens, collected eggs, watched chicks hatch, bottle-fed lambs and kid goats and went for horse-and-cart rides. "I really enjoyed it," Isobel said afterwards. "Everyone was really kind to me. I remember going to Brownie camp at Macaroni Wood and coming back to find an owl at the end of my bed. I dont remember what I did to deserve it but I remember feeling really pleased." After Brownies, Kate and Isobels paths split as the … Continue reading →

Justin Coats and Katherine Malca desperately want to share the story of their happy 5-year-old son, Eli Coats. Eli has a great sense of humor and enjoys things that most boys do, most significantly swimming and his hero, Captain America. Eli was born prematurely at 30 weeks, at age one was misdiagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. He had many respiratory infections due to his prematurity and his health quickly regressed after he became sick with the flu in February 2015. Eli was hospitalized for 2 months due to what the doctors thought it was Flu Encephalopathy. He immensely regressed and their lives changed that day drastically. He required tube feedings, countless medications and intensive therapies for him to relearn all of the skills he lost. He was attending Opportunities, Inc. for school when Katherine received a call that Eli was running a fever and needed to be picked up. Eli was taken to Collom & Carney where he tested positive for Flu and began taking Tamiflu. Those first 3-4 days he was extremely lethargic and unusually out of character.His parents brought him to his Primary Care Physician and Eli was put on IVs for dehydration and was that he needed to … Continue reading →

Finding a job is a normal activity for most adults, because its essential to earn an income and be productive in society. When you have a disability, especially cerebral palsy, finding an employer to hire you isnt easy. Hiding a physical disability is nearly impossible, and a physical difference is the first attribute someone notices. How does someone with a disability find employment? When does a person with a disability tell the potential employer about their disability? Hopefully, this column will help you do your absolute best to try to get that employer to give you an opportunity. Do you have a rsum? To find a job, the first thing youll need is an attractive one-page rsum. Some might ask if you can have two pages, and the answer is yes, but only if you have a really outstanding reason to do so. I advise you not to put your disability anywhere on the rsum. You dont want to give anyone an opportunity to discriminate before even meeting you. I learned this through my own rsum, and I noticed that I get many more responses without any indication of my disability on it. List as many credentials and as much … Continue reading →

Twice in July at least law-abiding Connecticut residents reported to federal immigration officials, as required, only to be slapped with electronic monitoring bracelets and told they had just weeks to buy one-way tickets to their native country and say goodbye to their families. The crimes that led to such harsh treatment of Nury Chavarria, 43, of Norwalk and to Joel Colindrs, 33, of New Fairfield, who separately fled violence in Guatemala, were living in this country illegally. Since Chavarria left in 1993 and Colindrs in 2004, they established careers, created families and contributed to the local economies. They have sought ways to become legal. They are not threats to anyone. But, shamefully, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Hartford have no compunction about breaking up families and, in the case of Chavarria, leaving the children to become wards of the state. What good is accomplished? Advertisement Colindrs married a U.S. citizen, Samantha Colindrs, and has a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter who are citizens. He supports the family with his carpentry skills. Chavarrias four children, aged 21 to 9, are U.S. citizens; the oldest has cerebral palsy. The mother has supported her family as a housekeeper. There likely are … Continue reading →

Reading time ( words) In the U.S., 3.6 out of 1000 school-aged children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP). Their symptoms include abnormal gait patterns which results in joint degeneration over time. Slow walking speed, reduced range of motion of the joints, small step length, large body sway, and absence of a heel strike are other difficulties that children with CP experience. A subset of these children exhibit crouch gait which is characterized by excessive flexion of the hips, knees, or ankles. Today, a team led by Sunil Agrawal, professor of mechanical engineering and of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine at Columbia Engineering, has published a pilot study in Science Robotics that demonstrates a robotic training method that improves posture and walking in children with crouch gait by enhancing their muscle strength and coordination. Crouch gait is caused by a combination of weak extensor muscles that do not produce adequate muscle forces to keep posture upright, coupled with tight flexor muscles that limit the joint range of motion. Among the extensor muscles, the soleus, a muscle that runs from just below the knee to the heel, plays an important role in preventing knee collapse during the middle of the stance phase … Continue reading →

Injured at birth, seven-year-old Antoni van Reenen from Brackenfell has not let the challenges in his life wipe the smile off his young face. Antoni was left with brain damage, cerebral palsy and vocal cord paralysis due to oxygen depletion during birth. His mother, Marili, says their lives have changed and as a family they have learned to appreciate lifes smallest blessings. We struggle to keep our heads above water and give Antoni all the things he needs. He has taught us so much about life, and we as a family have learned to appreciate the little things in life. Marli says that it has not been easy for the family as not many people understand what it is like to have a special needs child, or how tired you are and how much of a struggle it can be. Even after seven years, the stares we get when we go out still hurt so much. But she believes all of that will take a turn for the better after little Antonis imminent stem cell treatment in Mumbai. He and Marili will be flying to India on Thursday 10 August, where Antoni will undergo a seven-day treatment at NeuroGen. The … Continue reading →

Uwe von Schamann knows a lot about pressure. Von Schamann, a place kicker, helped the Oklahoma Sooners to the 1975 National Championship, and as a pro, helped the Miami Dolphins to two Super Bowls. Hes best known for The Kick, a game-winning 41-yard field goal that gave OU a last-second win over Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 1977. During a time out, before the kick, the Buckeye crowd started chanting Block that kick! Block that kick! and von Schamann started directing the crowd with his hands like an orchestra composer. The kick went straight down the middle for the 29-28 Sooner win. Now, 40 years later, hes directing a different team with a different set of pressures. Von Schamann has teamed up with The Childrens Center, a rehabilitation hospital in Bethany, Okla. Von Schamann was the speaker at the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce Open Forum, Monday, July 10, at the Tulsa Tech campus, explaining the history and current functions of the private, non-profit rehabilitation hospital. After his time in the NFL, von Schamann toured a medical facility for individuals with special needs, and he knew he had to get involved. Since then, von Schamann has become an … Continue reading →