NAPA Centre takes an intensive approach to paediatric physiotherapy using the NeuroSuit and Multifunctional Therapy Units.
At NAPA Centre, our highly trained paediatric physiotherapists challenge the child in a loving environment, pushing their performance and helping them achieve new developmental milestones. All of our therapists –physical, speech, and occupational—work with each other and with family members to assess each child’s current functioning level. Then they create an individualised plan to help each child achieve optimal results. We offer paediatric physiotherapy in both weekly and intensive settings.
We take an intensive approach to physiotherapy with each child’s plan consisting of 30 to 60 hours of vigorous therapy in just 3 weeks using the NeuroSuit and Universal Exercise Units. This highly effective method of treatment uses cutting-edge methods to challenge the child and achieve new physical abilities. The NeuroSuit utilises technology originally from the Russian space program to fight the effects of weightlessness. The NeuroSuit helps hold the patient’s body in correct alignment and adds additional weight bearing through the use of bungee type bands that are attached to the suit.
Our patients also participate in a variety of dynamic balance activities in the Multifunctional Therapy Unit, also called the SpiderCage. These include transitioning from sitting to quadruped, quadruped to kneeling, and transition all the way to standing with the assistance of bungee cords attached to the patient from four angles. This equipment is referred to as the “SpiderCage” due to the eight bungees used to assist the patient.
How far a joint can bend or straighten
Strength against gravity
Ability to maintain balance (tilting and righting responses) and to keep oneself from falling (protective responses)
Automatic responses seen particularly in infants (palmar grasp, positive support, asymmetrical tonic neck reflex [ATNR] and labyrinthine)
Alignment of the body in various positions
Natural resistance in a muscle (increased tone is stiffness and decreased tone is floppiness)
Stretching and strengthening activities and exercises to increase a child’s range and quality of movement
Establishing or reshaping movement patterns to follow normal development
Improving balance and equilibrium skills
Improving postural control
Gait training (walking)
Evaluating the need for adaptive equipment and orthopedic devices
