Kids Plus Therapy Program

• What Does Kids Plus Offer?

• Which Children?

• Where?

• Goal Oriented Therapy

• Case Management and Family Services Coordination

• No Cost To Families

• Bobath & NDT Therapy

• Disability Services for Children In our Region

• Pre-school Children

• School Aged Children

• Colac Area

What Does Kids Plus Offer?

Kids Plus Therapy Program is for babies, children and teenagers (0-18 years) with physical disabilities and motor sensory problems which may include cerebral palsy, developmental delay, brain injury and stroke and

• is for children from the Barwon Region

• is family centered

• offers 50 places per term

• is fully funded by philanthropic and community organisations

• has experienced and specialist paediatric therapists (Physiotherapy, Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy)

• provides goal based therapy

• engages with families on an equal basis

Each program is a nine week block of intensive weekly individual therapy with a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or speech pathologist, depending on the difficulties, abilities, needs and goals of the child.

Which Children?

Babies to teenagers (0 - 18 years old) who have physical disabilities ie problems with the typical postural control and movement necessary for the achievement of daily skills including communication, mobility, self-care, play and hand skills.

This primarily includes children with cerebral palsy, development delay, brain injury or stroke

Priority for therapy places is for babies and younger children. Also children with multiple impairments - for example, a child that would need all three therapy disciplines.

Our occupational therapist and both our physiotherapists have had advanced training to work with pre-term babies who may be at risk of cerebral palsy

The program does not work with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Downs Syndrome and global development delay (primarily cognitive impairments), unless there is an associated physical disability involved.

Where?

 Kids Plus Therapy Program is conducted at 163 Myers Street , Geelong in Victoria .

Goal Oriented Therapy

At the beginning of each Program, families and therapists work together to set the measurable goals for the child.

These goals may be around improving coordination and mobility, eating and drinking, communication, and self care, in order to support child development, independence, education and family & social interaction.

Examples of these may be:

Rolling to sitting; holding a spoon to eat; drinking from a cup; weight bearing on feet; walking independently for 2 meters; climbing steps; move from sit to stand; undress, learning to turn pages in a book or use a communication device.

Duration of each Kids Plus Program

Each Therapy Program is nine weeks with measurable goals and outcomes. One program is offered at a time and there is no guarantee of subsequent or future programs. Places are allocated for each term dependent on the needs and outcomes, age and access to other therapy, for each child.

Case Management and Family Services Coordination

While our therapists and parent support worker are very experienced and offer families a wide range of family support, ideas and strategies as well as information on other services and resources, Kids Plus is not able to provide formal case management or family services coordination.

Kids Plus therapists work and confer with the child and family's other services providers and health professionals. See Disability Services for Children in Our Region.

No Cost To Families

Each place is funded by generous donations from philanthropic & community groups and there is no cost to children and their families.

Bobath & NDT Therapy

The Kids Plus Therapy Program uses the NDT/Bobath model of therapy. This is an internationally utilsed and recognised therapy used for children with motor physical disabilities including cerebral palsy.

It was initially developed by Dr. and Mrs. Bobath in the UK . It is an advanced therapeutic approach practiced by experienced Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Speech - Language Pathologists.

The 'hands-on' approach is used in working with children who have central nervous system disorders that result in difficulties with posture and movement.

Therapists qualified in NDT/Bobath treatment have completed advanced training in Australia , USA and UK .

The therapists work closely with children, helping them to become as independent as possible, and also work collaboratively with their family, caregivers and physicians in developing this comprehensive treatment program.

Our focus is firstly on the strengths and abilities of each child related to the specific measurable goal or skill that has been identified to work on.

The impairments that a child may have in relation to that goal or skill is then assessed using task analysis to identify these system impairments impeding that child from achieving their functional goal.

Formal assessment tools such as the PEDI (Haley, S. et al 1992), GMFM (Russell, D., et al, 2002) and The Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function (Randall, M.J., et al 1999) are also used to measure changes in function over time.

Research on outcomes of NDT/Bobath Therapy

 "Evaluation of the functional effects of a course of Bobath therapy in children with cerebral             palsy: a preliminary study"  

 Virginia Knox MSc MCSP, Research Physiotherapist, Bobath Centre; Andrew Lloyd Evans MA MD FRCPCH, Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics, Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.

 Published: Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 2002, 44: 447–460

Free PDF download from http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=DMC&volumeId=44&issueId=07 

References

For further reference, please refer to:

www.bobath.org.uk/TheBobathApproach.html

"The main aim of treatment is to encourage and increase the child's ability to move and function in as normal a way as possible. More normal movements cannot be obtained if the child stays in a few positions and moves in a limited or disordered way. The aim of management is to help the child to change his abnormal postures and movements so that he or she is able to comfortably adapt to the environment and develop a better quality of functional skills."

 
www.ndta.org

"Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) is an advanced therapeutic approach practiced by experienced Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, and Speech - Language Pathologists.

This hands-on approach is used in working with people who have central nervous system insults that create difficulties in controlling movement. Therapists using NDT treatment have completed advanced training in NDT and work closely with individuals with neurological challenges (e.g. cerebral palsy, stroke, head injury), helping them to become as independent as possible. NDT-trained therapists work collaboratively with individuals, family, caregivers and physicians to develop comprehensive treatment programs based on the principles of human neurology and physiology. Individuals who have minimal to severe motor difficulties can benefit from the NDT approach."

www.abndta.asn.au

"Neuro-developmental therapy (NDT) is therapeutic approach to the assessment and management of dysfunction in people with neurological impairments. The ultimate goal of treatment and management is to maximise the persons functional ability. The concept was first developed by Dr and Mrs Bobath on the 1940's and has been used by therapists worldwide. Although the basic concept has not changed, the concept has evolved as current theories have been developed."

Disability Services for Children In The Barwon Region

How does Kids Plus fit with other services?

In the Barwon Region, there are a number of government funded service providers including Specialist Children Services (Department of Human Services), Noah's Ark Geelong, SCOPE, Gateways Support Services and MacKillop Family Services.

These agencies offer a range of government funded Early Childhood Intervention Services and programs including family services coordination or case management, therapy, help with access to equipment, family services, respite, and support, and playgroups.

An additional choice for children with physical neuro developmental disabilities is Kids Plus – an intensive, goal focused therapy service.

What is the difference between Kids Plus and other therapy services?

Kids Plus provides an intensive and goal directed therapy program, in a nine week block (one term)

Each week is an individual therapy session of 1 ¼ hours, at the therapy rooms.

The families help set functional goals for their child in each Program, for example holding a fork, walking five steps, stepping into the bath, or moving a communication switch.

The therapy program is goal oriented around a functional task - it is not global management.

Kids Plus complements the mainstream disability services and provides additional choice to families.

Kids Plus receives no government funding but is funded by philanthropic trusts and community.

Family Services Coordination

While our therapists are qualified and experienced and offer families a wide range of family support, ideas and strategies as well as information on other services and resources, the Kids Plus Therapy Program is not funded to provide case management or family services coordination.

Kids Plus therapists work and confer with the child and family's other services providers and health professionals.

Our Kids Plus Parent Support Worker provides non-clinical support and information for families.

Other Early Intervention or Disability Services

Families are highly recommended to actively pursue their entitlements with government funded disability service organisations, to ensure they are able to access information and services that the family may need or want now or in the future. Families should bear in mind there may be long waiting periods for some services.

Families should discuss this with their paediatrician.

Children's Disability Services in the Barwon Region

Pre-school Children

Ask for a referral from your paediatrician to Central Intake to the Early Intervention Program. This includes access to services such as Noah's Ark Geelong , SCOPE , Gateways and Specialist Children's Services (DHS).

Or contact Gateways for information on Early Choices packages.

Or contact any of the service providers directly.

School Aged Children

Contact Department of Human Services directly to register on 1800 783 783. While registering, also inquire about the Support and Choice packages.

Or contact MacKillop Family Services for information on Making a Difference packages

Colac Area

Contact Jill Rodgers at Colac Specialist School , 03 5231 1055 for local information

Go to the Family Links & Resources page

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