Werdnig-Hoffmann病児の作業療法の取り組み

概要

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Occupational　therapy services have been provided for a patient　with a severe Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease ever since he was hospitalized with a respirator to survive as a newborn. The purpose of this study is to describe the EOG (electro-oculogram) communication system and its application in occupational therapy. The detective and control unit for the EOG has been improved in a joint project with the engineering department to avoid any faulty functioning and to make easy manipulation possible. The occupational therapy program has focusedon setting a suitable play environment for his developmental stage to motivate him to control the unit by his intentional ocular movements. Along with this special program, the opportunities for optimum sensory stimulation, such as audio-visual, tactile, kinetic, olfactory, have been provided through variousplay media to decrease the secondary deprivation due to the long term hospitalization. After nine years of occupational therapy the patient has learned to use the EOG communication system to exercise and express his will at least in computer aidedplay activities, thus enriching the totally passive daily life with resulting from such a severe disease. Further improvement of this system is being in progress to. make simple verbal communication possible.