Hyperbaric Oxygen & Conductive Ed
Hyperbarics’ have been used for treatment of injured divers for over 100 years. At normal pressure you absorb about as much oxygen as you can – 25%. Even fed pure oxygen at this pressure you could not absorb more oxygen that you would get from normal air. If pressure is increased to twice the pressure the difference would be what you would get on an airplane as you absorb far more oxygen. Extra oxygen is said to increase the level of activity around the brain injury.
Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy does not demand a lot of effort. Gains made are less likely to become permanent if not accompanied by effort to make use of the improvements gained. Conductive Education therapy is the ideal way to cement those gains and make them permanent. It teaches children how and what to do, to overcome problems of movement. It has demonstrated proven incremental gains focusing on gross motor skills, independent feeding skills, teeth brushing, potty training, speech and social skills.
The effectiveness of the joint therapies is Conductive Education creates alternate pathways in the brain and Hyperbaric Oxygen stimulates those areas. This makes it easier to create new pathways. Results can be good from either form of treatment but far more effective working collectively.
There have been reported gains by children who have participated in this program. Increased accomplishments demonstrated through independent feeding a teeth brushing and potty training. Sitting independently for long periods of time unsupported and increased strength to balance and coordination. Increased strength to mobilize and push off and pull up into a sitting position.
Thera Suit Treatment
The Thera Suit originated in Russia to counteract the negative effects (muscle atrophies, osteoporosis) that astronauts experience (lack of gravity) during their flights in space. In the 1990’s the suit was used on children with neuromuscular disorders and in 2002 it was designed, patented and registered with the FDA.
The Universal Exercise Unit (UEU) is one of the greatest contributions of European rehabilitation developed 60 years ago and designed to strengthen weakened muscles.
The Thera Suit method and the intensive exercise program combined accelerate the normalization of a childs’ muscle tone and increases the active range of motion. It increases strength and endurance and accelerates the progress of newly learned movements and functional skills. It provides external stabilization and supports weak muscles and corrects body alignment. Influences vestibular system and stimulates the brain to re-train the Central Nervous System and provides tactile and sensory stimulation. It improves speech production and fluency and loads the body with gravity type pressures.
There have been reported gains by children who participated in the program. Decreased muscle tone and increased the control of muscles. Increased strength and endurance; accelerating progress by sitting for longer periods of time and pulling themselves up faster in a sitting position and walking for longer periods of time. Posture while sitting and standing improved with the body alignment. Some children who could not walk barefoot prior to the treatment, due to high sensory, today can walk comfortably barefoot.