Hosted by SASP – South African Society of 
Physiotherapy –
Paediatric Special Interest Group
Course Title:
‘A better understanding of Children with CP and similar neurodevelopmental conditions and principles to improve their coordination’
For the benefit of paediatric Therapists new or experienced (PT, OT, SLT) who wish to gain new knowledge and insights that open the opportunity to further develop excellent clinical reasoning and treatment skills, for the treatment of children with CP and similar neurodevelopmental conditions.
Thought-provoking, stimulating and interactive, including analysis of numerous videos of clients with various presentations.
- – Understand key mechanisms that will improve the child’s ability to learn and progress, whilst avoiding or delaying a plateau effect.
- – See how it is possible to target where the problem originates i.e. improving the function of: Basal Ganglia for clients with Dyskinetic CP / White Matter for clients with PVL, …
- – Observe and analyse various therapeutic activities that improve the way the brain is functioning following an initial insult and subsequent reorganisation.
MAES Therapy is a pioneering evidence-based approach, underpinned by practice evidence, patient evidence and contextual evidence from 30 years’ expert clinical and teaching experience world-wide and focusing on excellent treatment skills.
Dates: Friday 28th & Saturday 29th July 2023
Venue: Online, live and interactive via Zoom (The course is not recorded).
Format: The course will include lectures and videos analysis of a variety of presentations of CP
Course Lead By: Shane Brassell, PT MAES Therapy & Paediatric NDT
M.A.E.S. Therapy SA Coordinator
Course Fee:
R3200 SASP SIG members
R3650 SASP members (non SIG)
R5890 Non Members
Course Participant Attendance:
Course Participants are aware that they must attend the 2 days in full. Part attendance is not allowed.
Course Aims:
To introduce participants to:
- The MAES Therapy framework: a specific framework for identifying the relationship between skills and tasks and its critical relevance in understanding the reasons for atypical patterns of coordination for each child with Cerebral Palsy.
- An understanding of why missing skills has long-term consequences on the ability to participate in activities of everyday life (including mobility, self-care, play and communication).
- Appreciate the necessity of providing the child with a different path for development by acting on the primary cause of the limitation, rather than concentrating on targeting the visible symptoms.
- Understand the application of the MAES Therapy framework to develop individualised treatment strategies for each child.
- Understand the need for therapists to develop a wide repertoire of strategies to enable the child to develop a wider repertoire of ways to solve problems.
With this 2-Day Course, you will be introduced to M.A.E.S. Therapy and have an overview of the content that is developed during the 4-Week Foundation Course and gain an understanding of the clinical reasoning that defines the M.A.E.S. Approach.
Registration:
To apply for a place or for further information please contact:
Shane Brassell, PT MAES Therapy & Paediatric NDT
M.A.E.S. Therapy SA Coordinator
E: maestherapyrsa@gmail.com
T: 0027 (0)79 3167338
Feedback from some Therapists in South Africa who have taken this 2-Day Introduction Course:
“I highly recommend taking this introductory course. MAES gives you a completely different way to approach treatment sessions. It shifts your perspective to look not what the child is doing but how and why they are doing it that way. And then you can help them to change that and find a better way. This has taught me to shift my focus from moving onto the next highest functional level to improving the quality of movement of levels already attained.”
Tegan K, Physiotherapist“Thought provoking, dynamic and exciting. This is about tapping into the brain and realizing that less often gives more. Loved learning that the brain is where we need to work and not only on the body. Made a lot of sense and a shift in thinking.”
Claudia W, Physiotherapist“This course helped me see the hope that I’ve been looking for. I’ve been struggling with job satisfaction due to the plateaus in CP. This course has left me excited and has made me want to change who I am as a therapist.”
Sarah J, Physiotherapist“The course truly changed my perspective on how I view CP. What I am seeing in my children when doing certain things finally made sense. I realised what we traditionally deem as “good” or satisfactory may be detrimental to their development long term and contribute to reaching an early plateau. I am however motivated rather than discouraged to change and am excited for my clients!”
Kariena T, Occupational Therapist“I would highly recommend that other therapists attend this course in order to get a better
understanding of how the MAES Framework works as well as seeing video footage of its results. I think we should all become brain therapists instead of being a Speech Therapist, OT, physio etc. The introduction course has given me more information about what MAES is all about and assisted me in being able to analyse a child differently.”
Rochelle V, Speech Therapist“The MAES Introductory Course is an excellent first step in understanding the reasoning behind MAES and why implementing its treatment is an important skill to learn to better your therapy and the lives of your clients. It makes you question everything you have been doing previously, while at the same time reassures you that there are answers by opening your mind to all you can be doing. It helps you start to analyse and understand things differently. You cannot walk away from this course without wanting more – to do more and be better.”
Kirstin P, Occupational Therapist“This course is not only for therapists who want to find out about MAES Therapy, but is also great for therapists who have completed their 4 week Foundation Course. For new therapists it opens your eyes to a whole new world regarding CP. For MAES trained therapists, it is a fantastic refresher that covers all the foundational principles of MAES Therapy. It helps to layer and deepen your understanding which translates into seeing your CP kids with new, fresher eyes and progressing your therapy one step further forward. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone!
Sarah S, Physiotherapist“This is a very useful and beneficial course in broadening the way in which you approach a child with Cerebral Palsy. Important to go into the course with an open mind, seek to understand first, and then focus on how to apply the knowledge.”
Zoe M, Occupational Therapist
The next M.A.E.S. Foundation Course (2 x 2-Weeks) in South Africa:
https://maestherapy.com/events/event/maes-therapy-course-cape-town-2023/
M.A.E.S. Therapy – a new and pioneering approach to the treatment and management of children with Cerebral Palsy and similar neurodevelopmental conditions. “M.A.E.S. Therapy is a completely different way of thinking and therapy approach compared to Bobath-NDT”.
#cerebralpalsy
#neurodevelopmentaldisorders
#preterm|
#developmental delay
#prematurity
#neurodevelopmental
#spasticity
#hie
#periventricularleukomalacia
#movementdisorder
