Neuromotor

Aging caregivers of children with disabilities pushed to the breaking point

Carlo is in a wheelchair thanks to a condition called myositis. Now that he’s nearing 50 and “almost non-mobile,” he receives home care and lives with his parents who help take care of him. But that’s becoming more difficult: … READ MORE

When the barriers aren’t just physical

Entering the playground, I heard a boy call my son’s name. We turned and saw one of his classmates running toward us. “We’re playing soccer! Wanna be on my team?” Illustration by Giselle Potter By Sandra Joy Stein, The New … READ MORE

New approaches to orthotic management in children with cerebral palsy

Practitioners look to novel ways of using familiar lower limb orthotic alternatives to complement new technology. No single treatment is appropriate for every child, but it is generally agreed that the sooner intervention is started … READ MORE

AFOs for kids with cerebral palsy improve stability

Researchers report that the use of ankle-foot orthoses, or AFOs, improve the backward margin of stability in children with cerebral palsy (CP) diplegia, a form of the condition affecting both sides of the body. Pinterest Magdalena … READ MORE

Robotic gait training for kids with CP: Is it really effective?

UAlberta study recruiting children to evaluate Lokomat gait training program. Researchers at Canada’s University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine are investigating the effectiveness of a gait training program on a … READ MORE

Gaming camera could aid MS treatment

Kinect 3D camera used to assess walking of MS patients. A team of researchers led by McGill University postdoctoral fellow Farnood Gholami, supervised by Jozsef Kövecses from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Centre for … READ MORE

Ervin: Managed care mobility device replacement

Mike Ervin. I’m sorry if I’ve seemed preoccupied lately. There’s a lot on my mind. I’m trying to word my appeal. Actually, I’m trying to word my appeal of the denial of my appeal. My first appeal was denied so my next … READ MORE

Tongue-controlled computer mouse earns Ontario teen a science prize

Device is like having a mouse inside your mouth. Emma Mogus says the device she created works by putting five buttons inside a mouthguard-type device. Each button corresponds to a different function: up, down, left, right, and enter. … READ MORE

Calgary Transit glitch leaves special needs children stranded for hours

Systems upgrades at Calgary Transit Access led to service delays that have some users upset, including parents of special-needs children who were stranded at their summer camp Monday when their scheduled pickups were more than two … READ MORE

To brace or not to brace? Bracing for neuromuscular conditions

There is no doubt about it: braces are a pain. Sometimes they are a literal pain, causing pain for your child. And sometimes they are a more figurative pain in the rear end—difficult to deal with, difficult to get on and off, … READ MORE

Obi robot arm gives disabled diners a helping hand

Obi is a robotic arm designed to help people with physical disabilities to feed themselves. Robotic cooking aids are gaining traction in the modern kitchen, but the team behind Obi has a goal more noble than just cooking up a gourmet … READ MORE

Neuropsych — our experience

When our doctors first started talking about visiting a Neuropsych, they were having conversations with each other, while we were in the room. “Do you think a neuropsych would help?” … “Yes, but not yet…” or “Has he … READ MORE

Big data in healthcare goes far beyond EHR

Big data has applications in medtech that extend far beyond electronic health records. An analytics expert explains how data and algorithms have the potential to create a neuroassistive device to help paralyzed patients. In 2014, Ian … READ MORE

CP studies assess advantages of flexible AFOs for children

The flexibility of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) does not necessarily affect walking economy in children with cerebral palsy (CP), but more flexible AFOs may be particularly beneficial for sports activities in higher-performing … READ MORE

Walk this way: New metric could help kids with cerebral palsy

For more than 20 years, clinicians working with children with cerebral palsy have been gathering “a deluge of data” to understand and treat their patients’ walking difficulties. But they still weren’t sure which children with … READ MORE

My SCI taught me to say “Yes” to new experiences

Living with a T4 spinal cord injury allows me do things I never would have in the course of my ordinary life — it taught me to say “yes” to new experiences. Flying a glider is an activity Dalton probably would never have tried … READ MORE

Architect with ALS designs a residence he can control with just blinks

Steve Saling, an architect and engineer with ALS, helped design features of the Leonard Florence Center, Dapper McDonald ALS Residence, intended to preserve the independence of those with ALS, where he is a resident. Josh Reynolds for … READ MORE

The horse is the therapist

With hippotherapy, the horse provides the therapy. Three-year-old Jack Foster sat on his mother’s lap as she wrapped a towel carefully around his neck. “Jack has cerebral palsy and low muscle tone,” said his mother, Emily … READ MORE

Apple store welcomes YouTube sensation Christopher Hills with assistive tech

At just 18 years old, Christopher Hills is already a YouTube sensation and master video producer and editor. The Sunshine Coast teenager – who likes Doctor Who, Marvel movies and Star Wars but is most passionate about aviation … READ MORE

Motor skills will not develop fully without opportunities to practice

Knowing that motor skills will not develop to their full potential without opportunities to practice in environments that are stimulating and supportive, we evaluated the effect of a physical activity (PA)-based intervention targeting … READ MORE

Walking study in CP highlights need for tailored orthotic prescription

Effects of AFOs on distance, speed vary.. A recent study demonstrates the importance of personalizing prescriptions for ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) in children with cerebral palsy, rather than applying group data to individuals. … READ MORE

Parent’s intuition leads to earlier intervention

In a bid to give parents a way to track their child’s health, Cognoa offers an assessment tool to conduct a child development screening at home. Marie Thibault, Associate editor, MD+DI May 11, 2016 Parents of young children … READ MORE

Stability for CP: AFOs benefit diplegic children

In children with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP), wearing bilateral ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) that promote heel-first ground contact helps to improve stability and may reduce the risk of falls, according to research presented in March … READ MORE

Benefits of exercise for children with cerebral palsy supported by study of elite paralympic athletes

For highly trained Paralympic athletes with cerebral palsy (CP), bone mineral density and other measures of body composition are similar to those of able-bodied adults of similar age, reports a study in the American Journal of … READ MORE

First ever stroke rehabilitation guidelines from AHA/ASA

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) has issued guidelines for the first time on rehabilitation after stroke, calling for intensive, multidisciplinary treatment. Banff Springs Golf Course and Hotel. … READ MORE

Finding a footwear-AFO fit for kids

Finding shoes that fit over ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) is a challenge for thousands of children with neuromuscular disorders that affect walking ability. Parents have waited patiently while custom AFOs were molded and fitted, only to … READ MORE

Kids, clothes and AFOs: Finding the right fit

When a child is required to wear ankle foot orthoses (AFOs), his or her clothes have to be more than just cute. Trying to match the logistical requirements of AFOs with fashion concerns and psychosocial development can be a challenge … READ MORE

I’m the first quadriplegic person to regain thought-control of my arm

After being paralysed six years ago, Ian Burkhart is now able to swipe a credit card and play the computer game Guitar Hero, thanks to a device that uses machine learning to read his thoughts and stimulate his arm. Ian Burkhart, Ohio … READ MORE

Improving surgery outcomes for children with cerebral palsy

Children with cerebral palsy frequently undergo invasive surgeries — lengthening tendons, rotating bones, transferring muscles to new locations — in hopes of improving their physical ability to walk or move. Walk-DMC is a new, … READ MORE

Measuring postural sway to diagnose neuromuscular disorders

A new technique might be used to diagnose neuromuscular disorders such as multiple sclerosis or impairment from concussions by detecting and measuring subtle oscillations in a person’s standing posture. Eadweard Muybridge … READ MORE

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