Emergency situations create life-threatening conditions. Fear and panic — precious seconds are lost! Yet one must act boldly to keep oneself and others safe.
The "Inclusive Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle" at 66 Moshenskogo Street, Brest, has begun classes on acquiring skills and safety rules in difficult situations. Within implementation of the "Barrier-Free Environment of Opportunities" project of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Belarus, equipment was purchased that virtually places participants in an emergency situation. A participant receives clear instructions on actions aimed at saving lives, learns to make decisions correctly and act boldly.
Children and people with disabilities especially need such knowledge. A group will be organized for adaptation of children and people with disabilities of the Brest Regional Public Association "Disabled and the Environment".
The virtual complex includes the "Road Traffic" program for teaching the basics of traffic rules and safe movement on electric wheelchairs, e-scooters, bicycles, and scooters.
Programs are selected to improve sense of balance, emotional and physical condition, posture, coordination of hips, arms and overall motor skills. Also those that shorten the time needed to transition to independent walking, reduce fear during independent movement, change psychological perception of the world from an upright position, provide training in stable balance and acquisition of clear movements. And of course everyone can look forward to vivid impressions — travels through mountains and lakes and virtual journeys to cities around the world for strengthening and inspiration. Virtual programs also give everyone who has lost arms or legs a chance to feel like a rock climber or skier on a mountain slope.
Using new effective multi-purpose rehabilitation tools allows one not only to compensate for existing neurological deficits, but also to improve children's quality of life and achieve an adequate level of socialization. A healthy lifestyle teaches this; these tasks help people act boldly and resolve difficult situations.
Inclusive virtual adaptation of children and people with disabilities of the Brest Regional Public Association "Disabled and the Environment" in making the right decisions in non-standard life situations, within implementation of the "Barrier-Free Environment of Opportunities" project of the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Belarus at the "Inclusive Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyle" at 66 Moshenskogo Street, Brest.
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Most often in critical situations children die and unprotected groups of the population are injured. Children and people with disabilities lack skills in making the right decisions in such life circumstances (fire, gas leak, electric shock, floods, providing first aid to themselves and others). They need to be placed in advance into this problem through a virtual session of a non-standard situation and instructed in the correct course of action for a safe way out of it. There is a particular need for children with disabilities who are under constant protection, due to parental pity and hyper-guardianship, after graduating from special boarding schools. This innovative adaptation practice is only at an initial stage in Belarus.
In addition, the virtual complex with a software package "Road Traffic" as close to reality as possible can be used for informal training in the basics of traffic rules and safe movement around one's place of residence on electric wheelchairs, modern means of transport such as e-scooters, bicycles, scooters, and all accompanying devices for people with disabilities. Virtual programs also give everyone who has lost arms or legs a chance to feel like a rock climber or skier on a mountain slope — unpredictable sensations for them.
The most important elements of rehabilitation are therapeutic exercise and massage.
1. Therapeutic exercise is prescribed to all children with cerebral palsy according to an individual method, no fewer than 20–25 sessions. Technical aids are widely used during therapeutic exercise:
2. Verticalization in support is carried out for all children without contraindications, even if the child will never stand or walk. As a result of verticalization, psychological perception of the world from an upright position changes, pathological positioning of the lower limbs is corrected, shortened spastic muscles are stretched, functions of the respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive systems improve, and joints develop optimally.
3. Sessions on the special "Rifton" exercise bicycle — the child is securely fixed and motor skills are not required. The bicycle is stable and riding it is safe for the patient. Sessions on the bicycle help prevent development and progression of contractures, strengthen weakened and stretch shortened muscles, improve bone growth, head and trunk control, eye–hand coordination, emotional state and motivation for movement.
4. Sessions on the "Gross Trainer" — an original trainer consisting of a taut cable with a movable block, elastic straps, and a safety belt in which the child is secured. As a result of sessions on the trainer, any movements of the child are facilitated, reciprocal movements are formed, the time needed to transition to independent walking is shortened, and fear during independent movement is reduced.
5. Training in neuro-orthopedic suits "Eva", "Phaethon", "Graviston", "Adeli" helps restore natural distribution of muscle tone, formation of postural stability, allows children to walk more confidently with support and sit, and improves sense of balance.
6. The functional orthosis "SWASH" stabilizes the hip joint, maintains the child's usual activity level, eliminates the threat of hip dislocation, improves formation of the acetabulum, and reduces spasticity of the hip adductor muscles.
7. Massage is a mandatory element of the rehabilitation complex for patients with cerebral palsy. Each patient receives no fewer than 15–25 procedures using the K.A. Semenova method. Under this method, differentiated effects are applied to muscles and tendons: spastic muscles are relaxed, weakened ones are stimulated.
8. Physiotherapy is carried out according to indications and with caution, considering that patients with cerebral palsy are prone to convulsive readiness. Heat therapy is most often used, including mud applications and electrotherapy. The method of transcranial micropolarization is successfully applied. As a result of a course of this procedure, speech and motor activity are stimulated and cognitive functions improve. This treatment method is indicated even for children with convulsive readiness.
9. Reflexotherapy is physical impact on biologically active points (BAP), or acupuncture points. The number of procedures may vary from 7–10 to 15–20.
10.Therapeutic swimming — pool sessions are conducted individually, taking into account the form and severity of cerebral palsy. A special lift is available to facilitate sessions.
11.Hippotherapy - children work with an instructor who has completed special training. Each patient with cerebral palsy receives 10–15 hippotherapy sessions, which significantly improves emotional and physical condition, posture, reduces spasm of hip adductors, coordination and overall motor skills.
12. Drug therapy — in the rehabilitation complex for children with cerebral palsy the following are also used: nootropics, vascular agents, vitamin therapy, muscle relaxants, according to indications and contraindications. However, preference is given to non-drug therapy.
13.Thus, a comprehensive approach to therapy and rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy, using new effective multi-purpose rehabilitation tools allows one not only to compensate for existing neurological deficits, but also to improve children's quality of life and achieve an adequate level of socialization.