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M.A.E.S. Introduction Course Online
Dates: Friday 31 March & Saturday 1 April 2023
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.
Venue: Online, live and interactive – via Zoom
Format: The course will include lectures and videos analysis of a variety of presentations of CP
Course Leader: Jean-Pierre Maes MCSP, Director MAES Therapy International and M.A.E.S. Team
Course Fee: Only £250 GBP – for 2 full days.
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.
- 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:
Courses Organiser:
Jonathan Salsbury MIoD, Development Director
M.A.E.S. Therapy International
T: 0044 (0) 7787 435790
E: jsalsbury@maestherapy.com
Testimonials from Therapists (PT, OT & SLT)
Feedback from some Therapists who have taken this 2-Day course:
“I had been recommended by my colleagues to attend this M.A.E.S. Introduction Course and they had previously met Jean-Pierre and found him to be a very good trainer. I was surprised to find that M.A.E..S is a completely different way of thinking compared to Bobath-NDT. It shows me how ‘stuck’ my mind has become in how I view CP and the difficulties children have. Now I feel that I can start to consider what components are ‘missing’. I can now start to deconstruct the previous thought process I had and start to re-building, using the M.A.E.S. Framework.
I really enjoyed having my mind expanded and opened to the idea of a different way of assessing and treating children with CP. Very thought provoking and mind blowing.”
Harriet Hughes, Paediatric Physiotherapist, Devon UK
‘MAES is very interesting and very different to any previous approach to Cerebral Palsy. I really like the MAES Approach and am keen to explore further.
Great to have something new in the approach to Cerebral Palsy and exciting to be encouraged to think differently. After two days, I wish I knew more and I would like to be able to practice similar handling skills.’
Wiz Chilton, Senior Paediatric Physiotherapist, London
‘I was hoping to have an introduction to M.A.E.S. and this 2-day course has given me that and more and it is making me want to explore more. I like the fact that the M.A.E.S. Therapy Framework and Approach is so individualised. It has made me aware of my own need to analyse further. I advise fellow OT’s to take the opportunity everything to do this course, it would broaden your thinking and question your current practice.’
Sue Chapman, Occupational Therapist, Devon
“M.A.E.S. has changed my goals in treatments from focusing on the physical symptoms and influencing tone, and instead focusing on the brain function. It is ground-breaking! The course is essential”.
Danielle Krige, Occupational Therapist
‘Really good introduction to M.A.E.S. Regarding my understanding of and approach to Cerebral Palsy, the M.A.E.S. concept makes more sense and makes it more realistic. It is a more progressive pathway.’
The course content was a good mix of theory and analysis. Liked the open forum to ask questions. Really interesting introduction to MAES, but understand that it would take the four weeks course to be able to have skills to use.
Sam Reeve, Physiotherapist
“I loved it. The hands-on approach and way of moving and motivating children will help my regular patients. Obviously the 4-Week course is the ultimate way to actually get the skills”.
Kirsty Williams, Physiotherapist
“I like this way of approaching treatment and I think I would consider this over Bobath-NDT from a speech perspective.”
Stefanie Wainwright, Speech & Language Therapist
“The M.A.E.S. Introduction Course was interesting and inspiring, with a great teacher who was open for questions and discussion, good in explaining different ways to make it understandable.
MAES really meets the way I think of the children, treatment and what is important. Brain and body (the whole child), variation, no fixed goals, motivation and the way to analyse: task: skill, treatment ideas and motivation. The MAES Framework is a great tool that can be used in different environments. A more systematic way to analyse.”
Gyda Bjørgo Larsen Physiotherapist
”M.A.E.S. is a great approach and can be integrated in the work I do as a Speech Therapist. The approach breaks down each step clearly and focuses on grading tasks which I believe is very important. I understand the importance of not focusing on ‘typical’ development and also not to work continuously on the outcomes”.
Skye Adams, Speech & Language Therapist
“A very good introduction to the MAES Framework; very useful as a stand-alone 2 days, not just an advert for the full 4-Weeks course.”
Samantha Payne, Children’s Physiotherapist
“I enjoyed the opening of a new approach and a new way of thinking about how CP presents over time; why children develop ‘abnormal patterns’ and their sense of anticipation, how this affects a child’s response and how reducing it can be useful in therapy. The M.A.E.S. Framework will be helpful in both analysing where the child is, but where to start.”
Thank you for an excellent introduction course. I’ve learnt so much.”
Annie Brozaitis, Children’s Senior Occupational Therapist, Bristol UK
“M.A.E.S. gives you a better understanding of why children with CP have an ‘atypical’ development and how to reduce this with giving the child more choices and variation in movement.
I think that it is the right way to go for further treatment of children with CP.”
Marianne Hustad Specialist Physiotherapist
“I have learned something new and a different approach to observing and treating. It really makes you rethink your aims as a Physio and how to apply this new approach, starting with the origin instead of the symptoms. The original problem lies with a brain and not the musculoskeletal system”.
Nazl Pillay, Physiotherapist
“I think it is a really good concept. This M.A.E.S. Introductory Course has already changed and improved my thinking and my approach. I can see that I am not going to be able to become proficient without more understanding and practice but I am already thinking of CP in different ways and can’t help but use my hands and ‘unpack’ the children on my caseload in a very different way.
I am looking forward to the full 4-Week Course to learn more, gain deeper skills of movement analysis and applying a range of new treatment strategies for the different classifications.”
Ali Martin, Children’s Physiotherapist
“MAES opens your eyes to another way of working and you come away with a framework to explore. Revolutionizes how you see a child and fits in well with OT methodology.”
Amy Blake OT
‘The MAES Framework is a great visual framework to structure your approach, observation and treatment of a patient, which is also relevant for parents. User-friendly. The course is a mind shift from conventional approaches to treatment of CP. Reinforces the fact there is no ‘one’ treatment to fit all children and you need to be very specific in your own goal of therapy’.
Lisa Sutton, Physiotherapist
‘A good build up of knowledge through the 2 days. It has taken me back to the principles and the importance of analysis and taking the time to break this down. To really examine movement skills and look to offer the right tasks / approach to allow children to move forward. Come on the course and be prepared to have a new outlook. Highly recommended.’
Ruth Jacklin, Clinical Lead Paediatric Orthopaedic Physiotherapist
‘I am a younger therapist who found the course thought provoking in a pivotal way. I have been investigating a similar approach in my treatment, but now I can better apply the M.A.E.S. Framework to continue to build my thinking/concepts and challenge myself to think/act away from ‘traditional’ means.
The MAES Framework assists in the breakdown of analysis of function and therefore can be used to work together with the child to build on skills or experience new skills, which can later be taken on by the child. A holistic way to approach long-term development of the child with the need for strategies to gain functional abilities and quality’.
Nicole Comminellis, Physiotherapist
‘The MAES Framework and Approach is very useful and logical in developing individualised treatment strategies for each Child. It provides for intervention based on an understanding of the cause of presenting symptoms and provides a way of addressing the cause, hence moving away from stereotypical interventions based upon presenting symptoms. MAES Therapy is the future for children with CP and other neurodevelopmental conditions, since it addresses the cause and leads to lasting results. Therapists interested in Paediatric therapy should make an effort to attend the course’.
Tapiwa Maheya, Occupational Therapist
‘M.A.E.S. is a very useful and practical approach to engage the family in therapy as well. If one understands the framework it can be easily applied to any scenario. It improves one’s observational and assessment skills. It is an eye-opener and opens a totally new world for assessment and treatment for a variety of patients. Worth attending if you have an interest in paediatrics’.
Aqueeda Moosa, Physiotherapist
‘MAES opens up a whole new world to CP. Jean-Pierre is an expert in his field with excellent presentation skills and hands-on clinical skills’.
Marochelle Botha, Occupational Therapist
“An excellent course, with a very good teacher and with a lot of practical demonstrations and opportunities to practice movement analysis and clinical reasoning. My warm recommendations to other therapists.”
Rita Jonassen, Physiotherapist
‘The MAES Framework has changed my perception and how I would begin to undertake what a child maybe struggling with. I can see how the MAES Approach works and am excited to know more about how to use it.
The course has influenced my understanding and approach to Cerebral Palsy by making me think about the difficulty being brain based and not about what we see in the body. The MAES Approach is so routed in OT principles.’
Charlotte Owens, Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
“I enjoyed the great method demonstrated, the good contact, the respect for the child and the necessity of motivation and engagement. The course has greatly influenced my understanding and approach to Cerebral Palsy and it will make me look at it from a new perspective, I don’t want to just exercise skills.
Please spread the course – excellent, interesting, motivating and inspiring!”
Ann Iren Kårtveit, Physiotherapist
‘The MAES Course is beneficial for feeling empowered to use the new synergies and ideas, to be creative about treatment. To be able to use OT skills in treating CP (task analysis, Sensory processing, Play as therapy etc.) feeling positive about the role of OT in early years.’
Chris Barnard, Occupational Therapist
“The course exceeded my expectations; it’s a very different and refreshing way of thinking, observing, assessing and treating children. The visual MAES Therapy Framework of matching skills to activity demands is excellent for me to understand, but also to use with parents to support their understanding. It is very client centered.”
EN, Paediatric Therapist
“I see quite a few children with Cerebral Palsy in my daily practice. I find the MAES Approach to be a good way to structure of the clinical reasoning and it fits in with practice in many ways, as well as taking into account the sensory and regulation processing problems. A good introduction to the MAES Approach.”
Heidi E Fløtten, Physiotherapist
“It is a very practical approach and will help ensure other underlying difficulties are identified and treatment then based on this. Very accessible when explaining goals to families – the visual of the MAES Therapy Framework works well.”
Sophie Hawkins, Paediatric Therapist
“I was expecting a traditional Physio approach; however, the course, the M.A.E.S. Approach is far more holistic and reflected many of the concepts of OT. It was great to see this applied in a specialised way.I will now enter assessments with less focus on the presenting symptoms and correcting these, but instead will look in-depth at how the whole body is moving, the activity demands and work towards achieving quality performance of skills with varied, dynamic movement patterns.”
Rosemary Palmer, Children’s Occupational Therapist,
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