[Rehabilitative treatment of severe sensory disorders. Description of 2 cases].

Unlabelled: The aim of the work has been to verify the efficacy of a psychomotor rehabilitative treatment undertaken at a late age in two children with multiple handicaps: sensorial (visual and hearing impairment), motor (apostural-akinetic stage) and relational (autistic behavior).

Methods: Salvatore C, and Ivan S., admitted to the "G. Gaslini" Institute after discharge from an Institution for homeless infants, were affected by prenatal rubella sequelae. They were taken in charge at age 11 and 24 months.

Treatment: manipulation and body-to-body interaction to reassure the children, relieve their feelings of fright and reduce the stereotyped behaviour; stimulation of the acquisition of the body-image; strengthening of the unimpaired sensorial skills and of the residual auditory and visual possibilities; postural and motor stimulation, following the autogenetic development; stimulation to achieve spatial organization and orientation; adjusting of interventional and relation modalities common to all the persons interacting with the children.

Results: we obtained a significant reduction of stereotyped behaviour and progressive improvement of the active research of productive interaction with the environment in both children; Salvatore C. was able to walk with little aid after one year of treatment; furthermore he reached a lively and organized motility, supported by a motivational drive. Ivan S. was able to walk with bilateral help after 4 months of treatment; the cognitive development improved at a slower pace; the child became able to reach for objects but used them only in stereotyped or elementary activities. From this observation it seems possible to confirm our hypothesis that psychomotor education is useful even if undertaken lately and in the absence of a supporting family.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)