Answer: The most rewarding challenge you'll ever face!

What is Conductive Education?

  • Conductive education is a system of learning developed by the Hungarian physician Professor Andras Pëto in Budapest, Hungary.

  • Conductive education was initially developed for the needs of children with cerebral palsy, but in its fullest form is a unified system of rehabilitation for people with many neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and those who have suffered strokes or head injuries.

  • Conductive education is a learning process, not a treatment or therapy.  Its a partnership between the educator (the Conductor) and learners to create circumstances for learning.  At its best, it’s an all day all life on going learning process.

  • Conductive education approaches problems of movement as problems of learning, allowing the participants to learn to use muscles to become more mobile and more capable and confident.

  • Conductive education can be directed towards all age groups.  Children should start as early as possible. Many centers have parent and baby groups.

  • Conductive education is based on the theory that the motor disabled child develops and learns in the same way as their peers.

  • Conductive education is not a miracle cure. It needs a concentrated effort over a period of time to enable the participants to achieve recognised goals directed by task analysis.

  • Conductive education uses only simple well-designed, good quality furniture and equipment. It does not have a negative approach where complicated aids and equipment are used to facilitate motor control and stability.

 

A Typical Conductive Education class might include:


The children are walked into the class with the assistance of a "Conductor" (therapist/instructor). Even children that have not walked before are assisted to weight bear and if necessary assisted with each and every step. Once the children have been walked in, they sit and remove their shoes and socks to begin the next segment.

The LYING Program:  The children participate in group work. They begin by standing and then climbing onto a plinth (slatted wooden table) where the children learn to change position and place in a lying position. The Conductors lead the children with a series of instructions often contained in rhymes or simple songs while continuously circulating through the group to lend assistance to children that need help. Parents are encouraged to participate in the sessions.  After the series of exercises is complete children learn to push themselves off of the plinth into a standing position (many parents have found this action to carry over, as children become able to get off their beds by themselves).

Potty Training and walking to the table: The children are placed on potties or toilets where they sit using the aid of a ladder back chair to grasp for security if necessary. Once finished the children are again walked to the table in preparation for snack.

Snacks & lunch: While sitting at the plinth the children wash and dry their hands and have their snack and drinks. The Conductors and parents assist the children with their eating skills during snack time and try to develop as much independency as possible.

The STANDING - WALKING Program: The children as a group learn or practice how to weight bear and pull to standing position again with songs. They practice grasping while standing and learn to step, either with or without assistance, depending on the ability level of the child. If children need assistance then the Conductor's will assist two children at a time and then repeat the exercise with the next children, all the while instructing the group and those children that can do the tasks independently

The SITTING Program with Manipulation:  The purpose of the sitting program is to increase stability while in a seated position, increase fine motor skills and increase communication skills. The Conductors might give the children art work that concentrates on fine motor development. While the children enjoy the painting and gluing etc. they are being asked to sit with minimal support and are simultaneously working on trunk control and sitting stability.

WALKING OUT: After lunch the Conductors again assist the children in walking out of the class. Some of the children will be grasping a ladder back chair while the Conductor guides each step, other children use walkers, quad canes or single canes. If the parents are not an active part of the class then it is very important to be prompt and enthusiastic when the children come out, as each child watches eagerly for their parents’ attention and praise.