Our Programs
PTEAM has developed a number of specifically targeted programs to helping children and adults who desperately need physical therapy and rehabilitation services and supplies. Below is a list of a few of our programs. Please contact us to learn more about becoming a member or making a donation.
Adopted Child Rehabilitation and Parent Education Program
Here in the United States PTEAM recognizes that children often are adopted from orphanages with physical and developmental disabilities. Many times the new parents of adopted children are not aware of the developmental physical handicaps and if they are aware of them often do not know where to go for help.
PTEAM serves as a resource center for the parents of adopted children with physical handicaps. We also serve to find parents help for their adopted child’s rehabilitative needs. PTEAM has developed a large network of physical therapy and rehabilitation facilities throughout the U.S. and places parents of adopted handicapped children in touch with these facilities.
Orphanage Rehabilitation Outreach
PTEAM and its partners understand that children of developing and third world countries that have physical disabilities are often given up for adoption or abandoned as they cannot be productive to their family unit and are seen as a burden. These children are often placed in an orphanage with a physical disability that has no access or money to provide proper and timely rehabilitation and physical therapy during their most crucial developmental years. That’s where we come in.
PTEAM strives to identify the specific needs of physically disabled and handicap children in orphanages and provides them with access to rehabilitation. Access to rehabilitation is critical for these children to develop as normal and functional as possible. We believe the access to rehabilitation that PTEAM provides will also improve the child’s chances of being adopted.
PTEAM develops progressive rehabilitation programs and trains staff and/or outside personnel in specific rehabilitative techniques to address the special needs of the children identified as in need. We strive to develop an ongoing relationship with the staff/director of the orphanage, local church and volunteers and the persons trained to deliver services so PTEAM can track progress and alter the rehabilitation as the child’s needs develop and change.
If no physical therapist is available in the city or town where the orphanage is located we will seek out and contract to pay local physical therapist to come into the orphanage and work with the special needs children.
Rehabilitation and Medical Assistive Devices
PTEAM receives donations of new and used rehabilitative orthopedic medical equipment including walkers, canes, braces, electrical stimulation units, TENS units and portable traction units. Part of our mission is to provide orthopedic rehabilitative equipment and assistive ambulatory devices to adults and children whom otherwise would not have access to this equipment or able to afford it.
“Your eyes are of little use if your mind is closed." - Arab Proverb