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From: CPNUES
Category: General
Date: 24 Aug 2001
Time: 17:05:54
Remote Name: 24.177.100.223
Any task that is an age appropriate activity for kids without CP is a great activity for kids with CP too! As far as swinging or riding a bike, I can analyze each task for you. I included the overall benefits as well as the upper body ones.
Bicycling promotes balance, trunk control, alternating leg use and arm control. With patients with hemiplegia, bike riding promotes use of the involved side through pedaling and using the handlebars. For the arms, handlebar use helps upper body strength, shoulder girdle control and grip. It also mimics reaching and helps get the arms away from the body. All great things to "work" on through play. If the patient has diplegia or more involvement, reclining bikes that provide more support and are "pedaled" with the arms are available. (The one I am familiar with is for grown-ups but from the Freedom Rider company.)
Since bicycle steering and pedaling may be uneven due to less strength from the involved side, safety may be a little bit more of a concern in the beginning. Maybe when the child is learning use a grassy surface and knee or elbow pads or long pants and a long sleeved shirt, then progress to a regular sidewalk surface. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, CP or not!!! All in all, bike riding is very good therapy. If your child is having a hard time learning to ride, enlist your PT or OT to help.
Swinging on a swing involves use of the abdominals (stomach muscles) and again encourages two-hand use with holding on and even leg use with "pumping". The arms and hands are helped as with bike riding. Strength, grasp and reach are all benefited. Swinging itself theoretically increases muscle tone. That means it is good for a low tone or weak trunk. (I wouldn't worry about the swinging increasing tone too much with kids that are spastic. The benefits far outweigh the possible tone increase.) Swinging also promotes development of the vestibular system, or the system that provides us information about movement. For very involved patients this can be helpful since often times they cannot move on their own. I would advise beginning very slowly with more immobile or involved patients and avoid any fast spinning especially if seizures are a concern.
Both biking and swinging can be adapted for people with special needs. Use the link to Exceptional Parent Magazine on the bottom of our "Other Options" page. They have a nice section on toys and you can search for products. Another information source is www.communityplaythings.com. For more info on sports and people with special needs, WeMedia has articles on athletic successes of people with special needs and information on adaptive events.
So, enjoy the end of the summer and get out on that bike or swing set! Best Wishes, CPNUES
From:
Category: General
Date: 29 Jan 2003
Time: 22:05:58
Remote Name: 24.191.10.65
From: Dr. Medina
Category: General
Date: 25 Jul 2006
Time: 14:06:41
Remote Name: 83.21.13.101
My son is 13 yrs. old, he had received Spider therapy at Norman Rehabilitation Center in Poland and it has been great. Visit our website www.alanspidertx.com or check the current issue of CP magazine to know Alan's story and learn more about this innovative therapy program. If you wish to write to us and share our experience please do at smilepm@hotmail.com Dr. Medina
From: strategie crap
Category: Constraints
Date: 30 Oct 2007
Time: 12:43:41
Remote Name: 89.207.89.35
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From: Japan
Category: General
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Date: 29 Jan 2007
Time: 10:27:34
Remote Name: 81.18.165.108
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