Neuromuscular/Neurogenetic Scoliosis - Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Overview

The focus of this online pediatric physiotherapy course with Esther de Ru is the conservative therapeutic management of developing scoliosis in a growing child.

Esther will present about non-surgical therapeutic management of developing scoliosis in a growing child.  

Maintaining alignment, symmetry & mobility is key: based on science, influence gravity, expert opinion & patient feedback. 

The findings from the Scoping Review of non-surgical treatment options will be presented as well as the authors' experience of 40+ years working with this population. The age of onset of common neuromuscular and genetic disorders presenting with scoliosis was documented in the review.

Treatment can vary per diagnosis and per symptom (central hypotonia, spasticity, dystonia, muscle weakness, pain, scarring).

Awareness of the age of onset and bone growth related to soft tissue growth needs to be established. The need to counter gravity on the spine and thorax to preserve Quality of Life cannot be emphasized enough. Knowing the risk factors and taking the bone structure and effects of gravity on the growing spine, pelvis, and thorax into account is a must for every pediatric physiotherapist. 

A variety of interventions will be reviewed.

Preventative measures need to be taken on time because of the influence of gravity during sleep and in sitting. Demonstrated are possibilities to address pain, prevent hip migration, collapsing thorax, pelvic obliquity, and help maintain mobility.

Manners to address a number of multisystem symptoms (skin issues, colon dysfunction, breathing difficulties, bone mineralization deficits) will be discussed. The ‘wait and see’ approach is detrimental and vigilance for signs of further impairment is needed during the entire development from infancy to adulthood.

In this online course, the possibilities we have as pediatric physiotherapists are addressed.

The various assessment tools are shown and the necessity to scrutinize the X-rays is clarified. A number of practical treatment options are discussed and demonstrated. A number of treatment options are mentioned only, some are often addressed by colleague occupational therapists or orthotists.  

We further need to listen to parents, empower them, make them crucial members of our MD team, and not underestimate them and show them what they can do to help their child.

Learning objectives

After attending this course participants will:

• Have a better understanding of the age of onset and bone growth related to soft-tissue growth.
• Know the risk factors and the importance of preserving Quality of Life.
• Know the basic assessment possibilities.
• Know of a number of non-surgical treatment options taking the bone structure and effects of gravity on the growing spine, pelvis and thorax into account.
• Be aware of the need to look at and implement early preventative measures.

What's included

By registering for this online course, you receive:

• 1.5 hours of video lessons, broken down into short, digestible videos
• Downloadable PDF of the slides
• Downloadable reference list
• Lifetime access
• A certificate of completion

Please note: This course includes English closed captions which you can turn on/off in each video lesson.

Audience

This course is for all rehabilitation professionals working with children with neuromuscular or genetic disorders in danger of developing asymmetry in the spine and trunk. This includes but is not limited to, physiotherapists (physical therapists), occupational therapists, kinesiologists, and physiotherapy and occupational therapy assistants (PTA/OTA).