VOLUNTAS in Antwerp, Belgium

                                                       Dutch                                   French                                  German                                 English

VOLUNTAS
Bazinstraat 1-3
2627 Schelle, Belgium

Phone: 323-877-5766
Fax: 323-887-7808
Website: www.voluntas.be
              www.thecnr.com/voantw.htm
E-Mail: voluntas@glo.be
            Drunruh@aol.com

Director: Dirk Goetschalckx
Rehabilitation Director: John F. Unruh, Ph.D.

Dutch, French, German, and English are spoken. Translation in other languages can be arranged.

VOLUNTAS is a therapy center that provides home programs of rehabilitation for handicapped children. It began in 1984 and in 1993, The Center for Neurological Rehabilitation was asked to take responsibility for all home programs and to coordinate the rehabilitation services. Dr. John F. Unruh, director and founder of The CNR, agreed to do so. Since then, Dr. Unruh along with his staff, personally travels to the beautiful city of Antwerp, Belgium every three months to see all the children.

Children with Autism, Down Syndrome, Brain Injury and Learning disabilities are all helped with the home programs. Families come from Belgium, France, Germany, England, Holland, Switzerland, Luxembourg and as far away as Iran and Egypt. Most languages are spoken by the staff and arrangements are made for other languages when necessary.

The programs provided by VOLUNTAS are based on the principles of neuronal plasticity, which implies that the brain can be influenced by environmental stimulation. Diet, health, nutrition, sleep, breathing and behavior are also among the important issues evaluated and helped but the primary emphases of the rehabilitation service is to provide effective neuro motor and sensory-motor activities that are designed on an individual bases to treat the impaired nervous system itself. The CNR has pioneered much of the technology available today that treats the cause of the problem, not the symptoms.

Through the use of organized stimulation exercises and activities, the programs provided at VOLUNTAS will often increase the rate of development in a maturing nervous system. It can influence the direction of the maturing process, preventing wrong turns that create symptoms later. It can also train impaired sensory perception systems and teach healthy cells how to take over the function of damaged or non functional cells. Supporting this work is an experienced group of professionals who also see the children as required. This outstanding group includes neurologists, general doctors, speech therapists, physical therapists and volunteers who are dedicated to supporting the families and doing all they can to achieve the best possible results with the children.

Families bring their children to VOLUNTAS every three months for evaluations and to receive changes in their programs. Problems are discussed, questions are answered and new goals are developed. The families are then taught the new programs and return home equipped to help their child with their own home program for the next three months.

In addition to home therapy, there are other important services offered by VOLUNTAS.

Hydro therapy
Movement in the water helps handicapped children to become more aware of new sensory experiences. It can also improve mobility, helps the child to gain socially and if possible, to learn to swim using the Halliwick method.

Music therapy
This requires working with highly trained therapists who use a variety of rhythm and melodic instruments to achieve specific therapeutic goals. These goals include the development of social awareness, the stimulation of perceptual, cognitive and motor skills and the development of communication skills as well as interpersonal relationship skills that are usually latent in handicapped children.

Auditory Integration Therapy
Dr. Guy Berard, developed this method over 20 years ago. He discovered that simple disturbances in the auditory nervous system can produce disorders that go beyond hearing problems. Dr. Berard's method can be beneficial in helping dyslexia, writing disorders, speech delay, concentration, auditory discrimination, depression and fatigue.

Dance therapy
Every Friday night, children with developmental disabilities can come to the dance studio at VOLUNTAS. There, they are taught how to move and interact with primitive rhythms, gestures and voice. This activity is conducted by a professional instructor while the parents meet in the waiting area.

Family vacation
Every summer VOLUNTAS provides an extraordinary opportunity for families with their handicapped child to have a great vacation. They are highly organized and take place at two locations. Currently, one session is France, the other is in Belgium. They are not expensive and every care is taken to assure that parents will have free time while a trained volunteer staff takes care of your child. Great fun and plenty of relaxation is guaranteed.

Play therapy for handicapped children during the summer school holidays
Handicapped children from 4 to 18 years of age are well cared for during work days at our day care service. They are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities such as walking, manual activities, games etc.

Send questions and/or comments to Dr. Unruh at DrUnruh@aol.com

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copyrighted by Dr. Unruh
at The Centre For Neurological Rehabilitation. All rights are reserved.