Just turn off the light, close your eyes and fall into the arms of Morpheus. Wake up the next morning, well rested, and start the day filled with vigour. The ideal conception of healthy sleep. But what about all those children who cannot have that? What about children who do not fall asleep as easily and cannot sleep through the night because of an illness or a disability?
For many parents of children with reduced mobility or sleep disturbances, healthy sleep is more of a wish than a reality. They are often woken up by their children several times a night. Up to 70 per cent of these special children have problems falling asleep and especially sleeping through the night – a far higher incidence compared to healthy children. Numerous phases of wakefulness generally occur due to the disability.
This causes extreme strain for both the children and the entire family. Support at night has to be as close to perfect as possible for the chronically ill and children with disabilities. The child also needs to feel secure at all times, with simultaneous stimulation of the senses. Children have to perceive their own body. Having this feedback generally improves sleep and reduces muscle tension. A therapy mattress can increase a child’s awareness of their body. Pain therapy functions should also be part of a good bed.
The well-being of people, especially children, is one of the most important prerequisites for healing and staying healthy. With the knowledge of how sleep and regeneration are related, and their effects on the healing process, care experts are gaining important new information that is incorporated in the development of therapy mattresses. Some systems are built on basal stimulation (promoting and improving sensory perception, body orientation and the ability to communicate). Therapy mattresses with micro-stimulation are an example (MiS).
Underneath the mattress, there is a kind of slatted frame with gently rocking butterfly springs. The butterfly springs generate stimulating counter-impulses in response to the child’s breathing and small movements. These are fine motor stimuli that supply important signals to the brain via the nerve tracts. The brain constructs a three-dimensional model from these signals – our body image. Without these signals, there is “radio silence”. The brain forgets how to communicate with the body and is no longer able to control movement correctly. Micro-stimulation trains the brain during sleep, maintaining physical mobility and mental agility. It can prevent pain and support healing processes. The child is better able to perceive their own body. This forms the basis for restful sleep, especially for children with movement restrictions due to illness or impaired body perception.
A therapy mattress such as the ThevoSchlummerstern is a child-friendly positioning and therapy system that improves the quality of sleep, perception and the child’s development. It is suitable for decubitus prevention and therapy, and also supports pain therapy. By reducing sleep interruptions, for instance due to less repositioning, it provides more restful and quiet sleep.
Children with perception or behavioural disorders, such as ADHD and autism, often have trouble sleeping or wake up frequently during the night. Sleep disturbances have a negative impact on the child’s performance and ability to concentrate. This is where products such as the ThevoSchlummerstern Senso help. They positively affect the child’s restless sleeping pattern with minimal movement stimuli.
Better sleep for adults in need of therapy who suffer from various clinical pictures is also available with the AGR seal of approval. More information is available here.
Thomas Hilfen für Körperbehinderte GmbH & Co. Medico KG
Walkmühlenstr. 1
27432 Bremervörde
GERMANY
Phone +494761/88 60
Fax +494761/88 61 9
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www.thomashilfen.de