State of Care for Neuromuscular Disease and Movement Disorders: Jess Holguin, OTD, OT/L

WATCH TIME: 2 minutes

“I think it's accurate and useful to say that it is an area of significant growth, insofar as the growing awareness of all the different types of conditions and nuanced aspects within these different conditions, tied to autoimmune conditions, is just unlike any other area of practice that I've been associated with in my 25 years, as a neurorehab specialist.”

The field of neuromuscular and movement disorders is an expansive one, for which increased awareness and growth has provided more treatment routes and opportunity for patients. According to Jess Holguin, OTD, OT/L, associate professor of clinical occupational therapy, Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California’s Keck Hospital, while the state of care for these patient populations is a broad topic to address, he believes the recent subclassification of specific disease has provided opportunity for the integration of different therapies, particularly occupational therapy.

Speaking with NeurologyLive, Holguin commented on the ability to evaluate adaptations to patients’ care and occupational therapists’ ability to provide remedial care and “protect against all the capacities that are currently suffering from the diagnosis.” New disease classifications also allow for the incorporation of other allied health professionals, Holguin said, effectively strengthening the multidisciplinary care model.