Cerebral Palsy (CP), a disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture, is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person’s ability to control their muscles.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. It affects approximately four infants in every 1,000 born in the United States.
Spastic CP is the most common type of CP, affecting 80 percent of individuals diagnosed with CP. Children diagnosed with spastic CP, like 15-year-old Quanzel Dean, have increased muscle tone which means their muscles are stiff and their movements can be awkward.
Dean has a medical history of seizures and spastic quadriplegia, which is the most severe form of spastic CP and affects all four limbs. At 12 years old, he underwent surgery on his hip and femur to correct positioning and provide more stability.
“The combination of all these situations took a toll on Quanzel, which resulted in a more challenging rehabilitation process after the surgery. It was difficult to perform various home mobility activities such as crawling, climbing stairs, standing, and walking,” said Hli Dean, Quanzel’s mother.
Plan of Care
Quanzel’s plan of care, under the guidance of the physical therapy team at Care Options for Kids, included several therapeutic exercises and activities to strengthen his legs, core, posture and improve his endurance.
“A major focus of our in-home and telehealth therapy sessions was to increase Quanzel’s independence with his mobility and not relying on his mother for assistance,” added Ben Carlson, physical therapy assistant at Care Options for Kids.
Celebrating Accomplishments
After more than two years under the care of Care Options for Kids, Quanzel is doing much better physically. He is able to move around the house on his own, crawl up and down stairs, transfer onto the couch and into bed, and stand and take steps with his platform walker.
“I’m so thrilled with Quanzel’s progress. A big goal for him was to go up and down stairs without assistance. After a lot of practice during PT sessions, Quanzel is now able to independently crawl up and down stairs without any issues. Working with Ben and Patric McQuade has been a blessing. Both of them are positive and supportive of Quanzel’s goals, and they would always find ways to make it fun and motivating for Quanzel too,” adds Dean.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Quanzel. In addition to his major goal of ascending and descending stairs without any assistance, he can ride his modified bicycle outside without any assistance from his parents; perform sit-to-stands and stand independently while using his gait trainer assistive device; scoot himself across the couch from one end to the other; and transfer to and from the couch, bed and wheelchair independently with no assistance from his parents,” adds Carlson.
Care Options for Kids is the leading provider of pediatric occupational, physical, speech, behavior, and feeding therapy services. Our 400+ clinicians have provided therapy to over 4,000 children from birth to 21 years old. Since 2005, we have provided over one million visits.
In-home early intervention therapy care uses evidence-based techniques tailored to meet your child’s needs with a child-friendly focus. By providing one-on-one individual care in your child’s natural environment, we assist in establishing a strong foundation for future learning to give your child the ability to reach their best life. Our mission is to support you and your family in providing professional clinical evaluations, treatment options, resources, and information so you feel empowered to make the best decision for your child and family.
Schedule Your Child’s Care Assessment Today
At Care Options for Kids, we understand the unique challenges of caring for a child with health conditions. Our dedicated team of pediatric home health nurses is here to support your family with compassionate, expert care tailored to your child’s needs. Contact us today to schedule an assessment and learn how we can help you navigate this journey with confidence and care.
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This post is for educational and informational purposes only. You should always speak with your own therapist before implementing this information on your own.
