Orit Bartov
Head of Physiotherapy department
obartov@alyn.org
02-6494-277
Orit Bartov is a physiotherapist with more than 30 years of experience specializing in pediatric physiotherapy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from Tel Aviv University and a master's degree in Physiotherapy with a specialization in children from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Orit joined the physiotherapy team at ALYN Hospital in 1996, and has been the Head of Physiotherapy, leading a team of 40 physiotherapists, since she returned from Australia in 2009. She is also responsible for the Hydrotherapeutic Pool in ALYN. She is an advisor on several committees of the Ministry of Health, having taken part in the introduction of rehabilitation equipment into the “health basket,” and she is an authorized signatory of The Lewis National Rehabilitation Institute for braces and walking devices.
Orit’s areas of expertise include respiratory physiotherapy, NDT – neurodevelopmental therapy, developmental treatment, neurological and orthopedic disorders in children and adolescents, and neuromuscular diseases.
The physiotherapy branch is managed by Mrs. Orit Bartov
ALYN’s experienced physiotherapists focus on improving motor skills and respiratory function including mobility, stability and endurance. Treatment options include land therapy including use of the latest equipment and hydrotherapy in the pool.
Treatment approach includes:
- Teaching independent transfers from the bed, floor or chair to walking, climbing stairs, running, playing ball etc.
- Improving balance in various functional situations.
- Hydrotherapy (therapy in the water) for improvement of range of motion, muscle relaxation, muscle strengthening, balance etc.
- Tricycle riding for muscle strength and endurance training.
- Methods of respiratory function training including use of a CoughAssist Mechanical Insufflator-Exsufflator and other tools.
- Equipment and appliance fitting including making leg splints for babies and children.
- Teaching children and families exercises to continue at home.
- Use of various objective instruments to assess abilities.
ALYN hospital provides a clinical service through its state of the art motion analysis laboratory
WOTA - Water Orientation Test ALYN
Project Manager: Ruth Tirosh
Tel: 972-2-6494245
Email: rtirosh@alyn.org
The WOTA is a tool used in hydrotherapy to evaluate a child's mental adjustment and function in water. It includes two evaluation forms: WOTA 1 and WOTA 2. The uniqueness of the WOTA is that it is based on the principles of the Halliwick Concept which is internationally accepted for hydrotherapy treatment. The forms can be used for setting therapeutic goals directed at functioning in water, and the treatment program may be planned accordingly. The forms allow for an objective follow-up of a child's progress. This progress was found to be sensitive to change over time. Several evaluations may be conducted throughout the course of treatment, with new goals set according to their results.
The WOTA was developed at the ALYN Hospital, Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Center in Jerusalem Israel by Ruth Tirosh, Director of Hydrotherapy. Ruth is a senior hydrotherapist, with a B.Ed in physical education (Wingate Institute) and an M.Sc. in exercise physiology (Tel Aviv University). Ruth has been involved in swimming instruction and hydrotherapy for more than twenty five years. She has participated in numerous hydrotherapy courses and is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Israeli Hydrotherapy Organization.
WOTA evaluation
The WOTA evaluation has been presented at many conferences and has been recognized worldwide. It has been translated into eight languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German, Korean and Chinese. The WOTA is being used in different research projects which study the effect of treating patients with different diagnoses in the water.