Toy robot, credited to genewolf of flickr
Riley Hospital for Children will soon be introducing a new type of therapy for its patients with Cerebral Palsy… robots! No, really. A Robotics Center is due to open sometime this year, with equipment geared toward retraining the brain and improve motor functions.
This program will be utilizing robots for both upper-body and lower-body extremities. The patient is prompted to engage in specific activities while the robots attached to their arms or legs adjust pressure and support according to what type of movement is desired. During the therapy sessions, patients play a sort of video game (similar to games you’d play on a Wii) to achieve certain goals. This interactive technology is not only retraining the brain, it’s also entertaining it! You can see from the before and after videos from a similar robotic rehabilitation program how much of a difference this therapy makes.
Right now the program is seeking children aged 4-12 who might qualify for this therapy, and is covered by Medicaid. To learn more about this project, visit the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Indiana website, or call them at (317) 632-3561. We’ll also keep our eye out for further developments with this exciting program and update as much as possible!
Donna Roberts of United Cerebral Palsy Association
The INDATA Project sponsored an Assistive Technology and Cerebral Palsy Training on February 19. This event was an open invitation to anyone wanting to know more about the available resources surrounding Cerebral Palsy.
Not only was the event well attended with over 60 guests, but we also tested our fancy camera equipment and produced a live stream online!
Donna Roberts from the United Cerebral Palsy of Indianapolis was our first speaker, followed by our own Dr. Chuck Dietzen, the Medical Director at Easter Seals Crossroads, and Wendy Gahimer, an Augmentative Communication Specialist at Easter Seals Crossroads. We were also fortunate to have vendors from Tobii ATI and Dynavox Mayer-Johnson display their assistive technology devices.
The training was very much a success. Our attendants were excited to hear about the advancements being made in robotic therapy from Donna Roberts, touched by Dr. Chuck’s stories about patients he’s treated during his career, and had a chance to try out several assistive technology devices during Wendy’s hands-on demonstration. We also received some very helpful feedback from folks watching our livestream.
Wendy Gahimer demonstrating assistive technology
This was one of four trainings INDATA offers each year. If you would be interested in attending future trainings, you can follow us on Twitter, friend us on Facebook, or sign up for our email list. If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact Sara at scroft@eastersealscrossroads.org.
