The TheraSuit was inspired by Penguin-3, a suit used by cosmonauts made of synthetic material with purposefully elastic inserts intended to battle muscle atrophy. The suit has been redesigned to fit to the needs of patients with cerebral palsy. It consists of a cap, vest, shorts, kneepads, and customized shoes that are attached with each other with adjustable straps and elastic bands. It is a therapeutic aid to help in gently aligning the patient's bones and support weak muscles. It's also a breathable, soft, yet forceful instrument that would help in retraining the brain to comprehend the signals from the correct movement of the muscles. TheraSuit also brings the body upward and upright.
With the TheraSuit, a patient would need to undergo an intensive program, around 3 to 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for a 3-week period or 60-hour completion of the therapy. The extensive care from specialists, together with the use of the TheraSuit and the support of the loved ones, bones become more established and stable.
The TheraSuit method is now being offered by Quality Life Discoveries, a nonprofit organization aimed to give services to the various needs of special children. The organization is building its first and biggest cerebral palsy treatment center in the Philippines.
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/june/23/yehey/life/20070623lif1.html
