Abstract
Severely impaired cerebral palsy children who are unable to sit by themselves must mostly be confined to bed. They have many impediments to overcome in their rehabilitation.
Children with cerebral palsy, especially those with involuntary dyskinetic movements, need suitable positioning to inhibit tonic reflexes. A position suitable for achieving relaxation in the cerebral palsy child can usually be suggested by the parents or other people who care for the child. Based on this information, we make a bucket-seat type of seating support orthosis that provides the child with relaxation and functional positioning.
At the beginning of fabrication a negative mold is made using special equipment. After a trial fitting to confirm optimum positioning and requierd attachments, e. g., safety belt, apron, headrest, or cut-out table, the orthosis is made from thermoplastic material and covered with a cushion.
For the past five years we have fitted 26 orthoses for cerebral palsied adults and children. The relaxed sitting position provided by this orthosis enables the user not only to develop latent abilities in the function of upper extremities, but also to reach a higher level of mental motivation.
We present the fabrication technique, some case reports, and a follow-up study of the seating support orthosis.
