Gresham Lecturer Takes On Implications of Children’s Spinal Cord Injuries
Most of us think of spinal cord injuries (SCI) as an adult problem. But 25% of them happen to children, and the fact that kids are still growing and developing presents many practical issues for rehabilitation professionals to address.
MJ Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, professor of occupational therapy, Thomas Jefferson University, focused the 15th Annual Glen E. Gresham Visiting Professorship in Rehabilitation Science on the unique practicalities of pediatric SCI and implications of growth and development on rehabilitation principles. Mulcahey is also chair of the board of trustees of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation.
According to Mulcahey, some practicalities of pediatric SCI include more time having to live with secondary complications, like curvature of the spine, and longer exposure to treatments. One important concept in relation to pediatric SCI is anticipatory guidance, which helps parents, and their children, contextualize changes as natural transitions instead of problems. For example, a child with SCI might choose to transition from devices that help them to walk to those with wheels, so that they can keep up with their peers as they progress through childhood.
“Anticipatory guidance refers to the process of ongoing education and preparation for the child and the family about future situations, changes and complications. We use anticipatory guidance to mitigate barriers to future possibilities,” she said.
The annual Glen E. Gresham lecture features a nationally or internationally recognized authority in an area directly related to rehabilitation science.