Disability Newsfeed for Disabled People, Parents, Carers, Occupational Therapists and AHPs

Claire Holtaway, 26 from Birkenhead, has achieved her goal to drive independently with Cerebral Palsy through the guidance and support of Merseyside’s  North West Driving Assessment Service. Claire Holtaway with Martin Vivers, Approved Driving Instructor Accredited by the national charity  Driving Mobility , North West Driving Assessment Service (NWDAS) is part of the Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust based in St Helens, Merseyside. Its specialist team of Occupational Therapists and Approved Driving Instructors provide professional support and driving assessments to people who need to gain, or retain, the ability to drive following a diagnosis involving impairment or disability. They have recently introduced car seat and harness assessment clinics for disabled children and mobility scooter assessments to their range of services. Claire, now age 26, developed an interest in learning to drive at the age of 19. Following discussions with several friends...

Beth who lives with Cerebral Palsy, has recently begun using R82’s Mustang – an anterior/posterior gait trainer which allows a growing child to develop stepping and walking skills and achieve proper positioning The Mustang is designed to assist gait in a wide range of abilities and is particularly suitable for children with  Cerebral Palsy .  Offering flexibility and ease of use, it is highly adaptable to cater for a child’s changing needs as they grow. The anterior position is ideal for users unable to fully weight bear on their feet, or if motor skills are reduced and the user needs support around the trunk and pelvis. The posterior position can be used for those children who have improved gait development, more advanced trunk stability and who are capable of bearing their full weight. Read the full case study here:  http://www.r82.co.uk/media/443573/12...6bethv1web.pdf Find out more about R82 UK paediatric products here:  http://www.r82.co.uk/

​Frances George, Specialist Physiotherapist, MSc, BSc, HPC, MCSP, talks us through Beth's case study and her walking progress with the Mustang walking aid.  http://bit.ly/1pX6otA The Mustang is a walking aid for disabled children and youngsters, who need supplementary assistance with their daily walking. The Mustang provides excellent and snug support for the upper body whilst also keeping the child’s pelvis gently supported. The upright, slightly forward leaning position stimulates the walking function and encourages the child to participate in daily activities. The Mustang can be used by e.g. Cerebral Palsy children and others with lack of balance and impairment of their motor function. The Mustang is developed as a basic anterior walker but can also be used as a posterior gait trainer, depending on the child’s level of ability. The Mustang is available in four sizes and suitable for children and young people. For further information please visit  http://www.r82.co.uk/ , e...

Frances George, Specialist Physiotherapist, talks us through how the  Mustang Walker  with Lewis who has Cerebral Palsy, and how it has helped his independence.  http://bit.ly/1pX6otA The Mustang is a walking aid for disabled children and youngsters, who need supplementary assistance with their daily walking. It  provides excellent and snug support for the upper body whilst also keeping the child’s pelvis gently supported. The upright, slightly forward leaning position stimulates the walking function and encourages the child to participate in daily activities. The Mustang can be used by children with Cerebral Palsy and others with lack of balance and impairment of their motor function. The Mustang is developed as a basic anterior walker but can also be used as a posterior gait trainer, depending on the child’s level of ability. It i s available in four sizes and suitable for children and young people. Our new  interactive workbook  for the Mustan...

Lauren, 11, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, uses an Etac Cross 5 wheelchair that offers multiple options for improved sitting positions and manoeuvrability. Lauren, an engaging pre-teen, was diagnosed at 4 months old with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and has a history of epilepsy, currently under control with medication. Lauren happily splits family time between her mum Ann’s house and her dad Kevin’s house that he shares with partner Nicola and her children, Tom and Harry, age 10 and 12. The extended family are extremely supportive of each other and determined to provide ideal care for Lauren’s requirements. When Lauren broke her leg falling from a swing in 2015, Kevin took a month off work and he, Nicola and Ann worked together to provide Lauren with vital support in both homes – including carrying her to upstairs bedrooms and endeavouring to maintain a normal routine for Lauren, which is so important to her. Following this difficult period, Lauren is now happily 90% recovered and the fam...

X:panda is a highly adaptable modular seating system that can be configured to meet a range of postural requirements and to accommodate growth. It is available in 4 sizes and is best suited for babies from 5 months old through to young adults with Cerebral Palsy at GMFCS level 3- 5, who present with strong extensor spasticity, asymmetry or developmental delays. It can help children who might typically have pelvic asymmetry, hip migration or tight hamstrings. All sizes are available with individual growth in width, depth and back height. This extends the life of the seat and accommodates the greatest range of sizes in comparison to other chairs on the market. The x:panda features patented recline adjustment, tilt in space to 30° and a dynamic back with gas springs that can be set to control range of movement or can be locked. The seat offers optimum support and comfort for the child and can be mounted on a number of bases. Find out more in our x:panda workbook  http://www.r82...

Gazelle PS is a prone and supine standing frame with modular support components to address different standing needs. Clinical evidence shows that standing in a high degree of abduction can lead to better formation of the hip joint and significantly reduces hip migration in children with Cerebral Palsy. The Gazelle can offer up to 30 degrees of hip abduction in each leg.  R82 UK's new  interactive workbook takes a detailed look at Gazelle including different positioning options, a current case study being undertaken into abducted standing, transferring to and from Gazelle using a hoist and details on postural support options and accessories. 

Lily Mae is a delightful child who lives with various health issues including Cerebral Palsy (CP) and a dislocated left hip. These conditions result in Lily Mae requiring specialist equipment to support her in achieving a sitting or standing position. She has limited head control and transfers require the assistance of an adult. Like Lily-Mae, children who are significantly delayed in their ability to stand, and require the use of supportive equipment, are at greater risk of developing hip problems such as hip subluxation and dislocation. A standing frame which supported hip abduction was sought to support, maintain and improve Lily-Mae’s hip position by Senior Physiotherapist, Frances George. Frances supports Lily Mae at her school, Humberston Park Special School near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, where a programme of hip abduction has been initiated using the  R82 Gazelle PS . This ergonomic and versatile standing frame, that offers prone and supine support, has helped Lily Mae achiev...

Taylor Miller, 7, from Castlewood in Coventry, who lives with Cerebral Palsy (CP), uses an R82 x:panda chair – launched in 2007 and now the biggest selling modular seat worldwide. The  x:panda  is suitable for various conditions but particularly to children with CP. The patented dynamic system is helpful for children who struggle to maintain position during involuntary extension. The chair provides contoured support to the spine and maintains pelvic position in neutral alignment. Taylor, a friendly and happy youngster, lives with parents, Laura and Daniel, and two brothers, Lennon, 18 months and Mckenzie, age 12. The family moved two years ago to a specialist accessible bungalow provided by The Housing Association. Having recently extended, they now have the necessary space and layout to suit a child with disabilities. Taylor is located in a room next to his parents at night, with a ceiling track in the bedroom and bathroom, and enough room for a ceiling track hoist and spec...

Father, Kevin Latham, is the primary carer for Jack and Rebecca who live with Cerebral Palsy , a neurological condition that affects their walking and co-ordination. As they grew older, access to the family bath was becoming increasingly difficult, particularly as the twins require greater amounts of assistance to move around the home. Kevin’s back was under increasing strain from continually lifting his three children in and out of the bath on a daily basis, so a long-term solution was deemed absolutely critical. Kevin approached Bonnie Bannon, his  Occupational Therapist (OT) , and  Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust  to try and resolve this developing issue. Adaptations improving accessibility within the family home had already been completed so Kevin was hopeful of achieving an additional bathroom solution. Following a structured assessment and specification process, Kevin’s grant to install an  Abacus Healthcare Aquanova Scorpio bath   with powered ...

Wow, well that headline was a bit of a mouthful.... but here's the proof for you...the Whitt family and their four folding mobility scooters. Oh, and not forgetting Toby the sheepdog, who is the fifth user! ;-) Colin Whitt, 52 from Heanor Derbyshire, and three other members of his close family have all recently become owners of the latest folding model of lightweight mobility scooter, the TGA  Minimo , allowing them to enjoy independence outdoors together once more as a family. Colin, who has Cerebral Palsy, and his wife Linda (43), who has severe Arthritis, along with parents Jessie and John Whitt, aged 76 and 80 respectively all  have difficulty walking which means their ability to get out-and-about is extremely limited - hence the need for their scooters to assess the local amenities. Read the full story about how these folding mobility scooters have made to the Whitt's quality of life  here