Ormesa DONDOLINO 1, Use And Maintenance Handbook

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Pag. 10 di 24
HOW DONDOLINO WORKS
It works very simply and safely.
DONDOLINO is a standing frame composed of a lateral frame that is graduated so that its
height can be easily adjusted.
When the child is standing he is supported by wide straps across the pelvis and trunk that
can be adjusted from the front to the back (to follow knee-hip flexion) as well as in its circumfer-
ence.
Two front knee pads and two heel rests fix the position of the lower limbs. The physiatrist
and/or therapist must continuously monitor the child’s position on the DONDOLINO.
In fact DONDOLINO is used by handicapped children during their developmental period. Since
they grow up quickly and they can also change in terms of their pathological picture, this entails
constant assessment and adjustment.
ATTENTION: Before starting to position the child, brake the wheels of DONDOLINO!
When starting it is advisable to have an adult stand behind the child and hold his sides firmly if
the child has an adequate control of the trunk. Otherwise, the child should be supported by his
armpits.
The therapist should temporarily position the lower limbs first, followed by the pelvis and the
chest. At this point, always attempting to get the child cooperate as actively as possible and ex-
plaining him what is being done and why, the position of the feet in the heel rests and knee pads
must be controlled,
following any flexion that may be present. Subsequently, the pelvis must be controlled through
the pelvic support and then, the trunk must be controlled using the chest support.
It is important to pay special attention to “dosing” the right amount of chest and pelvic
support. There must be an adeguate support to assure a minimum amount of stability.
Avoid any excessive support since it could give the child a heavy feeling of “confinement”.
At the same time, however, the support must not be too “light” since this could cause a reac-
tion of “ fear of falling” or instability.
If the child is able to communicate, it is important to listen to his feelings and impressions so that
the amount of restraint can be “modulated” as correctly as possible.
Always bear in mind that DONDOLINO is a standing frame that must allow the child to carry out
several activities and that it was not designed to keep him still and immobilized. This is the main
objective that must be taken as a guideline in using this aid, which should work as a tool “ to do
things in a correct and favourable position”.
Naturally the correct posture will be different from one child to another according to their age,
motor picture and overall picture.