Cerebal Palsy

popularfurball

popularfurball

Learning all the time
Jul 18, 2005
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I was just wondering up to what level of cerebal palsy the RDA centres are able to cope with? I know its different for each centre, but really want the maximum.

I know somebody who isn't able to speak/walk/support herself upright and suspected blind and deaf although she is responsive to bath time and sensory rooms. She loves the zoo and donkey sanctuary, but seeing as she doesnt have much pleasure (she cant eat or drink), I think she would love riding - obviously would need plenty of support staff, but didnt know if there was this facility for adults? I have seen children on ponies on pads with no saddles etc on lead rein doing physio - didnt know if adults could? She is probably 8st tops, but obviously longer than a child.
 
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Any decent RDA centre should be able to cater for her. Especially if she is light and can support herself. My old RDA group catered for lots of people with cerebral palsy, our most disabled was a young lady (think she was 17) who couldn't walk or support herself upright, so needed 2 sidewalkers and a leader, and we managed fine with her, she was such a lovely girl but unfortunately had to stop riding due to operation to widen her hips :(

Have a look at www.rda.org.uk to find your nearest group :D
 
Sorry typo - she can't!

She just loves sensory stuff - lights and smells, having her legs and feet rubbed, aromatherapy and reflexology, so think she would like riding!
 
Difficult one. Is she able to sit upright with a little assistance? Does she have head control? Blind and deaf wouldn't be a problem, inability to weight bear would be I suspect. 8 stone of dead weight would be too much for the majority of sidewalkers to support. Generally is she stiff, floppy or a mixture?
 
She has head control, but unable to control it how you want if you get what I mean? She generally looks down, but she can roll her head and stare straight at you. She is reflexivley stiff, which is why I think this would help her. She is usually curled up in a ball, although sits upright in her chair when strapped in - her legs aren't fastened down and they don't pull up like when she is lying. She is able to move her legs, but again not on command.

We woulod need a hoist to get her on too. I really want to do it, but seems a little far off :(
 
Ok, well stiff is better than floppy. I reckon its worth a go if you have a big (usually fulltime) RDA group near you. You may or may not find that you need a hoist, if she can even partially weight bear through her legs then you'll be able to get away with an assisted transfer from a mounting ramp (that is big enough that when she's standing, her bottom is level with the saddle). If you do need a hoist then there are only a handful of groups that will have one.
Her head control may decrease when she wears a hat, and a big danger can be of flipping the head back as you describe because of excitement etc causing a whiplash-type injury because of the added weight of the hat. If she's 8 stone she will probably need a fairly large horse, so if she needs support at the shoulder a group with no big sidehelpers would struggle. If she can sit well enough to remain upright with support only at the hip, knee or inside of elbow then she's probably alright.
So...its difficult to say without seeing her, but worth a try. If the RDA group says no you could see if you can find a physio that practices hippotherapy.
 
Yeah the hippotherapy was what I was looking for primarily, but assumed only RDA centres would do this. Will look into physio route :D

Thanks for helpies!
 
They do tend to be based at RDA groups, but not all RDA groups do hippotherapy. It can be helpful to search for 'ACPTR' when trying to find RDA physios (its the association of chartered physiotherapists for therapeutic riding, and they tend to put that after their name rather than 'hippotherapist'.)
If you have no joy though it might be worth asking an RDA group. They all have contact with the ACPTR physios and could get one to come to the group to watch your friend ride for an assessment. The physio would then either tell the instructors and volunteers how best to support/teach her, or would say that it isn't appropriate for her.
 
It pulls up training to become a penguin followed by junk :(

Will phone the nearish RDA groups to find out if they can help... I cant wait til ~I can set my own up!!! Need to win lottery first though :(
 
popularfurball said:
It pulls up training to become a penguin followed by junk :(

Will phone the nearish RDA groups to find out if they can help... I cant wait til ~I can set my own up!!! Need to win lottery first though :(
Click to expand...
There's an RDA centre not far from you if you're in Mossley - it's the Kingfisher RDA centre in Broadbottom. It's quite small, but the woman who runs it is lovely and they might be able to help if you speak to them :).
 
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