EM427: Bobath E.B.T.A. Course basic level: Re-education of infantile cerebral palsy and similar neurological conditions. Bobath concept

Introduction
The Bobath concept is a rehabilitation approach based on the problem solving model, aimed at the evaluation and treatment of children with disorders of function, movement and postural control, caused by damage to the central nervous system or by genetic, rare or syndromic diseases. In particular, the current intervention, according to the Bobath Concept, is enriched by the contribution of new theories on motor control and learning, neuroplasticity and biomechanics. The emphasis of the intervention remains on optimizing function. Normal and pathological motor behavior is currently interpreted in the light of ecological and systemic models and in the light of the theory of dynamic systems. This led the intervention to focus on movement facilitation processes aimed at improving the child's interaction with the environment. The inhibition of spasticity and pathological movement patterns, as a treatment goal, is currently outdated. The goal of treatment is to optimize function by improving postural control and function through facilitation. Repetition in variable contexts and with diversified problem-solving strategies is a fundamental element for inducing stable and generalizable change. To induce this change, proprioceptive and haptic channels are mainly used. This information is fundamental for learning processes but the Bobath Concept obviously recognizes the importance of pro-active feedforward processes. Error is recognized as an important element in the learning process. The Bobath concept also provides for a global involvement of all the reference figures that revolve around the child (family, medical specialists, care givers, specialized rehabilitation workers); in this way the treatment takes on a continuous dimension throughout the day and is not limited to the "simple" intervention carried out in the therapeutic setting. The Bobath concept, therefore, involves the many aspects of the child's social life and also deals with daily life activities such as parental care, school activities and free time experiences; the involvement of all the relevant figures in the life of the child with complex pathology means that the experiences experienced during the therapy session can be used profitably in daily life to fully develop the child's evolutionary potential.

General contents and objectives of the training event
The aim of the course is to provide theoretical knowledge and practical experience on clinical evaluation and the know-how to best respond to the priority and essential needs of children affected by P.C.I., genetic pathologies, syndromes and rare diseases. The quality of the evaluation, clinical reasoning and task analysis, through a relational, sensorimotor and cognitive approach, will help the child to obtain the fundamental prerogatives for his growth path, avoiding the onset of further difficulties or possible situations of worsening compared to the initial clinical picture. The training and professional development intervention also aims to highlight the points of contact between the Bobath Concept and the ICF.

Process skills
The proposed course will represent a moment of sharing theoretical-practical knowledge, aimed at improving the rehabilitation process using an internationally recognized intervention and evaluation approach.

Specific teachings The course analyzes and evaluates the following themes: Introduction to the Bobath concept; the organization and facilitation of movement; perception and movement (body communication); neural organization; the theories of movement control models; learning and executing movement; learning motor skills; the meeting points between the Bobath concept and the ICF classification system; the importance of clinical reasoning; fetal growth; the neurodevelopmental growth of the child; the development of the rehabilitation project according to the Bobath concept; the different forms of p.c.i.; the development of manual skills; functional problems of the upper limb; the adaptation of games to pathology; nutrition and dysphagic problems; language disorders; augmentative and alternative communication; tissue modification; visual problems in the different forms of PCI; the role of the family and the various relational figures of reference in the execution and evolution of the rehabilitation project.

Teaching methodology
The course is structured around 344 hours of teaching. The teaching activity will be divided into: master classes; series of reports on pre-arranged topics; technical demonstrations by the teachers, without direct performances by the students; presentation of problems or clinical cases in plenary session; rehabilitation treatments by all participants.
The course is recognized by the European Bobath Tutor Association, which regulates its contents and teaching methods, and guarantees the training path of the tutors.