Case Study: Angelman Syndrome
Meet Sandra. Sandra was born with
Angelman syndrome. She didn’t start walking until
she was 4. At that time, she used a gait trainer and
a walker with help. However, frequent seizures put
Sandra at risk for falling. Intensive therapy helped
Sandra walk independently, but only for a few
months.
Then Sandra tried a KidWalk with a soft trunk
wrap for fall prevention. Adding a vagal nerve
stimulator helped reduce seizures, and Sandra
finally was able to maintain independent mobility.
Sandra requires dynamic systems because of low tone. She uses a
ThevoTwist seating system with a rocking option and a Thomashilfen
bed, which helps her sleep comfortably through the night.
Sandra is now 25. She has low bone mineral
density from years of anti-seizure medicine.
However, Sandra still stays active and is involved in
her community. She enjoys cycling, swinging and playing with her
switch toys.
Case study provided by Ginny Paleg, DScPT, MPT, PT.
This article originally appeared in the Seating & Positioning Handbook 2016-2017 issue of Mobility Management.