Current Pediatric Research

Expectation of Physiotherapy intervention to a child with Brain Tumor, Cerebral Palsy and Blindness

International Conference on Pediatrics & Neonatal Healthcare
March 14-15, 2019 | London, UK

Aikaterini Ziaka

Physio4you, Greece

Keynote : Curr Pediatr Res

DOI: 10.4066/0971-9032-C1-010

Abstract:

Brain tumor in childhood is very hard to be dealt with. The whole situation demands great deal of patience and perseverance from parents to treating doctors. It also depends on the type of tumor and the condition of the child itself. Relapses are also very common and can be fatal for a patient’s life. In the present case study, we examine the course of a 4 years old child, named Irene, who was diagnosed with brain tumor at the age of 8 months. The tumor is near the optic chiasm, which caused blindness. Irene learned to walk at the age of 18 months after physiotherapy sessions but at that point she relapsed. She had an hemorrhagic stroke which caused her right spastic hemiplegia and as a result she lost the ability to walk. She had an operation and after that chemotherapy treatment. Since the beginning in order to make Irene stand on her feet again, we had a very close cooperation with her parents and her doctors to continue physiotherapy sessions during the chemotherapy treatment. The physiotherapy based on the NDT method and uses her hands very well in any activity she needs. Our therapeutic procedure was aimed for her to be a child but without any risk of her life, because of her vision luck. We focused on teaching her how, what and when to do daily activities. Therefore, in future she could be like any other blind child but cheerful and happy. And we succeed on that! Today she can deal with her walking perfectly and she understands the importance of physiotherapy. We are very proud of her!

Biography:

Aikaterini Ziaka has completed her bachelor degree on Physiotherapy at Alexandreio Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki (A.T.E.I.Th.). She completed her MSc at University of Thessaly and her research was “The differentiation of postural control by manipulating visual perception through prism adaptation”. She is a pediatric therapist over 28 years period and she specialized in NDT-Bobath method. She has been at A.T.E.I.Th. as lab assistant professor in neurorehabilitation for 11 years. She completed her studies on Orthopedic Manipulative Therapy Diploma in 2016 and she is an OMT therapist since. She had many publications and she always remain informed on neurorehabilitation. She owns a physiotherapy lab, named Physio4you, since 2012. From the beginning of her career she was exclusively devoted to children and their deficits. She is married with 2 children. 

E-mail: Ziaka@physio4you.gr

PDF HTML