Giovanna
Giovanna’s Mygo Seating System
As a result of dystonia and central low tone, Giovanna is unable to support or stabilise her head. She uses eye contact as a means of communication.
Clinical Assessment
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In the seated position her pelvis is posteriorly tilted and rotated to the left. Consequently her spine is kyphotic with a tendency to fall to the left.
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Giovanna has minimal functional use of her right hand.
Approach
Using padded supports around the shoulder girdle helped reduce forward thrusting of the shoulders. The shoulder and pelvic support system helped align Giovanna’s trunk above her pelvis, providing a good upright seated posture. This also reduced the forward sliding of the pelvis. Modified arm rests provided support and stability for Giovanna’s forearms, useful for when she was at rest or accessing the computer.
Outcome
Giovanna’s therapist reports that with the introduction of the Mygo Seating System there was an almost immediate improvement in her posture. Her therapist attributes the success of Giovanna’s new seating system to its unique sacral support system, providing her with a stable and comfortable upright seating position. Exceeding expectations, Giovanna can now sustain this improved posture for at least 5 hours over the course of the day. Indeed, Giovanna’s mother notes that she no longer found it necessary to re-position her over the course of the day. This has had positive repercussions for Giovanna’s social interaction and interpersonal relations with her peers. Good posture has allowed better visual function and an alternative means of communication as she can now maintain face-to-face contact for as much as 30 minutes at a time.
