In Belgium crenotherapy camps are not recognized by the social security. Thus they are not reimbursed. Apparently, this kind of cure is considered a luxury.

A fortnight camp costs per child :

Even if the Belgian Army offers logistic and personnel help, a sum of € 35,000 remains in order to offer such a camp to 14 children.

The Pinocchio association is convinced that such camps greatly helps the children physically as well as psychologically. Therefore Pinocchio pays the biggest part of the camp. A symbolic participation of € 25 is requested from the parents.

In order to collect such funds, the Pinocchio Association

• establishes contacts with potential crenotherapy centres in order to benefit from significant reduction on the costs of both cure and medical care

• raises financial support to ensure that all children get a reduction on the costs incurred

• requires logistic support from Belgian Armed Forces

• organizes various activities to collect the required money, via sponsoring

We want to thank all the generous sponsors that make such yearly camps possible.

Greetings,

Diane Derwael
Camp Manager and coordinator of the different burn camps

02/264.43.28

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All along the camp, children are looked after by enthusiastic and competent supervisors. Five healhcare specialists (nurses, psychologists, social workers) and two physiotherapists. These people  work in the Centre for Burned people of the Queen Astrid Hospital.  At the mid-period of the camp, another group takes over.  This is necessary in order to keep the burn centre working.

The camp head-supervisor is a physiotherapist who works in the burn centre.  She stays for the whole period of the camp to link the two teams and insure smooth care ot the children.

Furthermore, it uses also the services of some motivated healthcare volunteers.

The NPO Pinocchio organizes yearly a crenotherapy camp in Spa for burned children aged between 5 and 16.

The selection is made on the basis of various parameters:

• age
• the level of seriousness of burns
• the degree of the burns
• the recovery phase (the crenotherapy is most efficient when cicatrisation is still in its active phase)
• the socio-economic situation
• the need to provide care
• both for French and Dutch speaking children

The head physician of the Centre for burned children determines whether the child needs crenotherapy.

For it to be efficient, a crenotherapy must be followed on a daily basis for a minimum period of 2 consecutive weeks. The crenotherapy takes place in the morning (3 hours of treatment).  The rest of the day will be devoted to games, sports and entertainment.

The therapy itself is comprised of various phases :

1 -  Bicarbonate baths

20-minute baths in mineral water containing natural quantities of iron and carbonic acid. Prolonged contact with this water has been found to promote healthy scarring. Physiotherapists provide aquatic massage using water jets, which helps mobility and improves scar tissue.

2 - Underwater massage

In the jet mineral baths with a physiotherapist to help with mobility and improve scar tissue.

3 - Thermal showers

Balneotherapists using fine jet showers offer micro-massage for the skin and connective tissue.

4 - Physiotherapy

Daily massage and/or LPG treatments by physiotherapists specialised in burns are adjusted according to the needs of each child, to their affected areas and to their levels of scarring.

5 - The Pool

In between treatments the children can enjoy water games and jets under the careful supervision of carers. The water in the big pool comes from the Clementine Spring and is kept at a temperature of 32° C.

6 - Relaxation

Three times a week the children are offered half-hour relaxation sessions, in the form of games, either in the big pool or a relaxation space.

7 - Watsu

Massage therapy based on the movements of Zen Shiatsu are given to the children in the pool.

It takes a few weeks before the benefits of the treatment can be seen and felt.  We are trying to scientifcally determine those benefits by adequate mesasurements and examination.

According to participants, the treatment leads undoubtfully to the improvement of the following:

• significant decrease or disappearance of itching
• reduction of pain resulting from contact or friction
• decrease of unevenness of skin surfaces
• softening of the skin
• reduction of the skin red color
• progressive increase of mobility
• better sleeping nights
• relativization of one's personal situation through experience sharing with his companions in adversity!

After the hospitalization period starts a rehabilitation one for each burned person: physiotherapy, compressive clothes, plastic surgery… The cicatrization mainly, develops very slowly and is often accompanied by some inconvenience: intense itching which can sometimes be difficult to stand, highly sensitive and painful areas, skin hardness...

During this phase, few patients manage not to fall into discouragement, depression and loneliness periods adding to the feelings of misunderstanding by their surrounding environment.

It is mainly during this rehabilitation period that the cure is justified. It does not replace at all the physiotherapy or the wearing of compressive cloths! It is rather a complementary and efficient treatment, without being a miracle remedy.

Nevertheless, any person who has serious burnings should be in a position to take advantage, after his hospitalization, of the opportunities offered by crenotherapy, which is specialised in the treatment of skin diseases.

Convinced of the merits of these crenotherapies intended for burned people, both at physical and psychological levels, the Pinocchio association endeavours, in collaboration with the various Centres for Burned people located in Belgium, to offer annually, one of these cures to children, under the form of a "CRENOTHERAPY CAMP".

The 14-day long camp is mainly focused on medical treatment, but offers also to the child aged between 5 and 16 a range of opportunities :

• such as small vacation periods with many games, sports and recreational activities
• he learns to stay with others despites his burnings
• he will end up by accepting his scars