Rehabilitative Approach Toward a Japanese Encephalitis Patient via Therapy Ball: A Case Report

The most widespread and dangerous mosquito-borne viral encephalitis is called Japanese encephalitis (JE). In India, the disease still mostly affects children. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) attacks the central nervous system and causes fever, headache, vomiting, meningeal inflammation, and altered consciousness. Therefore, the focus of JE treatment is on symptom management, and thorough supportive care is crucial to prevent neurological sequelae. In the case study reported here, a five-year-old girl complained of loss of deglutition, loss of speech, diminished tone, and developmental milestone losses. Management was planned for the child using a rehabilitative approach that exclusively includes the use of a therapy ball along with standard physiotherapy protocol. Objectives created indicated that both preventing complications and facilitating recovery were important. The treatment protocol was provided for a period of four weeks. Modified Ashworth scale (MAS), manual muscle testing (MMT), and gross motor function measure (GMFM-88) were assessed pre- and post-treatment. This case report mentions the importance of the effectiveness of therapy ball in rehabilitation in patients with JE.