Support with moving, talking and eating

The Paramedical service offers specialized care by way of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, dietetics and movement therapy. The paramedics are – if so required – part of the patient’s multidisciplinary medical team.

They also offer special types of therapy, such as neuro re validation or sensory information processing. Achieving the highest possible quality of life for the patient is always key.

Physical therapy

The (pediatric) physical therapist is the expert in the field of motor function. At Kempenhaeghe, problems learning to move/moving are often related to neurological disorders and/or physical disabilities. The long-term use of medication such as AED’s can also play a role.

Physical therapists examine the motor development of children and sometimes adults. In the case of children there may be questions relating to the motor development to support the learning process. For residents of the Center for Residential Epilepsy Care treatment indications are often neurological and/or orthopedic in nature.

Some epilepsy patients wear a crash helmet for protection. These are fitted by the physical therapists.

Occupational therapy

The occupational therapist helps people to live as independently as possible. The support is often focused on general daily activities such as washing, dressing, eating, drinking and arm and hand functions. If necessary, the therapist organizes additional aids – for instance a wheelchair, recumbency-orthosis or a lifting aid – and teaches the patient/resident and sometimes their attendants to work with the aids. The occupational therapist also supports when there are questions regarding posture and moving independently.

Movement therapy

Movement therapy aims to let people move, individually or in groups. In addition to attention for the body there is attention for wellbeing and body awareness. The movement therapist advices fitting, sometimes adapted activities to improve the general condition.

Speech therapy

Epilepsy, and also intellectual disabilities, often come with speech/language problems. Speech therapists examine and treat children and adults, with or without intellectual disabilities, when problems arise in speech, language, communication, voice and swallowing. In the Center for Residential Epilepsy Care speech therapy is also deployed when there are hearing problems. The speech therapists work, if necessary, in a multidisciplinary team. In the Center for Residential Epilepsy Care the speech therapist is part of the eating- and drinking team, the autism team and the SI team.

Dietetics

The dieticians at Kempenhaeghe advice about healthy food and lifestyle, counsel when patients are under or overweight and are called in for the implementation of tube feeding and dealing with (food) intolerance. The dieticians are part of the eating and drinking team that supports the residents of the Center for Residential Epilepsy Care. In the Academic Center for Epileptology the dieticians are part of the ketogenic diet team.

The ketogenic diet is an important treatment method for people with a therapy resistant type of epilepsy. The dieticians have an important role in calculating, setting up and teaching to use the diet in order to achieve ketosis (fat burning). Also see www.ketogeenmenu.nl. (Dutch only)