Eye-tracking Software Opens Online Worlds To People With Disabilities
Technology that allows gamers to control game functions with only their eyes is helping to open virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft to people with severe motor disabilities. For people suffering from conditions such as cerebral palsy, motor neurone disease (MND) or so-called locked-in syndromes, being able to move around and interact in a virtual environment is a “truly liberating experience,” says a computer scientist who helped develop the software. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)...
POSTED 07/01/2009 at 07:00 AM --
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Your Opinion Please, Doctor: Is Your Patient Unable to Work in Any Capacity?
More often than not, when asked to fill out a disability form on behalf of a patient, I feel conflicted. As a rehabilitation specialist, I am trained to get my patients back to full lives—and livelihoods—to the greatest degree possible. My mantra has always been to preserve and maintain function. I cringe regarding the inevitable question I will be asked: “Is the patient unable to work in any capacity?” And, as I examine this question, I wonder whether I truly believe whether a patient is ever unable to work (barring the extreme examples of severe brain injury and permanent unconsciousness). I think of Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ie, Lou Gehrig disease), who is still a prolific scientist, or my patient with severe athetoid cerebral pals......
POSTED 06/30/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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Robotics on the today show
The Today Show, inspired by CPIRF’s “Robot’s a New Hope” video about Robotic Research For Cerebral Palsy, filmed children at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and at Blythedale Children’s Hospital where CPIRF is
read more (Source: Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation News)...
POSTED 06/30/2009 at 06:31 AM --
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Gary lynn to represent houston astros at all star game
Gary Lynn, CPIRF’s Community Ambassador, was chosen by the Houston, Astros to represent the team at the Major League Baseball All Star Game July 14th in St. Louis, MO. Gary Lynn, CPIRF’s friend extraordinary, has spastic,
read more (Source: Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation News)...
POSTED 06/30/2009 at 06:07 AM --
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Debate on administration of magnesium sulfate to pregnant women to prevent cerebral palsy in preterm infants
(Elsevier Health Sciences) Cerebral palsy is the most prevalent chronic childhood motor disability with an estimated lifetime cost of nearly $1 million per individual. There is evidence that magnesium sulfate can reduce the incidence of CP for very early preterm infants. Yet, there is still some controversy over whether magnesium sulfate is truly protective against CP. In three articles published in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the authors shed some light on the debate. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)...
POSTED 06/28/2009 at 11:00 PM --
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Morbidities and Hospital Resource Use During the First 3 Years of Life Among Very Preterm Infants
CONCLUSIONS: Most very preterm infants born in Finland survived without severe morbidities and required relatively little hospital care after the initial discharge. However, those with later morbidities had a long initial length of stay and more readmissions and outpatient visits during the 3-year follow-up period. (Source: PEDIATRICS)...
POSTED 06/28/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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Effects of constraint-induced movement therapy as a rehabilitation strategy for the affected upper limb of children with hemiparesis: systematic review of the literature
CONCLUSION: Although the studies achieved positive results, it is difficult to draw any clear-cut conclusion regarding the effectiveness of CIMT because of the small number of studies and their methodological differences.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A deficiência de função manual é a principal incapacidade em crianças com paralisia cerebral do tipo hemiplégica, as quais passam a realizar a maioria das tarefas motoras exclusivamente com o membro superior não acometido, determinando um fenômeno descrito como desuso aprendido. Para minimizar esse fenômeno, a terapia de movimento induzido por restrição (TMIR) emerge como estratégia de reabilitação para melhorar o uso funcional do membro superior acometido. OBJETIVO:O propósito desse estudo foi conduzir uma revisão sistemática da litera......
POSTED 06/28/2009 at 11:08 AM --
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Muscle strengthening is not effective in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.
CONCLUSION: In children and adolescents with cerebral palsy who are walking, the current evidence suggests that strengthening interventions are neither effective nor worthwhile.
PMID: 19463078 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy)...
POSTED 06/27/2009 at 11:53 PM --
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Insults to the developing brain and impact on neurodevelopmental outcome.
Authors: Adams-Chapman I
Premature infants have a disproportionately increased risk for brain injury based on several mechanisms including intraventricular hemorrhage, ischemia and the vulnerability of developing neuronal progenitor cells. Injury to the developing brain often results in neurologic abnormalities that can be correlated with a structural lesion; however more subtle injury may result in disruption of critical neural pathways. There also appears to be an important relationship between brain injury in the cortex and the growth and developing cerebellum. Although the survival rate for premature has improved over the past decade, researchers remain concerned about the risk for adverse neurocognitive functioning in these early childhood, including an increased risk for cerebral......
POSTED 06/27/2009 at 08:14 PM --
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Parent's conceptions of intensive group training. The case of cerebral palsy.
CONCLUSIONS: The conceptions express positive and negative functions of IGT as perceived by parents. These functions in turn can be considered as reflections of basic wants and needs. The results demonstrate that IGT have a potential to contribute to feelings of enhanced care competence among parents, of being supported and of increased strength and vitality. All parents did not have needs of participation in IGT for themselves. There is also a risk that IGT is experienced as an additional burden and may have negative effects on family-functioning.
PMID: 19378396 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Disability and Rehabilitation)...
POSTED 06/27/2009 at 05:31 PM --
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Plasticity in the developing brain: implications for rehabilitation.
Authors: Johnston MV
Neuronal plasticity allows the central nervous system to learn skills and remember information, to reorganize neuronal networks in response to environmental stimulation, and to recover from brain and spinal cord injuries. Neuronal plasticity is enhanced in the developing brain and it is usually adaptive and beneficial but can also be maladaptive and responsible for neurological disorders in some situations. Basic mechanisms that are involved in plasticity include neurogenesis, programmed cell death, and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Repetitive stimulation of synapses can cause long-term potentiation or long-term depression of neurotransmission. These changes are associated with physical changes in dendritic spines and neuronal circuits. Overproduction of ......
POSTED 06/27/2009 at 07:35 AM --
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The Effects of the Norsk Funktion-Walking Orthosis on the Walking Ability of Children With Cerebral Palsy and Severe Gait Impairment.
The purpose of this study was 1) to test if an orthosis-NF-Walker Orthosis (NFWO) which provides postural stability of the trunk and guides the leg movements during walking, would enable non-ambulant children with cerebral palsy with little or no trunk control to walk; 2) to investigate the development of independent walking ability in children while using a NFWO; and 3) to define requirements for a successful indication. With an NFWO, 78 children (84%) were able to walk; 10 children (11%) used it as a dynamic standing frame only; and 5 children (5%) returned their walker. There was a highly significant increase of independent mobility with the NFWO compared to self-propelled mobility in a wheelchair or tricycle outdoors (p < 0.001) and of bilateral hand function (p < 0.001) ......
POSTED 06/27/2009 at 06:10 AM --
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Effects of constraint-induced movement therapy as a rehabilitation strategy for the affected upper limb of children with hemiparesis: systematic review of the literature
CONCLUSION: Although the studies achieved positive results, it is difficult to draw any clear-cut conclusion regarding the effectiveness of CIMT because of the small number of studies and their methodological differences.CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A deficiência de função manual é a principal incapacidade em crianças com paralisia cerebral do tipo hemiplégica, as quais passam a realizar a maioria das tarefas motoras exclusivamente com o membro superior não acometido, determinando um fenômeno descrito como desuso aprendido. Para minimizar esse fenômeno, a terapia de movimento induzido por restrição (TMIR) emerge como estratégia de reabilitação para melhorar o uso funcional do membro superior acometido. OBJETIVO:O propósito desse estudo foi conduzir uma revisão sistemática da litera......
POSTED 06/25/2009 at 03:49 AM --
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Helping Jude Talk
About 10,000 babies will develop cerebral palsy this year in the United States. It's an incurable disorder typically caused by injury during birth. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)...
POSTED 06/24/2009 at 12:00 AM --
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[Ultrasound measurement of humeral torsion in children and adolescents with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.]
CONCLUSION: Humeral torsion deformity in children and adolescents with hemiplegic cerebral palsy was proven to exist in addition to the already well known difference in torsion of the lower extremities. Analogous to increased activity of external or internal rotator muscles codetermined by the palsy, increased external or internal humeral torsion occurs. External torsion deformity was associated with a smaller range of motion and seemed to have a greater importance for routine daily activities (e.g. muscle force, sports ability) than internal torsion deformity.
PMID: 19547951 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Der Orthopade)...
POSTED 06/23/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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Quality of life from the perspective of adolescents with cerebral palsy: “I just think I’m a normal kid, I just happen to have a disability”
Conclusion Health care providers should take into consideration what adolescents with CP value the most. The identification of attributes
that can be modified such as accessibility to and competence in, and preference for different activities may help professionals
to advocate for greater participation in these activities and tailor individual therapeutic strategies accordingly, increasing
the likelihood of enhancing the quality of life of this population.
Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s11136-009-9501-3Authors
Keiko Shikako-Thomas, McGill University School of Physical and Occupational Therapy 3654 Promenade Sir William Osler Montreal QC H3G 1Y5 CanadaLucy Lach, McGill University School of Social Work 3506 Avenue University Montreal QC H3A 2A7 CanadaAnnette ......
POSTED 06/23/2009 at 01:13 AM --
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Failure of tooth eruption in two patients with cerebral palsy and bruxism—a 10-year follow-up: a case report
The aim of this paper was to analyze delayed tooth eruption in two children with cerebral palsy who had severe bruxism and to determine whether treatment could influence tooth eruption and alignment. Extraction of primary teeth was carried out and orthodontic treatment was considered due to severe tooth wear of primary teeth, lack of space, and development of a class III malocclusion. Analysis was based on clinical examination, photographs, radiographs, and dental casts. In both patients, early mixed dentition was delayed for more than 5 years. Calcification and root development of posterior permanent teeth corresponded with the chronological age. Root resorption of the severely abraded primary teeth and eruption of their successors were delayed or failed. Eruption of permanent teeth occur......
POSTED 06/21/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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Measuring the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy: comparing the conceptual differences and psychometric properties of three instruments
Aim To compare the conceptual differences, internal consistency, and validity of the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CP QOL-Child), the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), and a European generic health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire (10-domain version; KIDSCREEN-10) for children with cerebral palsy (CP).Method Two hundred and four primary caregivers (185 females [91%], 19 males [9%]) of children with CP aged 4 to 12 years (mean 8y 4mo [SD 2.51]; 112 males [55%], 92 females [46%], Gross Motor Function Classification System level I=18%, II=28%, III=14%, IV=11%, V=28%) provided demographic data and completed the CP QOL-Child, CHQ, and KIDSCREEN-10. Fifty-four children with CP aged 9 to 12 years completed the CP QOL-Child and KIDSCREEN-10.Results The KID......
POSTED 06/21/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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The vexed issue of cerebral palsy and breech presentation
(Source: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology)...
POSTED 06/21/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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Aiming to report the health care of people with cerebral palsy worldwide: a report of an International Society for Prosthetics Orthotics conference
(Source: Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology)...
POSTED 06/21/2009 at 06:00 PM --
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