Therapy's fun at this camp

Kids who have type of cerebral palsy get stronger at MUSC

Nathan Jacumin, 4, sported on his left hand a giraffe puppet that he called "Mr. Dog." The puppet's purpose was to discourage Nathan, who has cerebral palsy, from using his stronger left hand while he worked with therapists during a weeklong day camp.

Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier

Nathan Jacumin, 4, of Moncks Corner, bowls for penguins Friday with the help of Kelli Mackie, a second-year occupational therapy student at the Medical University of South Carolina. Jacumin is a participant in a cerebral palsy day camp at MUSC that helps strengthen participants' bodies.

Camp Hand to Hands is held twice a year and is for children ages 3 to 6 who have a type of cerebral palsy that affects one side of the body with stiffness or paralysis. The therapy was pioneered with adult stroke patients and works by restraining the stronger parts of the body to encourage use of the weaker side.

Some versions of the therapy require casting of the stronger limbs for up to 21 days. The day camp at Medical University of South Carolina's College of Health Professions uses less-forceful modes of restraint, such as braces and puppets.

Physical and occupational therapy students work in teams of two per child. The student therapists, under instructor supervision, swap out every two hours to keep the therapy fresh and strong.

"It's the most widely published, efficacious treatment for children with this presentation," said Patty Coker, an occupational therapy instructor and camp director. The program started in 2001 as a way to train students, she said. Comparable programs around the country can cost as much as $15,000, but the MUSC model makes the therapy available for free.

Friday's theme was "Around the World," so Nathan wore a traditional Chinese outfit topped with an African-inspired smock while he snacked on nachos and salsa. Eating is a chance to practice the fine motor skills needed to grip each chip.

Nathan was adopted a year ago from China, and he received no therapy during the first few years of his life. Glory Jacumin, Nathan's mother, said that he was abandoned by his birth parents when he was 2 years old.

"There was no doubt whatsoever that he was made for our family," Jacumin said. She and her husband, Kurt, are both lieutenants in the Mount Pleasant Fire Department. The couple live in Moncks Corner, and also have two daughters, ages 9 and 4.

Nathan's cerebral palsy was in his online biography when he was up for adoption. "We both just thought this is definitely something we can work with," Jacumin said. "These kids need just as much love as anyone else."

Cerebral palsy is a result of an injury to the brain that can affect a person's mobility and balance. Causes can include poor oxygen supply before birth, jaundice or head injury. The disorder is not progressive.

The prevalence of cerebral palsy could be as high as one in every 278 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 25 percent of those children have the type that affects half of the body, Coker said.

After one week of intensive therapy, Jacumin noticed gains in Nathan's hand strength. He can grasp with his thumb and forefinger, whereas before he favored a larger grasp using his whole hand.

Brain imaging done on children before and after constraint therapy has shown changes indicating long-lasting changes, Coker said. She likes working with young children because "we can intervene, and we can overcome," she said.

Reach Jill Coley at 937-5719 or jcoley@postandcourier.com.