Gülcan Aksoy, Eren TimurtaÅ, Bahar Özgül, Emine SaltoÄlu and Saadet Ufuk Yurdalan
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is one of the most frequent connective tissue diseases (1:5,000–1:10,000) and characterized by multiple clinical findings depending on connective tissue weakness in body system. Most of EDS patients consists of “hypermobility type (EDS-HT)” Physiotherapy program has an important place in the treatment of children with EDS-HT diagnosis and Bobath therapy aims to regulate muscle tone, provide postural alignment with special grip techniques and improve functions with the active participation of individual. The case with EDS-HT diagnosis is 5 year- old female child with 14 kg body weight, and 96.7 cm height. In 18th month, the case was directed to physiotherapy program towards hypotony and postural control problems in Private Yıldız Çocuk Special Education and Rehabilitation Center. The case was evaluated three times for three years. Motor functions of the case were evaluated using Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM) scale, the disability level of the case was determined using Gross Motor Function Classification Scale and the functional independence level of the case was evaluated using Functional Independence Measure for Children (WeeFIM) scale. The applied physiotherapy program was designed from the exercises used in Bobath treatment approach. According to subsequent evaluations made through GMFM and weeFIM for throughout 3 years when the case received physiotherapy, a significant increase was observed in the scores of all parameters of GMFM and weeFIM, and an increase at one level in disability level was observed in GMFCS evaluation.