Physical Therapists In Cm? Info For Disabilities?

[thaiatheart]

In considering a life-changing move to Thailand with our family, a huge consideration for us is bringing our 7 year old daughter with Cerebral Palsy. We pursue alternative therapies right now with her which we don't expect to find in Thailand, but are wondering what might be available. Traditional Physical Therapy? Craniosacral Therapy? Feldenkrais Method? Any information is much appreciated.

Additionally, any input/thoughts on what it would be like to get around in Thailand/CM in a wheelchair would also be interesting to hear.

Thanks!

[elektrified]

Khun Diow, Physical Therapist at Rajavej Hospital is excellent as are the other PT's there. Maybe get in contact with the Physical Therapy Department at Rajavej and see if they will be able to help you?

Best of luck.

[BarnicaleBob]

If you are thinking of living in the Chiang Mai area you should be able to find therapy for you child. I see your main problem is going to be getting her around in a wheelchair. Thailand is not a handicapped friendly place but, I have noticed some attempts in some places to become handicapped accessible. Mostly in the larger department stores but sometimes I see really dumb attempts where there is a ramp into a business but you have to navigate an 8 inch curb to get onto the sidewalk in front of the business. However, being that your child will always have an adult pushing her around you should be able to get around many places with a little bit of work.

Edited July 14, 2011 by BarnicaleBob

[hellodolly]

If you are thinking of living in the Chiang Mai area you should be able to find therapy for you child. I see your main problem is going to be getting her around in a wheelchair. Thailand is not a handicapped friendly place but, I have noticed some attempts in some places to become handicapped accessible. Mostly in the larger department stores but sometimes I see really dumb attempts where there is a ramp into a business but you have to navigate an 8 inch curb to get onto the sidewalk in front of the business. However, being that your child will always have an adult pushing her around you should be able to get around many places with a little bit of work.

I might add that using the sidewalk is out of the question in many areas. Thai's park there motor bikes on them in such a way as even walking you have to get out in the street. Sad to say even for walking the sidewalks are not user friendly.

Please do not let that be your guiding light. Chiang Mai is really a lovely place to live and the people are friendly.

[thaiatheart]

Thanks so much for the replies so far! Sounds like we should invest in a more "rugged" wheelchair of sorts before we go there!

I've been doing a lot of research on this topic since posting and have found some interesting things. I'll post some links in the off-chance that someone else may some day be in my situation. It seems there are a number of facilities in the CM area dedicated to helping folks with special needs.

http://sites.google.com/site/physiotherapywaterclass/

http://www.disabled.infothai.com/

I also found a very interesting study done on Thai massage with Cerebral Palsy patients in which there was very good improvement in 90% of the people in the study. That's pretty exciting to me and leads me into another question - are there appropriate places in CM that I can take my daughter to for Thai massage? Or have someone do in-home massage? The people in the study did daily massage, and I'd love to be able to give that to her. Any ideas on cost for that?

I do know CM is a lovely place and I really want this to work. This hurdle with our daughter is probably our biggest one in making the move, so I really want to be comfortable knowing we can care for her properly there.

[harrry]

Medical costs here are not cheap and wheelchair access presents a few dificulties. People though are great on an individual basis. There are some who have entrenched ideas about disabilities. McKean hospital has a very good physio section. For wheelchairs make sure you bring a light folding one too. Heavy chairs are availble but specialised seating may be a problem. Electricris wheelchairs are rather impractical though I use one. With some looking and false starts you may be able to find a good person to help you with your child for about 10000baht a month. Massage will cost about 150 baht an hour.

Edited July 14, 2011 by harrry

[hellodolly]

Medical costs here are not cheap and wheelchair access presents a few dificulties. People though are great on an individual basis. There are some who have entrenched ideas about disabilities. McKean hospital has a very good physio section. For wheelchairs make sure you bring a light folding one too. Heavy chairs are availble but specialised seating may be a problem. Electricris wheelchairs are rather impractical though I use one. With some looking and false starts you may be able to find a good person to help you with your child for about 10000baht a month. Massage will cost about 150 baht an hour.

Harry did you have to shop around to get a good Thai massage for yourself or are you like me just about any one works for me. I ask that because I have visited two traditonal Thai medicine clinics on the south side of the old city. One in side the moat and one outside the moat. Both fairly close to each other. Just west of Chiang Mai gate. They both had Thai massage but the one on the outside of the moat had a doctor versed in some of the Thai medical practices. He impressed me. They also teach Yoga there.

To the OP I am sure when you get here and look round you will find other disciplines than the ones you had back home.

[harrry]

Medical costs here are not cheap and wheelchair access presents a few dificulties. People though are great on an individual basis. There are some who have entrenched ideas about disabilities. McKean hospital has a very good physio section. For wheelchairs make sure you bring a light folding one too. Heavy chairs are availble but specialised seating may be a problem. Electricris wheelchairs are rather impractical though I use one. With some looking and false starts you may be able to find a good person to help you with your child for about 10000baht a month. Massage will cost about 150 baht an hour.

Harry did you have to shop around to get a good Thai massage for yourself or are you like me just about any one works for me. I ask that because I have visited two traditonal Thai medicine clinics on the south side of the old city. One in side the moat and one outside the moat. Both fairly close to each other. Just west of Chiang Mai gate. They both had Thai massage but the one on the outside of the moat had a doctor versed in some of the Thai medical practices. He impressed me. They also teach Yoga there.

To the OP I am sure when you get here and look round you will find other disciplines than the ones you had back home.

I think it may take time for them to find somone suitable but they will for sure.

THe main thing is if they can adapt to a totally diferent society with diferent atitudes to children and to a diferent way of looking at disabilities. Anything else is handleable.

Athough there are thai schools for children like this and for some kids they actually provide good care I do not think they would be available to her and I think it would not be an option in the private school system.

Edited July 14, 2011 by harrry

[thaiatheart]

We are certainly ready to adapt to the difference in society. I lived in Thailand, albeit over 20 years ago, for a year when I was in college, teaching English. I made some lifelong friends during that time and still maintain those relationships. My friends are all over Thailand now. My husband and I have been back many times for extended visits over the years. I brought three of my children back in 08 and we stayed in CM for 3 weeks with dear friends. We are very aware of cultural differences. You are right in that I have not experienced having my disabled child there, so I don't completely know what to expect in that regard. I can tell you that besides being in a wheelchair, she looks completely normal and is a marvelous child that wins the heart of anyone who interacts with her. She just can't walk.

What's funny to me is that because this is so uncommon, if we do end up moving there, anyone on this forum who has read this thread will quite possibly see us in town and know exactly who we are! LOL Hope you'll say hi!

[thaiatheart]

Athough there are thai schools for children like this and for some kids they actually provide good care I do not think they would be available to her and I think it would not be an option in the private school system.

I plan to homeschool all four of my children, so this is not a concern for us.

[Ashoka]

McKean Rehabilitation Hospital. The website is very out of date and depressing but the hospital itself is very good for physical therapy http://www.mckeanhosp.org/