Case Studies
- Speech Therapy 1 Sophie
- Speech Therapy 2 DB
- Neurology A.Z.
- Physiotherapy Sarah
- Occupational Therapy J.M.
Case Study-Speech Therapy
Sophie
Sophie, aged 16, attended for assessment 4 months post brain injury. She presented with aphasia, mild dyspraxia and acquired dyslexia. This resulted in difficulties ‘finding words’, difficulties saying long words and difficulties with reading. Therapy goals for Sophie involved word finding activities as well as the teaching of strategies that she can use when she is having difficulty expressing herself, for example, when Sophie experiences a word finding problem, she tries to think of the first letter of the word in order to cue herself. Helping Sophie to read has been a large part of her rehabilitation. This has involved teaching her how to ‘sound out’ words she does not recognize as well as teaching her to recognize very common words automatically. Sophie is continually making progress in therapy. Her word finding skills are improving steadily and as a result she is a lot more confident with communicating. She also finds longer words easier to say and she is able to read and understand short paragraphs with minimal difficulty.
Speech and Language Therapist
“Sophie attends AST for rehabilitation from a brain injury she suffered last June. She undergoes physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Sophie has made remarkable progress since she started in AST in October. She is getting stronger, more able and confident each day. Her strength is returning and she can walk much better and longer than before and she can now chat happily to her friends on the phone as her speech is dramatically improved. AST is a God send for us and the staff are friendly, welcoming and above all highly trained and very good at what they do”.
- Sophie’s Dad
Case Study-Speech Therapy
DB
DB is a 16 year old boy who presents with Down syndrome. The Speech and Language Therapy Assessment found DB to have difficulties with receptive and expressive language skills as well as difficulties with oral motor skills.
Therapy goals for DB’s oral motor skills included increasing cheek, mouth and tongue tone; improving coordination of tongue movements and improving swallowing pattern. Therapy was also aimed at increasing DB’s understanding of complex sentences (including prepositions, low frequency adjectives, etc.) w-questions, as well as fast changes of subject.
Expressive language abilities were also targeted in therapy. This involved providing strategies for fluency difficulties, articulation training, creating complex sentences and using correct tenses.
After half a year of weekly therapy sessions as well as providing additional support through liaison with DB’s parents and school, DB has made much progress.
Improvements have been noted in his intelligibility, as well as self control of breathing and speech coordination (affecting fluency). The sentence structure has also increased in length and complexity and he is now able to correctly use the past tense. Further improvements have been seen in DB’s swallowing pattern; facial and oral tone, as well as lip seal. DB’s understanding of language has also increased and he is now able to participate in every day conversations with the support of the communication partner.
DB’s parents:
“We have seen a great improvement since D started speech & language therapy. His intelligibility of his speech is remarkable. His teachers have found a great improvement also.”
Case Study-Neurology
Name: A.Z.
D.O.B.: 14/04/1977
Diagnosis: Infantile Scoliosis
Therapy start: 22/04/08
Frequency: Once a week
History:
- Scoliosis of 20 degrees by the age of 12 years
- Worst angle of 60 degrees during adolescents
- 10 years of corset treatment
- Last measure (3 years ago) showed an angle of 45 degrees
- Three weeks of Vojta Therapy in Argentina
Symptoms:
- Respiratory problems
- Pain in lower back, throat and neck
- Pain in shoulders and pelvis
- Sometimes pain in the knees
- Decreased mobility in spine, hip and shoulder
Therapy:
- Vojta therapy
Treatment goals:
- Pain reduction
- Spine straightening
- Improving the rib movement for breathing
- Improving muscle coordination
- Muscle activation
- Activation of the nervous system
- Becoming deeper and regular breathing
Achieved goals after 8 months:
- Improved cardio-vascular fitness
- Wall climbing
- Surfing
- Soft Yoga training
Patient’s comments:
"Posture, breathing, flexibility and pain has improved. The therapy is proving to be the most effective approach of the ones I have tried in 20 years."
Case Study-Physiotherapy
I THANK MY LUCKY STARS
I travel from Co. Offaly to Cobh on a weekly basis to attend AST Physiotherapy with my daughter who receives 3 days intensive physiotherapy treatment. This clinic is run by a highly professional caring and devoted staff in a very pleasant atmosphere. Sarah is a 5 year old girl with cerebral palsy. She had surgery in Barcelona in May 06 to straighten her legs and her treatment in Cobh began on 28th June 06. Her progress has been absolutely amazing over the weeks, as she has achieved many milestones. To see her standing upright is overwhelming, as there has been differing opinions in the past as to whether or not Sarah would ever walk. I have no doubt that this dream will become very real with the expertise of these wonderful people, and until that day I will happily continue to travel to this outstanding clinic.
There is no challenge too great for AST Physiotherapy in Cobh.
Martina Ryan
Case Study-Occupational Therapy
Name: J. M.
D.O.B.: 28/09/1984
Diagnosis: Incomplete spinal cord injury C5/C6 since June 2007
Therapy start: 24/04/08
Symptoms:
- After accident he was in bed (no movement) for 2 months, in the wheelchair for following 6 months and on crutches
- Came to therapy with two crutches for walking.
Therapy:
- Vojta Therapy
- Neurodynamic Therapy
- Strengthening training on the pully system
Goals:
- Vojta Therapy
- Becoming a functional more mobile spine
- Becoming a deeper and more regular breathing
- Freeing blocked or developing new networking within the nerve network between the brain and the spinal cord
- Activation of the breathing-, stomach- and pelvis floor muscles
- Extension and rotation of the spine to receive more mobility
- Neurodynamic Therapy
- Increase spine and extremity mobility
- Increase the nerve activation
- Training with the Pully system
- Muscle strengthening of upper body, arms and legs
Patient’s opinion:
"AST and Vojta therapy has been a huge help to me. When discharged from hospital I felt I had hit a wall. Thankfully I heard about AST and within a few weeks had noticed improvement. I went from walking slowly with two crutches to now confidently walking around with just a stick and inside without any assistance. I feel that with more therapy from the excellent Christian I will recover even further."