Therapy Programs for Children Last a Lifetime

Question: Discuss about the Therapy programs for children that last a lifetime? Answer: Implementation of Power Mobility Children suffering from severe spinal muscular atrophy are unable to move independently around their environment. Therefore, there may be delays in the development areas not related directly to the limitations of their motor activities. Power mobility enables these young children to move independently and explore the environment around them. Power mobility helps to improve the childs mobility by implementing the developmental changes. This is because the child learns to develop the maneuvering skills. The child gains independence and she explores the environment around her without any assistance. The mobility also privileged her various situations that she was unable to experience without the power mobility. So the power mobility greatly influenced the child to acquire better functional and developmental skills (Jones et al., 2003). Other Adaptive Equipment Adaptive equipment employs the concept of assistive technology that plays a major role in children for the development of skills required to grow and learn. These technologies include services and devices that include alternative and augmentative devices for communication, switches, assistive mobility technology, play material adaptation and microcomputers (Judge Parette, 1998). These technologies have been successfully implemented to facilitate and enhance the skill acquisition and participation of young children with severe spinal muscular atrophy. So in the present case of Molly, various types of adaptive equipment may be provided for her help as she grows up and develops. These may be listed below. Scooters and wheelchairs for mobility. Environmental access devices like control units for manipulating the stereo or TV. Computers that enable the child to play. Electronic toys to play independently during recreation or leisure. Devices for living independently like reaching or buttoning devices for physically disabled children. Proper positioning for maintaining the body alignment by using bolsters and rolls, which are vinyl covered. Various adaptive toys to enable the child to control it independently. Determination of Equipment Factors Mobility devices: Since children suffering from severe spinal muscular atrophy are unable to move independently around their environment, so mobility devices will be of immense help to them to learn about the world around them by moving. This gives them a sensation of freedom and independence, identifies the results of their individual actions and helps them to see and realize things from a different view point. So scooters and wheelchairs will be helping Molly to gain confidence within her and grow up enthusiastically (Papa, 2012). Environmental access devices will help Molly to control the various household electronic devices for better understanding and enjoyment. Since she is a kid, watching TV and listening to music will be quite appealing and interesting to her and a suitable control device can help her to think rationally while she grows up, as per her needs. Computers help the children to develop their ability of play and cognition. These provide the child with a customized environment required to improve her levels of skill and development. Special software for kids with motor disability will help them sharpen their gross and fine motor skills, will improve their span of attention; their skills of communication will get enhanced including their social skills. Electronic and adaptive toys will help Molly to play independently and explore her environment. Physically modified toys help the child to have a better control of the toy. It also helps the child to play while sitting on the wheelchair. Multi sensory remotes and devices further help in playing in a group with others (Orthoinfo.aaos.org, 2016). Mollys Equipment Needs Since Molly is a kid and is suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, movement is a very important aspect of her treatment regime. Apart from movement, her family should also provide her with adaptive equipments and assistive technology to facilitate her natural growth and development. Therefore, the equipment and technologies that have been mentioned above will be beneficial for Molly and it is essential for her family to provide her with the same (Li Leong, 1999). Scooters and wheelchairs for mobility are the prime requirement of Molly. Her family should provide her with this need as per her body adaptation. Environmental access devices should be well within her reach and her parents should arrange for suitable programs and music required for her growth and development. Computers with special software will be the best device to develop her cognitive skills. So her parents need to provide her with parental guidance while operating the computer for playing and learning purpose. Electronic and adaptive toys either purchased or modified at home will help Molly to play independently or in a group. Reaching or buttoning devices will help Molly to control her environment even from her wheelchair. It is very important for Molly to maintain a proper body positioning for her treatment. So her parents should arrange for bolsters and rolls, which are vinyl covered to facilitate the same (Dumas et al., 2015). Letter of Medical Necessity Letter of medical necessity is essential to receive the approval for funding from the insurance company. For Molly, the beneficiary, since mobility is the most important aspect, so funding authorization needs to be arranged for a wheelchair. This will include the following steps. The first step is the submission of a claim to the insurance company about the equipment. This will make the company to evaluate the claim and decide whether to deny or pay the claim. The second step will involve the clear understanding of the medical necessity of the beneficiary. The insurance company will analyze after that the medical necessity of the equipment. The third step should include the clarity of the letter about the equipment. The explanation for the necessity should be done in such a lucid fashion that it becomes understandable even to a nonprofessional. The fourth step will be the description of the equipment as to why it is beneficial to the beneficiary. Also, an explanation needs to be subm itted to why cost effective alternatives will not be appropriate and how it will reduce other related expenses. The fifth and last step will explain the company that the beneficiary is in a real adverse situation. However, by paying the claim, the company can improve the life of the beneficiary (Stressel Dickerson, 2014). Campbells Article Campbells article deals with the lifetime therapy programs for children. It determines that the devised programs of therapists for disabled children have lifetime validity. A number of therapy programs can be implemented for Molly from Campbell's article. The combination of musculoskeletal impairment prevention with self-determination helps in setting therapy goals for the child. Since the goal of this therapy is to play and move and environment exploration, wheelchair as the adaptive equipment is necessary for Molly. Mobility appropriate to age is the next goal for the child. Participating independently in the fun activities with family will require mobility and therefore the wheelchair is the essential mode of mobility for Molly. Another goal for the child shall be physical fitness for lifelong validity. This should employ various exercise programs and therefore should stress on improving the skills of movement, which in turn will include the wheelchair as adaptive equipment for Mo lly (Campbell, 1997). References Campbell, S. K. (1997). Therapy programs for children that last a lifetime. Physical Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics,17(1), 1-15. Dumas, H. M., Fragala-Pinkham, M. A., Rosen, E. L., Lombard, K. A., Farrell, C. (2015). Pediatric evaluation of disability inventory computer adaptive test (PEDI-CAT) and alberta infant motor scale (AIMS): Validity and responsiveness.Physical Therapy,95(11), 1559. doi:10.2522/ptj.20140339 Jones, M. A., McEwen, I. R., Hansen, L. (2003). Use of power mobility for a young child with spinal muscular atrophy.Physical Therapy,83(3), 253-262. Judge, S. L., Parette, H. P. (Eds.). (1998).Assistive technology for young children with disabilities: A guide to family-centered services. Brookline Books. Li, Y. H., Leong, J. C. (1999). 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