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Use of orthotic aids for children with cerebral palsy
PIPKOVÁ, Veronika
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a complex of disorders in the development of posture and ability to move which cause limitation of activity. It is an unprogressive disease, which begins in the prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal phase of a neonate. Although the disability does not progress, complex rehabilitation may improve the clinical state. There is a difference between the spastic and the non-spastic type. The major aim of this thesis is to map the possibilities of orthotic care for children suffering from CP and to evaluate the effect of physiotherapy with the use of chosen aids. Three probands suffering from hemiparetic CP participated in the research. The aim is to answer these research questions: What are the possibilities of orthotic care for children with cerebral palsy? What changes will occur in the postural behaviour of probands due to the physiotherapy with the use of orthotic aids? The theoretical part is concerned with the issues of CP. The disease is described in a general way and divided according to the time of beginning and type. Furthermore, the diagnostics and therapy are explained. It is also concerned with spasticity and its symptoms, mechanisms, diagnostics and therapy. An overview of orthotic aids, and experimental methods like posturography and surface electromyography are covered as well. The practical part deals with a qualitative research which was completed by case interpretations of three schoolchildren suffering from hemiparetic CP. The thesis includes an initial and a final kinesiologic analysis and a description of applied physiotherapies. Furthermore, it includes the results of posturogtaphy and surface electromyography focused on the orthotic aids used by the probands. The research took place in Centrum Arbida in České Budějovice and in the physiotherapy centre at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of The University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. This thesis may be used as a comprehensive overview of the given issues and possibilities of orthotic therapy for children suffering from CP.
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