Game Tech Proves Therapeutic for Young Girl

Stories about the positive uses of video game technology just keep on coming.

In the latest bit of good news, game tech is helping a young Canadian girl deal with  hemiplegic cerebral palsy. 6-year-old Megan Sherwin suffers from the neurological disorder which has rendered her left side partially paralyzed.

Without therapy, her left side could become weaker and underdeveloped as she favors her right.  Simple tasks that most kids take for granted like getting dressed or putting toothpaste on a toothbrush could become exceedingly difficult.  One way to encourage Megan to use her left side would be to put her right arm and hand in a cast for weeks at a time.  Obviously, that's no fun and there are also concerns that she might fall or lose her independence.

So what’s the alternative?

William Li, a third-year engineering science student at the University of Toronto, has developed a physical therapy game for kids like Megan. Using a Playstation 2 and a motion-detector camera (possibly a modified EyeToy?), the game places an image of the player on a T.V. screen. Players then use their weak hand for game control.  Among the available games, Megan’s favorite is “Mr. Chef,” which asks players to perform various movements in order to assemble a meal.  The movements are the same as those that palsy patients would be asked to make in therapy.

But how does one ensure the player uses his or her weak hand?  Simple. The camera is only active when two buttons on the players chair are held down: one on the bottom pressed by the player’s strong hand and one on the backrest to ensure good posture.

Li’s device, which may be patented, has been garnering lots of positive feedback and comments. Dr. Darcy Fehlings, physician director of the Child Development Program at the University of Toronto's Bloorview Kids Rehab, said:

The beauty of this system is that we're trying to set it up so it can be a relatively independent activity for the child to do within the home because we think daily, short bursts of practice are better than coming weekly to a rehab centre and doing an hour of therapy.

Megan’s mother appreciates the fact that her daughter doesn’t have to visit the hospital every week but can instead do her therapy at home.  Megan can even play the game with her older brother. Mrs. Sherwin said:

I'm always trying to get the other kids off the video games, but with this, it's: `Megan, can you play please?'

Thanks to GP reader Steven Loung for calling our attention to this story from the Toronto Star.

-Reporting from San Diego, GP Correspondent Andrew Eisen celebrated his birthday by writing this article and then driving to Phoenix

GP: Happy Birthday, Andrew!