Paralysis affects families in every community across the country. But finding local healthcare professionals with experience providing care to people living with paralysis can be a challenge.
Defined simply, paralysis is the inability to move one or more of the four limbs. Roughly 18,000 people are paralyzed every year due to traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI), but paralysis is also caused by disease and congenital conditions such as stroke and spina bifida, and, less frequently, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Transverse Myelitis.
Dr. Maissel, a physiatrist, describes the systems affected by SCI as well as some of the secondary conditions that patients with SCI are likely to experience.
In 2021, the Reeve Foundation commissioned an independent national survey to gauge knowledge of paralysis across the medical field.
Linda Schultz, Ph.D., CRRN, “Nurse Linda”, a rehabilitation nurse who works with the Reeve Foundation to educate families about paralysis, has written a series of seven blogs about pediatric spinal cord injury that can help providers treat younger patients.
Nearly 5.4 people in the U.S live with paralysis, a physical disability that limits movement and function in part of the body. Symptoms vary widely from person to person: some individuals may be paralyzed from the waist down and able to move their upper body, while others may have high-level spinal cord injuries that require the use of a power wheelchair and a ventilator.
Prehospital care plays a critical role in treating an array of medical emergencies. Emergency medical service (EMS) professionals can strengthen response and improve patient outcomes by better understanding the specific needs of people living with paralysis.
Click here for an overview of paralysis-related health conditions, transportation tips, and etiquette guidance.
Access is a critical aspect of care. It is important for providers to assess the challenges people living with paralysis may encounter when they arrive at your office. Is there an easily accessible entrance that is free of stairs or raised thresholds? Does your waiting room provide space for a wheelchair to maneuver? Many people with paralysis report that they haven’t been able to weigh themselves due to lack of an accessible scale both at home and at their doctor’s office. Others report that they can’t get in the front door or transfer safely to an accessible exam table. These experiences can discourage preventative check-ups and adversely affect long term health.
To help improve your office’s accessibility, please review these resources from the ADA National Network.
Our Paralysis Resource Guide has an interview with disability advocate Cody Unser on navigating the OBGYN’s office from a wheelchair user’s perspective.
