Development of Home Educational Materials for Families of Preterm Infants.

INTRODUCTION: Parent educational materials describing infant positioning for a home program are vital in supplementing NICU discharge instructions and promoting parent confidence. PURPOSE: To document the process of developing a brochure and DVD of a positioning program, using evidence-based practice and NICU expert feedback. METHODS: A trifold brochure and companion DVD were developed to demonstrate infant positioning to parents of premature infants for a home developmental program following NICU discharge. A standard process of development was followed for the brochure and DVD script and production. The process included review and comment by eight NICU professionals and several revisions. RESULTS: Content of the brochure and DVD and the process entailed in their development is described. Guidelines outlining the process for development of educational materials for families are provided. CONCLUSION: Creation of multimedia educational materials for parents of infants who are NICU graduates requires a multistep process to ensure usefulness and validity.

Rehabilitation postfacial reanimation surgery after removal of acoustic neuroma: a case study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Facial paralysis can have a significant negative impact on an individual's social, physical, and emotional well-being; however, little information has been reported on the efficacy of physical therapy interventions for this condition. The purpose of this case study was to describe the details of a physical therapy evaluation and intervention for a patient who underwent facial muscle transfer after resection of acoustic neuroma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 29-year-old woman underwent left-sided facial reanimation surgery, which included transplantation of the temporalis muscle and platysma muscle to the corner of the mouth. INTERVENTION: The patient received 30 sessions of physical therapy that included electrical stimulation, biofeedback, lymphatic drainage, home exercises and facial stretching, and scar management. OUTCOMES: The patient exhibited an improvement in the Composite score of the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System from 17 to 41. She was able to regain function of the left side of her face with gains in expressions of smiling, frowning, and puckering, but symmetry was not completely restored. The patient had chronic difficulty with left-sided lymphedema, requiring frequent manual lymphatic drainage. DISCUSSION: Data from this case study suggest that physical therapy management improves functional outcomes for individuals with postoperative changes in facial motor function from facial reanimation surgery. Further research is required to explore factors that influence the rate and extent of recovery derived from physical therapy interventions.

Nonoperative management of spasticity in children.

Central to the longitudinal management of childhood hypertonia are nonsurgical treatments. These include physical and occupational therapy, electrical stimulation, orthotics, botulium toxin, and drugs. This manuscripts reviews these treatment modalities as well as evaluation tools available to assess their impact on a child's hypertonia.