Conductive Education

Neurological conditions create a wide range of developmental challenges that can involve areas of fine and gross motor movement, perception, cognition, social skills, emotional development, speech, language and communication. These deficits, in turn, can significantly affect motivation, confidence and personality. Ultimately it is the whole personality that is impacted by the condition.

Conductive Education was pioneered in the 1940s by Dr. Andras Peto (1893-1967). Peto believed individuals with motor disorders were not fundamentally different from other people. He believed they need to be taught how to use their body in their own way to lead them to ortho function.

Conductive Education (CE) is an educational re/habilitation method that enhances the plasticity of the brain by engaging participants with motor disorders, caused by damage to the central nervous system, at any age. Plasticity of the brain means we see that the brain can change and grow as new learning concepts are introduced. Conductive Education is appropriate for individuals with Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, TBI, Stroke, and other motor disorders, providing programs as young as 6 months of age through adults. Candidates for CE should be able to show signs of understanding, follow verbal communication, and simple instructions.

CE is a holistic approach, aiming to develop the personality of the participant, as well as the physical, social, and cognitive development.

Conductive Education focuses on the whole person. Individuals develop self-determination and an “I Can!” attitude by taking some responsibility for their own movement. The program focuses on daily life skills that include sitting, eating, walking, toileting and dressing independence.

Conductive Education places an emphasis on helping those with motor disabilities to learn to help themselves. CE has been shown to increase a person’s self esteem, level of motivation and general health as well as increasing their ability to function independently.

Conductive Education is not a traditional therapy, but rather a multi-disciplinary approach to develop the whole person physically, socially, cognitively and psychologically. It is a learning process and not a treatment or therapy. CE teaches participants skills to meet the challenges of everyday life. They need to be active in this process, not just passively ‘receiving’, but more ‘working’ to achieve.

Our talented staff works together to provide a comprehensive program. The team promotes confidence and motivation so the participant achieves self-care and mobility skills to the best of their ability.

Aims of Conductive Education:

• To develop the personality of the individual
• To help teach meaningful everyday skills by breaking down each task into smaller more manageable steps
• To teach an individual to find his/her own way to achieve a goal
• To actively involve the individual with a motor disorder in his/her own way
• To reach their own independence in their own way.
• To teach self-care skills, as well as sitting, standing, and ways of ambulation
• To prevent secondary complications including pain and the negative impact from limited activity
• To involve and teach the family how to integrate the learned skills into everyday life

The key pillars of Conductive Education are:

• Conductor-Teacher
  Leading the task series with rhythmical intentions, the Conductor-Teacher gives each person individual goals to achieve while providing the motivation and facilitation to achieve those goals. We are here to find a way to create a strategy and way to find a solution.
• Group Dynamic
  Surrounding the individual with peers motivates and encourages.
• Task Series
  The task series includes a series of movements, not stretches, that progress to more complex moves. These series of movements are differentiated for each individual, and then these movements are later used in a variety of settings in order to integrate these movements into their daily life.
• Rhythmical Intention
  Songs and counting are used to create the rhythm for the individual and allows them to relax their bodies in order to plan the movements in a coordinated way.
• Facilitation
  Using motivation, physical help, the task series and equipment as modes of facilitation to lead the individual to complete the movement as independently as possible.
• Environment and Equipment
  The environment provides an encouraging and safe place for the individual to achieve their goals. Conductive Education has specifically designed equipment, such as plinths, boxes, ladders and splints to help facilitate.
• Family Involvement
  Conductive Education encourages whole family involvement. Throughout a Conductive Education program, they are able to see first hand the individual’s progress, and then be taught how to integrate what has been learned into the home or other environments.

The program is individualized and modified for the needs of each participant.