Jean-Pierre Maes presented his talk to over 1,260 Attendees worldwide at the
Clinical Excellence Summit – Online 6 September 2024.
The title was:
-
“Rethinking our Acceptance of Gross Motor Plateaus in Cerebral Palsy: Could Thinking and Thus Treating from a Different Perspective Change the Course of Progression?”
Therapists from USA, Europe, Asia, Australasia were shown how shifting their perspective about Children with Cerebral Palsy unlocks new pathways for treatment, which leads to significant improvements in patient outcomes.
Jean-Pierre is known for his groundbreaking M.A.E.S. Therapy Approach and he gave a brief overview of the highly useful clinical reasoning tool The M.A.E.S. Therapy Framework.
Jean-Pierre said:
“The aim is not to address symptoms, but to understand through analysing the symptoms what the child’s difficulties are, at a brain level, since this is where the problem originates. If there was no problem at the brain level, there would be no CP. This helps us guide our intervention with the view of being more precise as to what each child needs as experiences for their long-term benefit.”
Comments on Jean-Pierre’s Presentation from Paediatric Therapists around the world…
“So important to remember that CP is a problem with the brain. It can be so easy to become distracted by the symptoms alone. The M.A.E.S. Framework gives a much more holistic view of how we can effect change and develop skills in a damaged yet developing brain. It also highlights how important it is to constantly review the outcome of our treatments. By considering the 4 pillars of the MAES Framework during a therapy session, we can foresee a plateau and hopefully redirect therapy back to quality movement and new skill development. To see improvements in so many different functional areas shows just how much a damaged area can effect everyday function. A wonderful perspective shift. Thank you Jean-Pierre!”
Kriselle Koorbanally
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Australia“After 20 years of working with children with neurodisabilities MAES Therapy changed my understanding of CP so that now I have a new and deeper understanding of the symptoms we see. Challenging my previous thinking wasn’t easy, but unless we are prepared to open ourselves to new ways of looking at things and reconsidering what we do, then the path we are on doesn’t change.
I now see how I can really affect the origin of the problem. It has opened up a new world for me as a therapist and for the children and families I see, for different longer term outcomes. It’s exciting and so rewarding!Carey P
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
London, UK“Thank you Jean Pierre for presenting MAES way of thinking and your work. The M.A.E.S. Framework is a great tool that can help us to understand the child with CP in relation to the brain skills and the problem that child is struggling with. From my perspective M.A.E.S. Therapy positively changed my knowledge and experience, so thank you very much for that. Sending you a positive feedback from my colleagues at Mali Dom, Zagreb, who found your talk very informative and inspiring.”
Jasminka Gagula
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Croatia“Brilliant talk, thank you Jean-Pierre! The MAES Framework is a great tool to help us to understand children with cerebral palsy better, to look past the most obvious body impairments that we see, and start to get into understanding better why we see them. It makes so much sense to approach therapy from a learning perspective and it’s exciting to think about all the opportunities for children we treat, how targeting therapy at the brain level gets improvements in all domains and can help us to challenge the plateau, in ourselves and the children. I love what you said about not getting used to Plateauing”
Sarah Smythe
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
South Africa“As a therapist with 18 years of experience in working with children with CP, I can testify that the last 6 years that I’m practicing M.A.E.S. Therapy has moved my understanding of the problem and, therefore improved my treatment and my satisfaction with the work I do, exponentially. And because of approaching the problem from the perspective of how the brain functions and learns, I’m now understanding my own brain better… I’m beyond thankful for being introduced to M.A.E.S. Therapy, it is really life changing!”
Ana Milošević
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Serbia“Thank you Jean-Pierre for this concise and refreshing talk. The changes seen in the MAES Therapy treatment are truly remarkable. The underlying shift in perspective offers greater potential for the development of both children with cerebral palsy and us as therapists. Very inspiring!”
Ming-Rong Siao
Senior Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Taiwan“Thank you Jean- Pierre for sharing your approach. MAES Therapy changes the perspective for me as a therapist, for parents and the children completely. We have more options and more choices than we thought. Great that we do not have to get used to the ‘plateau’. Better to do investigation all the time and make next steps in development. MAES Therapy is a great opportunity and the w ork is worth it for the very positive of this effects and benefits for the children we treat. Thank you !”
Asia Sopińska Stanek
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Poland“Congratulations Jean-Pierre for this insightful presentation from MAES team Cluj, Romania! Thank you for offering such an innovative and thoughtful perspective in clinical reasoning and for providing us with tools that undoubtedly enhance our everyday MAES treatment practice. The MAES Approach truly reshaped our understanding of how we can target the brain to delay the ‘plateau’ in development.
This new MAES way of thinking has equipped us with a clearer path to better support children and their families with neurodevelopmental conditions.The M.A.E.S. Approach ensures that we never ‘plateau’ in our therapeutical skills and thinking.
We truly appreciate and admire the depth of your expertise and the significant contribution you have made to this field.”Rozália Apró
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Romania“Thank you Jean-Pierre. Refreshing to be reminded about treating the cause of CP which results in long term participation. CP is a brain condition, so let’s treat the brain. Like treating the cause of depression results in better long-term outcome rather than just learning to cope with the symptoms. Makes sense to me!”
Shane Brassell,
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Cape Town, South Africa“The focus is on treating the cause of the symptoms – the brain
Which in turn can improve participation, if you focus on the brain first, participation may be seen as lasting for longer, rather than short term fixes. It’s exciting.”Helen King
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
England“Congratulations on the brilliant presentation, Jean-Pierre. The clarity with which you explained the framework and innovative approach was truly admirable. It is evident how this shift in perspective—viewing the brain’s processes as key to treatment—can unlock new and groundbreaking pathways for therapy. This isn’t about mere incremental progress; your insights have the potential to redefine rehabilitation and expand what we consider achievable in patient outcomes.”
Fatjona Cavolli
Senior Paediatric Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapist
Italy
The Talk Title was:
“Rethinking our Acceptance of Gross Motor Plateaus in Cerebral Palsy: Could Thinking and Thus Treating from a Different Perspective Change the Course of Progression?”
Talk Description:
By rethinking Cerebral Palsy from a new perspective, the MAES Therapy Approach and MAES Clinical Reasoning Framework were developed and aim to enhance neurodevelopmental therapy by focusing on the following key components:
- Clinical Reasoning: Understanding the specific skills that the brain needs to develop in each patient as well as understanding mechanisms that lead to plateau.
- Structured Observation: Systematically observing how a child performs tasks of varying complexity to identify areas needing development.
- Motivation: Encouraging the patient to enter and remain in a “learning zone,” where they are engaged and able to make progress in their therapy.
The components of this framework are highly interactive and interdependent. Each element supports and influences the others, creating a flexible yet cohesive structure that adapts to the needs of each patient.
The ultimate goal is to foster a structured, insightful, and patient-centred approach to therapy, effectively promoting the development of essential skills in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions.
The presentation included clinical examples illustrating the M.A.E.S. Approach and M.A.E.S. Clinical Reasoning Framework.
This one-of-a-kind summit took a deep dive into cutting-edge science and innovative treatments for children with neuromotor disabilities through a clinician-first lens.
Bridging the gap between real-world clinical practice and Research in complex disabilities!
For therapists and healthcare professionals committed to making a real difference in their practice, this was a can’t-miss event.
M.A.E.S. Therapy is a pioneering evidence-based approach, underpinned by practice evidence, patient evidence and contextual evidence from 35 years’ expert clinical and teaching experience world-wide and focusing on excellent treatment skills.
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