Re: Kim please re: scoliosis

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

HANDLE does not treat scoliosis specifically, as we are not medical

doctors, but there can be neurodevelopmental factors that contribute

to the worsening or improving of the condition, such as muscle tone, a

weak vestibular system, and heightened stress or unintegrated primary

reflexes, that are dealt with when people come to us for HANDLE

programs for other reasons.

(From a HANDLE perspective) First if you can think of scoliosis as a

muscle tone problem, not a bone problem. It is the muscles that are

pulling the bones into the curved positions. We know those with

CHARGE have low tone, so that does increase the risk for scoliosis.

But coming from my nursing background, medically we did not treat muscle tone.

If a person had spasticity we attemtped to maintain range of motion

and prevent contractures. If a person had low tone we tried to

strengthen their muscles.

But muscle tone is not about muscle strength, it is about the

readiness of the muscle to respond when it gets the signal from the

brain. In low tone, there is a lag between the message and the

response, in high tone there is a quick, premature response to the

message, neither allows the person to adequately regulate their muscle

movements. This interferes with the person's ability to fomulate

signs, to use a pencil, to use their mouth to form words, to control

chewing, to control when they go to the bathroom, to sit up straight,

to breathe, to even regulate how much input is needed when touching

someone else so you don't hurt them. These are some of the reasons we

might be addressing muscle tone in a HANDLE program.

The second variable is the vestibular system - the vestibular system,

beyond it's role in balance works with the cerebellum to modulate

motor responses. We know that the vestibular system is impacted in

many people with CHARGE. We can't make the semi-circular canals grow,

but if we can help the person begin to feel, to begin to have control

in modulating their muscle movements, to provide anticipation to the

brain of what muscle will be used next, this helps improve muscle

tone, helps regulate eye movements, helps allow for work to be done

sitting up rather than in that so common lying down with foot propped

across knee CHARGE posture, helps regulate the energy demands so the

brain can multi-task etc. These are reasons we might address the

vestibular system in a HANDLE program.

When you have adequate tone and a strong enough vestibular system to

hold the body upright, does the curve lesson? I can't guarantee that,

but I am quite sure you will have seen improvement in other areas of

functioning.

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> Could you comment on any results you are familiar with regarding

> HANDLE treatment for scoliosis-both lower and kyphosis,

> particularly neuromuscular.

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> Thanks,

> in Ma.

>

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