The Lusito Association for mentally and Physically Handicapped children was established in 1979, by a group of Portuguese parents, under the auspices of the Mental Health Society of the Witwatersrand. Lusito has subsequently grown from a small day care, to a fully-fledged specialised school for mentally and physically handicapped children that it is today.

The school offers assistance to children from the following professionals: speech therapist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, educational psychologist and biokineticist. 

Lusito offers invaluable support to the parents of these children through consultation and guidance. Parents are regularly kept up to date with the child’s progress.

The school assess each child’s individual needs; referrals to the other institutions are given. These services are available to parents residing in both South African and in neighbouring countries.

Presently the school has children with Cerebral Palsy (at birth and after birth), Down syndrome, and other Syndromes, learning disabilities (behavioural and perceptual) and Traumatic brain injury (near drowning and accidents).

IT’S ALL ACTION AT LUSITO

The purpose of Lusito is to equip each child as best as possible for his or her passage through life while learning social interaction through different activities which include:  sensory activities; gross motor activities; workshop activities and playground activities.

An exciting new development is the implementation of an alternative communication program based on visual learning. The use of Board maker enables the children to participate and communicate in all functional activities. Children enjoy active days and are encouraged to participate in various activities including basic tasks and games- all which form part of their occupational therapy.

The approach is to provide therapeutic input within the classroom daily program, focusing on individuals functional goals as well as proving more individualised therapy where necessary. It exercises to improve neural functions, the basis of scholastic development are also performed. All therapists are aimed at improving the children’s hand-eye co-ordination; postural mechanics; speech and concentration; social and emotional development and spatial awareness.

The school is divided into the following classes:

STIMULATION CLASS

Stimulation sensory is the main focus of this class, where activities that are done include painting, scribbling, exploring different shapes and sizes, textures and so on.  We are currently starting a new curriculum where class activities are planned according to different themes. We also have the sensory room which has different lights, sounds, smells and textures.

BRIDGING CLASS

The main goals for the bridging class are to implement some strategies to assist with behavioural modification and management in these children.

INTEGRATED CLASS

The therapeutic programme for the integrated class is the “Board maker” and “Clicker” programmes, which enables the students to participate in all activities of daily living according to their functional abilities.

INTERMEDIATE CLASS

 A holistic approach through fun filled yet very educational activities which develop and stimulates each learner’s abilities. Our day begins with a morning ring followed by a perceptual desk activity that is monitored on a one-on-one basis. The learners also enjoy the benefits at our school playground and equipment, where they engage in physical and social skills.

PRE-VOCATIONAL CLASS

The main aims of this class are to prepare learners for life, equip them with vocational skills and help to promote independence and self reliance. Learners are taught life skills, numeracy and literacy.

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WORKSHOP

The main objective of the workshop is to teach life skills that can help with the functional and productivity side of their lives. This might include personal hygiene, personal development and social skills that can be able to encourage them to be more interactive with other people and to fit in the society as well as with other members of the community.

There is an age criteria when placing a child in a class at Lusito, as we believe that the earlier the child receives stimulation the better it is. Lusito does not have an age limit concerning when a child has to leave the school. It is a process whereby we work hand in hand with the child and the family. All classes aim to stimulate psychomotor and perceptive capabilities; develop skills needed for daily living and improving communication and language development as well as social integration.

Learners are well nourished, receiving two meals per day, which are freshly prepared, meeting the various nutritional needs.

Lusito School provides input in the following therapeutic disciplines:

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Lusito’s main objective is to allow each learner to develop to his or her full potential. Activities are geared towards stimulating development of touch; gross and fine motor skills; cognitive skills; social developments; prevocational skills and leisure activities.

Younger children are seen individually and we focus on perceptual and cognitive stimulation and gross and fine gross motor co-ordination. Weekly group activities are held designed to improve memory, concentration, self-esteem and confidence.

SPEECH THERAPY

The aims differ according to the needs and abilities of the learner but the primary objective is to improve communication, whether it is verbal or non-verbal. An important part of speech therapy also includes finding the best way to feed children with eating problems and therapy improving their feeding patterns such as chewing and swallowing.

PHYSOTHERAPY

Making movement easy and enjoyable for the learners is an important aim of Lusito. We do exercises to music and play games with different sized balls, cushions and rollers to improve balance, posture, co-ordination and sensory awareness. Group or individual therapy is given, depending on the learner’s needs.

   

HYDROTHERAPY

When talking about active hydrotherapy we mean treatment in water where movement is taking place. This active form hydrotherapy can either be assisted which means that the therapist helps the patient to bring out the movement (Passive movement) or unassisted which means that the therapist helps the child bring out the movement him/herself (active movement).

The benefits include:

-         reduces gravity creating effortless muscle performance and ease of movement

-         Reduced and measurable weight bearing through joints, spine and extremities

-         Strength improved resistance

-         Movement can be buoyancy assisted, resisted or supported with or without floating equipment.

-         Circulation is improved by hydrostatic pressure and water warmth.

Today hydrotherapy is an accepted and popular form of treating various conditions thanks to upsurge in research.  Treatment in water is often an integral part of the total physical and psychological care of many conditions and a very important part of the rehabilitation process.

   

Learners attend Active Kids weekly, whereby they play while learning and the gross motor room is used for walking exercises.

   

SENSORY INTERGRATION

We learn about the world constantly through our senses and by interacting with it. Children explore and play in different environments and in doing so they find out what burns them or hurts them, what can be eaten, which things smell nice and what different sounds dignify. This process of exploration and learning continue throughout our lives.

Because of physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities many people have not had the same opportunities to explore and interact with their environment. Sensory stimulation programmes are designed to provide environments in which people with disabilities can have the opportunity to use their senses to learn about and interact more meaningfully with the world.

A room has been created specifically to concentrate on sensory stimulation. The goal of treatment must be either the creation of function where none exists, or improvement of function where it is delayed or inhibited. Stimulation “excites” the brain which produces functional activity.

LUSITO’S DREAM COME TRUE

The Lusito School, which was originally situated in Judith’s Paarl on a small piece of land, offered no room for expansion, limiting the number of children who could be accommodated.

Years of planning and extensive fund-raising enabled the school to purchase premises for this purpose. Today the Lusito School is situated in Regents Park on 18,300 square metres of land. Extensive renovations and additions to existing buildings have been completed, resulting in more classrooms.

Lusito receives no Government subsidy and its survival depends entirely on fund raising. Events such as the Lusito Land festival and donations from the community and business organizations are critical to Lusito’s continued existence.

CURRENT PROJECT

The school’s current project is to build a workshop whereby the learners are taught life skills, so that they can live functional and productive lives.

The focus areas are:

         PERSONAL HIGIENE AND SAFETY- These are functional skills that are important in daily living

         PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT- each of our students has strength abilities and aptitudes and the workshop aims to allow each student to develop and grow to their potential.

         SOCIAL SKILLS- to teach our students to live and integrate life in their respected communities by understanding social normalities. All the activities are presented in practical manner with much real life as possible.

We have started a new incentive programme called Charity 2 Charity, whereby the children, parents and staff are involved in helping other charities in need.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND YOU IS THAT YOU CAN SEE MY HANDICAP BUT I CAN’T SEE YOURS!!!