Afonso lives with his mother and family in Portugal. He has been in a wheelchair for most of his life due to a condition called Global Delay of Psycho Motor Development in the context of Neuro-Axonal dystrophy. This is a rare inherited neurological disorder which affects part of a nerve cell that carries messages from the brain to other parts of the body, and causes progressive loss of vision, muscular control, and mental skills. Maintaining a correct posture is fundamental for Afonso to ensure his trunk and head position is supported.

Source: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Infantile-Neuroaxonal-…

His previous seating system was not bringing the necessary corrective forces and due to the long periods of time Afonso spends sitting in his wheelchair, he was leaning to his left in a kyphotic position.

REHAPoint is the Spex Distributor in Portugal and were the team that assessed Afonso for a new wheelchair and seating system. It was important to build an outcome that would provide exceptional comfort and support his posture. Afonso’s mum, Claúdia has known the team from REHAPoint for many years now and commented on the result, “I have to say that REHAPoint’s concern and dedication lead them to understand the difficulties and needs of Afonso, and without hesitation immediately suggested Spex Seating and no doubt I am very satisfied!”

One main sitting goal for Afonso was to achieve an open posture and encourage his shoulders and arms backwards. Spex Seating provided a Spex SuperHigh Contour Cushion to stabilise and level the pelvis, fitted along with a SuperShape Back Support to help ‘open’ his posture and control his positioning. Now no longer leaning, support to the thoracic region makes breathing more comfortable for Afonso with his airways clear – something he had struggled with previously. A pair of Lateral Trunk Supports and the Comfi Extended Head Support system were also fitted to the wheelchair.

Afonso now leads a life in comfort and as Claúdia commented:

Spex has all the comfort, safety and agility which is so important in the life of Afonso and ours” continuing to say, “…since he loves to be outdoors, to see people and to feel the wind in the face …!