Alternative Therapy for Babies with Cerebral Palsy & Other Gross Motor Disorders
Physical Therapy is often prescribed for infants and children who have gross motor disorders, including Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Down Syndrome, or other neuromuscular disorders. The “Intensive Physical Therapy” model, which was originally inspired by Eastern European methods pioneered in the 1970’s, has been emerging in North America as an effective alternative to creating new functional skills in children who have non-progressive neuromuscular disorders. “Intensive Therapy” is defined by long bouts of therapy sessions lasting up to 4 hours per day (20 hours of therapy per week), five days per week for up to 4-week session. Euro-Peds® National Center for Intensive Pediatric PT out of Doctors’ Hospital of Michigan in Pontiac, Michigan, was the first clinic to introduce Intensive Pediatric Physical Therapy to North America. Since opening in 1999, Euro-Peds® has treated over 900 children from virtually every U.S. state, Canada, Portugal and Jamaica.
Intensive Therapy is most effective when used in conjunction with traditional physical therapy. Some of the alternative European-inspired intensive therapy tools include the Euro-Peds® Therapy Suit (patented in 2009) and the Universal Exercise Unit (UEU).
What is "Suit Therapy"?
A “therapy suit” is a European-inspired tool sometimes worn during intensive physical therapy. The medical device is used for aligning the child’s body, enhancing proprioceptive input, and accelerating the strengthening process. The patented Euro-Pēds® Therapy Suit is made of cloth and a series of changeable bungee-like cords that provide constant resistance and can be adjusted for desired alignment and intensity. Suit Therapy is sometimes, but not always, part of an Intensive Physical Therapy program and is not appropriate for all children (refer to contraindications of Suit Therapy).
What is the "Universal Excercise Unit"?
The Universal Exercise Unit (UEU) is used to assist children in functional activities along with strengthening exercises within long intensive therapy sessions. The children are hooked up in the UEU with a belt around their waist that is attached to sides of the UEU 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 UEU also allows the child and therapist to work on activities that would normally take 2-3 therapists to work on, by acting as extra hands. Children are able to accomplish activities in the UEU that they are not able to do without the assistance of the bungee cords. Depending on the way the bungee cords are placed you can practice sitting, crawling, standing, strengthening exercises and many other activities.
For more information or an application, go to www.europeds.org or call 1-248-857-6776.
