US Dept. of Ed Funds Study of ‘Wii-hab’ Potential for Brain Injuries

Speaking of teen driver safety, Wesley Battles is one fortunate crash victim. The 16 year-old smacked into a tree, broke several bones, and suffered neck and brain injuries. He woke up in a hospital two days after the accident with paralysis on one side of his body. Wesley’s dad is Dr. Bruce Battles, a physician specializing in brain injury rehabilitation. Dr. Battles turned to the Nintendo Wii to help his son recuperate.

“When I first started it, I could barely hold down the controller to push the button,” said Wesley. “I actually had to use two hands to hold down the button.”

“After a week of just playing the Wii I could move all my arm and have full movement,” Wesley said.

His father believes the Wii helped strengthen his motor skills and cognitive reasoning.

“It’s amazing what a 16-year-old body can do with a positive attitude,” Bruce said.

Playing video games also made the rehab process fun — and gave him the chance to beat many of his favorite games …

Thanks in no small part to the successful “Wii-hab” experience with his son, Dr. Battles has received a grant from the US Dept. of Education to study effects of videogame therapy on patients with brain injuries. Dr. Battles is hoping to find the Wii games help brain injury patients “improve their range of motion, social skills, and improve short term memory.”

References:
Donatelli, E. (2008, February 27). Video game system helped teen quickly recover from paralyzing car crash injuries. [Online.] Retrieved February 27, 2008 from http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=7931844&nav=0RZF