Irascible Ink

Below you’ll find a cool article about a very small study on the use of customized virtual reality “games” to improve hand function in teenagers with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. I think it’s awesome on two fronts–a.) it’s an innovative application of a technology that teenagers would be self- motivated to use; and b.) it studies teenagers as opposed to young children.

Virtual Reality Tele-rehab Improves Hand Function: Playing Games For Real Recovery

The article also mentions that the use of remotely controlled virtual reality games offers a new way for patients to receive low-cost, effective treatment at home. The idea being that as the patient’s  hand/arm motor function improves, a physical therapist could monitor their progress and increase the duration/level of difficulty. The remote monitoring system, while of course not a replacement for manual physical therapy, would decrease the stress, hassle and cost of traveling to a clinic regularly for rehab .

As the article points out, many government assistance programs and insurance policies don’t cover physical rehabilitation services for teens with CP. I’ve been lucky, thus far, to have much of my own rehab covered by insurance–after the deductible is paid, of course. But there’s always a “the jig is up” moment when I receive a letter in the mail from my insurance company–I hold my breath and pray that they haven’t decided that the treatment isn’t working or that I’ve reached some secret limit on care. I find it frustrating and disheartening that rehabilitative services that might radically improve a patient’s quality of life remain out of the reach of so many.

But we’ll save my rant about obscure and inscrutible insurance policies for another day. Let’s just say that, in my experience,  dealing with insurance companies in America is like playing cards with a four-year old: the rules are only known to them; they like to make them up as they go along; and they’re always trying to get a look at your hand, so that they can invent rules to make you lose.