medical conditions

A general term describing a group of chronic non-progressive neurological symptoms which cause impaired control of movement and which are evident in the first few years of life.

CP is caused by damage or faulty development of the motor areas in the brain, disrupting the ability to control movement and posture. CP is usually thought of as congenital or perinatal, however, it can also be acquired after birth, from: head injury, jaundice and rubella (German measles).

Cerebral palsy is classified by the type of problem with bodily movement (such as spastic or even athetoid cerebral palsy) or by the affected body parts (hemiplegia – one side of the body, diplegia – both sides of the body symmetrically and quadriplegia – all four limbs).

Depending on the type and severity of CP any of our seating products could be suitable for someone with CP.

Modular Seating would be good for the growing child that needs symmetrical support and adjustability for growth.

Dynamic Seating would be ideal for the client who exhibits extensor thrust and may have or develop an asymmetric posture. Whereas clients that have become more severely affected asymmetric postures would benefit from one of our Bespoke Seating Systems

A genetic condition that causes muscle weakness and a progressive loss of movement. SMA causes the motor neurones in a certain area of the spinal cord to deteriorate. This results in progressive muscle wasting and loss of ability to move parts of the body.

We have used Carved Foam Seating for people with SMA and when they are very changeable we have provided Vakuform Seating

A disability in the brain occurs due to a head injury. The degree of brain injury can range from mild through to severe. There are two types of brain injuries: Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) 
and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). ABI is not a hereditary type defect but is a degeneration that occurs after birth. The causes of such cases of injury are many and are mainly because of external forces applied to the body parts. TBI results in emotional dis-functioning and behavioural disturbance.

We have used many different types of seating for people with head injuries and due to their potential improvement products may need to be adapted or changed regularly so Modular Seating might be appropriate or Matrix Seating would be an ideal custom contoured option.

A syndrome of spasms and sustained contractions of the muscles. These muscle movements are involuntary and they result in repetitive abnormal movements of parts of the body or persistently abnormal postures. It can affect virtually any single part of the body or several different areas at once.

A fully supportive and “hugging” type seat offering maximum contact would usually be good for clients with this condition such as Moulded Seating or Carved Foam Seating

A Always poses problems with making decisions about seating provision e.g. The present seat needs replacing but an operation is imminent so a seat can’t be assessed for or provided until post-op because of practicalities, time scale and cost. However, often “imminent” could be months away so the client faces months in unsatisfactory, uncomfortable and impractical seating.

The other common situation is: the current seating is fine but post operation e.g. hip reconstruction, the hip(s) will be a different shape and in a different position and the legs might be able to be in say a more abducted (knees apart) position, so the seat will need to accommodate the new position.

There is inevitably a period of time between post-op assessment and supply of new seating or even adjustment of existing seating. Some of our products are so adaptable and easily adjusted that they would be suitable for before and after certain major operations.

Delfi Pro and Sharky Pro provides quick and easy adjustment assymmetrically of the leg supports, so would be ideally suited for the different positions of hips and legs pre and post-op, it could even be adjusted to accommodate a hip spica.

Vakuform Seating is infinitely adjustable in its contouring so a Vakuform back support could accommodate change of shape of a clients back after a spinal operation and it could be suitable for supporting the back/spine while waiting for the date of the op.