Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center

Our children are precious, of that there can be no doubt. We protect, care and nurture them with parental love that knows no bounds. But, through misfortune, accident or a cruel twist of nature there are those that become debilitated. It is then that sound parenting and parental love requires assistance, assistance from skilled professionals.

Care of the young is a very specialized area within the medical profession. There are physiological and psychological differences between children and adults. In caring for the young, realizing these differences is essential and it requires a particular level of understanding from the practitioners that specialize in pediatric care.

 

This is never more apparent than in rehabilitation therapy. A child may require rehabilitation therapy after an accident, surgery or as part of a treatment program for a genetic disorder. The complexities of the young mind and body are explored and understood at the Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center.

Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center are now leaders within the field of rehabilitating young patients. The success of this specialized unit is due to the uniquely structured programs that have been developed and which are practiced by the very best professionals in the field of pediatric rehabilitation.

The center takes a unified approach to the development of its rehabilitation programs. No two patients will be the same, so, individualized programs need to be developed for each and every case. This is done through consultation across multiple medical disciplines, physicians, physiotherapists and occupational therapists work together to develop each and every therapeutic program for every child.

Who Benefits from Rehabilitation Therapy

Sadly, from time to time children can fall victim to accidents which require hospital treatment. Sometimes, after a major trauma and surgery, a child will require help to fully recover their mobility or dexterous use of arms and hands. It maybe that a child needs therapy to help them learn how to manage a partial disability as a result of an accident.

All manner of disorders are successfully treated by the highly skilled team at the rehabilitation center. From children with varying developmental issues, physical or structural disabilities, deformities of the hips, feet or knees, children with Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism all benefit from the Samitivej’s unique rehabilitation programs.

Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic, or hydrotherapy is far from being a modern concept. Indeed, Hippocrates, often considered to the ‘Father of Medicine’, recommended bathing in spring water as an aid to healing. The beneficial qualities of water as element of recovery and rehabilitation therapy are in no doubt, and Samitivej Hospital exploits these attributes by being progressive and innovative in its development of aquatic therapy programs.

Following an accident, arms legs and the core muscle groups along with balance can be negatively affected. An aquatic therapy program will aid in the recovery of these physical attributes. The central nervous system and muscle functions can become impaired following illness, again, an individualized aquatic therapy program will aid in improvement and recovery from such maladies.

Robotic-Assisted Therapy

Robotic-Assisted Therapy is specifically designed to assist in retraining the nervous system and to aid a patient to learn to walk again quickly and with a proper gait. The problems may have been caused by a disorder of the brain, spinal cord, bones or muscles. Equally, the problem may have arisen following a stroke or injury to the spinal cord, or any one of a multitude of major traumas.

An intelligent gait training robot may be used; this is a very advanced body weight support system and is used along with a treadmill. Fully computerized, it can be programmed to the individual needs of each patient, varying the body support level. With on screen imagery and results being displayed in real time, young patients become more motivated and actively involved in their own rehabilitation process. The rehabilitation center’s positive progressive results from robotic-assisted therapy are impressive, and not bettered.

Redcord Suspension Exercise

For children with impaired neuromuscular strength, musculoskeletal damage, brain or spinal cord injury, face challenges that can affect their future normal growth and development. The redcord suspension exercise system has been developed to arrest any disorder progression and to aid in regaining proper muscle function.

With the redcord suspension exercise system the physician can regulate the exercises that the patient undertakes, making them more challenging as and when appropriate. This aids in restoring motor control whilst also helping to overcome musculoskeletal instability and pain. The redcord suspension exercise system incorporates Redcord’s own, patented “Bungee System”.

Snoezelen Therapy

Snoezelen multi-sensory environment therapy has been developed to as part of a therapeutic program to stimulate the basic sensory systems of a patient. Originally conceived by Jan Hulsegge and Ad Verheul, of the De Hartenberg Institute in the Netherlands it is aimed at children with mental health issues, special needs, learning difficulties or brain damage, and who benefit immensely from their Snoezelen multi-sensory therapy.

As part of the therapy numerous devices are utilized to stimulate tactile, olfactory, auditory and visual senses. A child will experience relaxation or arousal of different senses via the use of numerous different devices. The therapy helps a child improve their perception of their environmental surroundings, concentration and social skills, and aid a child learning relaxation techniques.

The Multi-Discipline Team Approach

At the Samitivej Hospital’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center they realize that there can be no single approach to the rehabilitation of the multitude of problems a child may face. The importance of balance is paramount, the balance between a child’s mind and body. Creating harmony between the two takes the dedication of practitioners who are skilled in many different fields.

It is Samitivej Hospital’s ability in bringing together the multi-faceted skills involved in child care that makes their rehabilitation center a world leader. With individual case studies, medical evaluations, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychotherapists and physiotherapists all come together in producing individualized therapeutic programs.

They practice specific therapeutic techniques whilst also utilizing prosthetics and orthotic footwear and devices with each element playing a key role in a child’s overall rehabilitation. As a team, and with the pooling of medical skills and knowledge, it has led hundreds of children’s lives being improved every year.