Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
her head is supported by an adaptive head collar for 10-15 min; this has greatly
improved over the past year.
•
Spiritual:
ZA attends church with her family. They are engaged in church events
and believe they have a strong support system within their church family.
11.5.1.3 Environment
ZA lives at home with her biological parents and one older sister, age 6. They have a fam-
ily dog that ZA adores and ZA's parents have taught the dog to retrieve items that ZA
has dropped. Her sister enjoys playing with ZA and will play the piano for her. The fam-
ily is involved in their local church and enjoys being active in the community. Her par-
ents have expressed concerns on how to adapt their home environment to optimize ZA's
independence.
11.5.1.4 Occupation
•
Activities of daily living:
ZA is dependent with all dressing and hygiene needs. She
will extend her arm using the ATNR to assist with dressing but relies on her par-
ents for her self-care needs. She is dependent for all grooming and hygiene needs
because of physical limitations. The OT and SLP are working on ZA using an eye
gaze system to tell her mother the routine of her personal skills (teaching early
self-advocacy skills). ZA is currently dependent with her feeding and does eat
three meals; again the OT and SLP are encouraging parents to use eye gaze to
make choices of preferred meal items. ZA enjoys making choices and smiles when
she gets to choose dessert because she enjoys chocolate cake.
•
Play and leisure:
ZA is attentive and enjoys being engaged various activities in the
playroom. Her occupational and physical therapists have been using switch access
for play activities and functional learning skills. She is currently using a head
switch to access computer early learning activities. She loves music and is engaged
in computer-based learning tasks that use music as a positive reward. The OT
also adapted the music stereo at ZA's church so she can access and play the music
while attending church. ZA is currently using a manual wheelchair with adapted
seating, and the PT is working on positioning need when in her wheelchair. She
has tried some built-up handle items but seems to do better with a universal cuff
when holding items/materials during art and play.
•
ZA is in the stage of novice user at the age of 21 months as the family and therapists
are becoming familiar with her skill level matched to skills needed for potential
devices. The ECI team identified ZA's personal characteristic that can influence her
use of AT solutions. The ECI team indicated that ZA is very motivated and deter-
mined to complete her tasks. She seems willing to learn new strategies and does
not get frustrated despite her physical limitations. Her parents are very involved
in her care and appear to be comfortable with technology.
•
AT plan of intervention:
•
Set up home environmental modifications to enhance the ZA's independence
through an environmental control system and toy adaptations using switch
access.
•
Mobility:
OT/PT will assess potential skills needed for ZA's ability to activate
an electric wheelchair with a head switch to increase independence in mobility.
