time for summary

‘The phenomenon of the World is its riches. When you live in one culture or one environment, you don’t realize how huge and extreme is the variety of the World.’

[Kapuściński]

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TAK !

practice - continuation

After short break, we started our practice again.
In the second week I observed work of physiotherapists in deparment B in Fjordskolen in Aabenraa.

This part of school is for children with multiple handicaps. Most of them is sitting in wheel chairs and need a lot of care with personal hygiene or eating. Some of them have to be fed trough a stomach tube.

The main diagnosis in department B are:

• spasticity
• muscle contractions
• lopsided back

The main tasks of physitherapists are:
training of stability, mobility, balance, strenght, body awareness;
gain the children ability of sitting, standing, walking or getting from one position to another.


The third week I spent with physiotherapeutist Gitte ang Ulla in Department A. This part of school has students with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), with Autism, Aspergers Syndrom.

PDD:
children with this desease have problems with social communication, social imagination in playing and in flexible thinking.

Asperger's Disorder:

• lucid speech before the age of 4 years of age
• communication is sometimes repetative
• voice tends to be flat, emotionless
• can be obsessed with coplex topics - pattern, weather, music, numbers, cars
• IQ's: many are above normal range in verbal ability and below average in performance range
• lack of common sense
• movement tend to be clumsy
• sensory probles appear not to be as dramatic as in other forms of autism
• socially aware but display inappropriate reciprocal interactions
• often seen as depression, anxiety
• in adulthood many lead productive lives; living indepently, working effectivly in a job and raising a family
  

Autism:
For this children the most important thing is to use an individual programme. Therapists should use visual, concrete materials and practice skills in real situations. They should learn how to solve conflicts. The day at school have to be predictable and understandable by using scheduls for the day, lessons, rules should be written.
Every student has his own seat, table to work, place to relax, his own materials and individual schedule: what to do, how long, with whom, where, what's next. They have to know what to do during the break and the day at school can't be stresful.

Missing Easter in Poland

It’s my first time, when I spend Easter far away from my home and from my family. In Poland Christmas or Easter are very domestic time. It’s very important for us. We spend time together and visit each other… and it’s why I supposed this time would be very difficult for me.

Still yesterday I thought it would be really a big defeat. Because I assumed that only in Poland, with my family it’s possible. And in addition somebody stole our 30 EGGS ! I haven’t presumed that it’s possible here- in Denmark We put with Gosia our eggs downstairs to the fridge the day before. And yesterday we wanted to boil some and…surprise! Our all pallet with 30 eggs just disappeared. Now it’s funny! :) But yesterday I thought that we would cry with Gosia. Because we don’t have here our typical, traditional polish Easter food, and to make things worse we didn’t have then even eggs.

But fortunately girls from our house were so nice and they share with us… :D

Easter Sunday is very important in Poland. We spend all day with our family. The most important is common, festive breakfast.

We decided to prepare it together in our place. But before this, Lilla prepared for us big surprise and we went to look for painted eggs in grass. It was very very nice! :) And later we came back and settled down together to the Easter table. It went beyons all my expectations !!! Even Cana joined us! :) It wasn’t completely like at home, but almost ! :) Big thanks girls !!! ...for beautiful decoration, delicious food and just for very nice atmosphere ! :)

…but in spite of all this nice things I still think that only at home you can celebrate Easter in the best way, which you used to do. After breakfast I went for a long walk and then I really started to miss my relatives. I wasn’t nice experience, because I knew that at that moment they were together …

Wednesday, April 1st - equipment

Today, I'm impressed by all equipment, which Fjordskolen have and can use to make moving and excercising of children easier and more comfortable.

First, I participated with Nasir in short bike trip. He has paresis in his leg, so he wouldn't be able to ride. But he as a special bike in which he can use his arms.
In the school in the hall there is a lot of bikes. Each of them are doffernet and adapted to each pupils.













Then I was with one of physiotherapist in the swimming-pool. It was nice to see:

• adjustable bottom of the swimming-pool
• special sling to carry children from dressing room to the swimming-pool
• good equipment to use in swimming-pool
  

And on the end Louise showed all equipment which they have in basement. There was a lot of them. I'm impressed by this. But it's perfect, I think. Because therapists can match and choose the best one for each student.

And the most important sentence which Louise said today:
IN DENMARK, THERE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL HANDICCAPED CHILDREN HAD AND WERE TREATED LIKE THE OTHER, HEALTHY.
And today, I really saw it. All this equipment, all this therapy and efforts aim to make and ensure their life as easy as possible.