Today I was able to go on a home visit to a "village" with the other PTs. The "village" was really just the outskirts of town so it wasn't as rural as I was expecting. The family that lived here though had two twin boys named Four and Five. Both of these boys were born with some type of genetic disease that made them really weak and they had very stiff limbs, double vision and no head control. Five recently passed away due to this disease and no one knows how long Four will be around. The visit was very interesting though because as I have observed at the center I have been wondering where the parent support and interaction was. This visit showed me a different side of what the center does because the PTs packed up some supplies and brought the therapy room to the boy's house. And as they worked with Four they showed his mom different positions to hold him in to strengthen his limbs and how to exercise him while also playing and having fun with him. I was very glad to see a parent so involved in their child's health and willing to take on the challenge of PT with their child when the people from the center cannot make it out. Seeing their house also opened my eyes to another challenge that many Thai families face. Their house was one big open room downstairs, crammed with furniture and a mattress with a mosquito net overhead for Four to sleep on. Then they had a narrow staircase leading upstairs where I assume their was a large room they slept in. The kitchen and bathroom were outside. The problem I realized was that there is absolutely no way that the kids with disabilities here can use a wheelchair or even a walker in their own house. They have to be carried everywhere inside because there is simply no room for them to move around in a crammed house. This is just another reason why I think the children here at the center who need PT are not making as much improvement as one would expect. The only time they have their muscles engaged and focus on exercises where they can freely move around and practice walking is the hour in the therapy room at school. The whole situation can be really frustrating!
Jessica spent the morning in the older classroom. She finds the class frustrating at times because there is no routine and many students who "can't talk" are just left alone to keep themselves busy. She is hoping this week to show the teacher (Em) how to engage all the students with activities that can be used for a wide learning group. She also is trying to find out if the students here have IEPs and if so how these are being met in the classroom.
After a wonderful authentic Thai lunch with Saylo (the director) and her mom, we worked on the calendar that Jessica has been creating. When we finish it tomorrow we will post a picture. The teachers are all very excited about it and we think it will turn out great!