The Praxis Children’s Therapy Centre was set up here in Malta in January 2017 by 2 couples – Arthur and Stephanie Calleja and Anton and Sueanne Ciantar.
In 2014, Arthur and Stephanie had taken their son to a clinic in Geneva to be assessed by Padovan therapists there as he was suffering from oral and verbal dyspraxia, a condition which hindered his ability to speak and to a certain extent to learn and develop in a typical manner.
In February 2015, they moved to Switzerland to give their son the opportunity to attend Padovan Therapy sessions on a daily basis, where they immediately started noticing notable improvements. Anton and Sueanne were also in Geneva at the same time with their son Kayne.
The Padovan method works on the organisation process of the nervous system, through the various stages, so as to stimulate all functions (Motor, Sensorial, Cognitive, communication, Psychic, Autonomic nervous system).
They set up Praxis Children’s Therapy Centre, in January 2017 after returning from Switzerland. Here they provide Padovan therapy to around forty children from babies to early adulthood.
Children suffering from the following conditions are benefitting from Padovan therapy at their clinic:
– Degenerative neurological diseases
– Dysphagia (swallowing disorders)
– Cerebral Palsy
– Autism
– Dyspraxia, Dyslexia
– Aphasia, Stuttering
– TMJD (Temporal-mandibular Joint Dysfunction), Malocclusion
– Sensory disturbance (Hypersensitivity, Hyposensitivity)
– Acquisition of functions that were never acquired due to a developmental delay
– Difficulties in concentration, attention, memory and performance during day to day activities.
Presently, there are two therapists employed full time. The expenses to run such a clinic are substantial, from training costs and salaries to rent, cleaning costs and therapy consumables.
Furthermore, significant expenses were incurred to purchase all the equipment and set up the clinic’s therapy rooms in accordance with Padovan standards. Whilst managing to cover part of this expenditure from the fees that the parents pay for the sessions, they still need to regularly contribute towards these costs from their personal funds.
“Thanks to the support of The Alfred Mizzi Foundation, we are in a better financial position to continue providing individualised therapy to the highest standards, which gives these children the best possible quality of life, now and as they grow” – Stephanie Calleja.
