PARALYMPIAN Sophia Warner visited the orthotic services for young people provided by the Children’s Occupational Therapy team in south west Essex, on Tuesday 5 February.
Sophia, a Commonwealth gold medal sprinter and a London 2012 Team GB Paralympian, toured the therapy clinic at the John Tallack Centre, Thurrock Hospital, Long Lane, Grays, where patients are fitted with garments to aid their mobility.
Sophia spoke to health staff about the care and treatment of the young people aged two to 19 who have varied and often complex conditions. Sophia also spoke to some of the young children the service provides treatment to.
A high proportion of the children cared for by the Children’s Occupational Therapy team in south west Essex have a neurological impairment, which affects the way in which they control and articulate the movements of the muscles in their body.
Sophia Warner has a diagnosis of a hemiplegia, which means that the muscles and function of one side of her body are affected. Sophia is formally classified as a triplegic and races in a diplegic class, meaning both her legs are affected.
The Children’s Occupational Therapy team holds the orthotic assessment clinic, called the DEFO clinic – Dynamic Elastomeric Fabric Orthoses, once a month, where the young people are fitted with garments to help their movements and mobility .

