FSWC Children's Program
Our Program
Our Children’s Program provides specific, intensive, activity-based therapy programming for children with neurological conditions or acquired brain injuries that have created any developmental delays. Our program is designed to work with the child as a whole to improve motor planning, body awareness, independence, and quality of life.
Primitive Reflex Repatterning and Integration is a method directed towards developing the neurosensorimotor system by integrating primitive motor reflexes. Primitive reflexes create the foundation for human movement and survival. When the central nervous system, sensory system, or motor system is compromised, the ability to produce movement is hindered. By integrating these reflexes, the body can gain the ability to move in a more efficient and effective way.
Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) is used to activate deconditioned or paralyzed muscle groups. By using this safe, low-current electrical stimulation, it can assist in creating functional movement. This is a method used in a wide range of therapeutic indications.
Activity-based therapy is used to target the activation of the nervous system to promote recovery and rehabilitation of motor function for specific tasks after a traumatic injury.
Everyone is born with pre-programmed reflexes that help strengthen and train our bodies to be able to perform movement patterns against gravity. Due to differences in severity of injury, children with neurological conditions will experience varying degrees of difficulty progressing through developmental stages due to disruption of these reflex pathways.
Our program has the goal of providing intensive and directed therapy to help accelerate and guide the child’s development in the direction that it would naturally take. The combination of programs allows the body to reach a functional goal and produce a movement correctly in a shorter amount of time (4-12 weeks) than when compared to traditional therapy (12 months).
Benefits:
- Re-trains central nervous system
- Provides external feedback and stabilization
- Normalizes muscle tone
- Aligns the body to as close to normal as possible
- Provides dynamic correction
- Assists in proper gait patterning
- Provides tactile stimulation
- Influences the vestibular system
- Improves balance
- Improves coordination
- Decreases uncontrolled movements
- Improves body and spatial awareness
- Targets weak muscles
- Provides resistance to strong muscles to further enhance strengthening
- Improves head control and trunk control
- Promotes development of both fine and gross motor skills
- Provides load bearing for bone health
Intensives
Our intensive therapy program is designed to meet the child’s individual needs. We offer three-hour sessions, five days per week, for one to four weeks. The number of hours and length of the program may be modified based on the child’s needs and or/age (ex. 1-2 hours per day for a child under the age of 2.5 years).
We encourage parent/caregiver observation and involvement during each session. We believe that active parents/caregivers play an important role in their child’s success. On the last day of the program, the family will be given a personalized home program and shown how to do all exercises with the child. This home program will include the child’s own pictures or videos and descriptions of the exercise and activity.
Customized Programs
Our customized therapy program is designed to meet the child’s individual needs and is offered at the discretion of the families and our exercise therapists. These sessions can range from 0.5 hrs per week up to 10 hrs per week.
*While research indicates greater functional gains take place during intensives, the customized program allows flexibility for all families and their differing needs while still allowing for progress to be achieved.
Equipment Used
During each session we will utilize a wide variety of equipment appropriate for each child.
- The TheraSuit® is a breathable, soft dynamic orthotic used to improve and change proprioception, reduce pathological reflexes, restore physiological muscle synergies and load the entire body with weight similar to a reaction of our muscles to the gravitational forces.
- The Universal Exercise Unit® is used to train and isolate desired patterns of movement to specifically strengthen the muscle groups responsible for that movement. The UEU works to improve range of motion, muscle strength and joint flexibility, as well as functional skills, vestibular and proprioceptive input.
- Parallel Bars
- Above Ground Gait Training System
- Total Gym®
- Power Plate® Vibration Training
- Proprioceptive Swing
- Light Trackers
- Functional Electrical Stimulation
There are precautions and contraindications when using the TheraSuit®. Modification to our sessions can be made to ensure safety. Therefore, we require that all of our clients receive medical clearance from their physician prior to participating in our therapy programs. We recommend the child to be older than 2.5 years old to use the TheraSuit®. Caution is taken when using the suit on children with the following conditions...
Contraindications:
- Hip subluxation greater than 50%
- Severe scoliosis
- Fixed joint contractures in lower extremities or hips
Precautions:
- Heart conditions
- Uncontrolled seizure activities
- Hip subluxation less than 50%
- Hydrocephalus (VP Shunt)
- Diabetes
- Kidney problems
- High blood pressure
- Recent Surgery
Testimonials
We first reached out to First Steps Wellness Centre when Mason was just 2.5 months old (1.5 months after his diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy). Turning three this summer, we can’t imagine this journey without Erika and FSWC on Mason’s team! Born with extremely low muscle tone and no anti-gravity movements, Mason was fortunate to receive treatment fairly promptly, but no-one truly knew what his future would look like. There were many appointments where we wondered if Mason had plateaued or worried the treatment may not be as effective as it had been for others. Each uncertainty was continually met by hope and amazement. Erika’s incredible repertoire of treatment modalities meant she was always able to shine light on things we, as parents, could not see. From new reflexes coming in, to feeling greater activation of various muscles, Erika’s expertise never failed to amaze us. While Mason has gone through all the emotions in his sessions, Erika’s patience and encouragement has meant each session has seen growth and progress in many different ways. She has also been incredible at explaining these developments with us as parents, and ensuring we are well equipped to support Masons’s development at home. We are so grateful to have this incredible resource right here in our own community! Supporting First Steps Wellness Centre means supporting children like Mason to recognize their potential, not limits.
Our son has been attending First Steps Wellness Centre for a year and the programming has been truly life-changing. The dedicated team tailors exercises to suit our child’s needs while providing unwavering support and encouragement throughout. We’ve cried many happy tears watching him achieve milestones we weren’t sure he’d be able to meet and our therapists are usually right there with us. Thanks to their expertise and compassion, our son has made remarkable progress, gaining strength, mobility, and confidence. We’re incredibly grateful for the First Steps community and the positive impact they’ve had in our lives.
- Kayla and Ryan (Regina, SK)
Our daughter Scarlett has been attending First Steps for 4 years and has made the most amazing progress. She had a stroke at birth and has some paralysis on her right side. Since attending First Steps, Scarlett has gained a tremendous amount of movement and strength on her right side including independent walking, running and grasping things with her right hand. The hard work and passion from the staff can be felt as soon as you walk through the doors. The outstanding knowledge and dedication they put into each and every client is why there is so much success with everyone’s unique journey. First Steps has been a fundamental part of Scarlett’s journey and will continue to be an integral part of her physical recovery as she grows stronger each and everyday. We are so incredibly grateful to have access to this world class facility so close to home.
- Michelle H (Regina, SK)
Frequently Asked Questions
Highly motivated individuals who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and have or are working towards their CSEP-CEP. CSEP-CEP stands for Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology – Clinical Exercise Physiologist.
Our staff is committed to researching and finding new ways to improve the overall health, independence and quality of life of all clients we work with.
- 6 months and older
- Developmental delays
- Cerebral Palsy
- Spina Bifida
- Post stroke
- Brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Sensory integration and processing disorders
- Developmental coordination disorder
- Movement disorders
- Other neurological or neuromuscular disorders
The Intensive Therapy Program consists of 3 hours a day, 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. During this time, your child will receive one on one activity-based therapy with a highly trained exercise therapist. Please contact us for a more information on cost. We are also able to accommodate longer or shorter sessions depending on availability.
The Customized Therapy Program is flexible in time.
Our intensive sessions are held Monday through Friday with the option of a morning or afternoon session 9:00 am-12:00 pm or 1:00-4:00pm with flexibility available.
Our customized sessions are available during our open hours. Typically, this is from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
A typical day of the Intensive Program varies depending on the child’s needs, but may consist of the following:
- Warm up and deep tissue massage
- ROM/Stretching
- Strengthening specific muscle groups responsible for functional movements
- Tone reduction and sensory integration techniques
- Decrease pathological movement patterns
- Develop and improve proper movement patterns
- Reflex integration
- Functional electrical stimulation
- Balance, coordination and endurance training
- Transfers, functional activities and gait training
- Use of the TheraSuit®
The customized sessions may include some or all parts of the above modalities.
While research indicates greater gains may be accomplished during intensives, we do offer customized programming for those who don’t require an intensive.
The frequency that research suggests would be 2 to 4 times a year. As each child will have different needs, this is something the exercise therapist can discuss with the family to come up with the best, and most appropriate plan.
No, you do not. If you wish to purchase a TheraSuit®, you need to be trained in how to apply and adjust the bands in order to meet the anatomical/alignment needs of your child. If you wish to purchase your own TheraSuit®, the exercise therapist will assist you in how to use the suit while at home and will include that in your home program.
At this time, we have not had a commercial insurance carrier pay for an Intensive. We require the session to be prepaid. However, we will be happy to provide documentation to the family if they wish to submit the therapy hours to their insurance for consideration.
We currently accept e-transfer, cash, debit, MasterCard, Visa, and cheque. We can process credit card payments over the telephone or in person.
No other program in western Canada combines the research, technology and therapeutic outcomes that our program provides. With combining multiple resources to target different aspects, our Children’s Program provides a rounded approach to help develop the child as a whole.
If you are unsure if you are a candidate for our program or if you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact us. We would love to hear from you.