FiNiFuchs asks
In conversation with Martina Steinhauser from Albrecht about motivation, teamwork and the special world of providing aids for children.
"Children are not small adults -
Every child is an individual.
Anyone who really gets involved with them
quickly realize
that the provision of aids
is sometimes easier
than you think."
1. who are you?
Please introduce yourself briefly: Who are you - beyond your title and function?
My name is Martina and I'm actually a physiotherapist. I discovered my fascination and interest in the provision of assistive technology during my Master's degree.
How did you get into the world of assistive technology for children?
I worked as a physiotherapist with children and young people for a while. It was actually a colleague from the technical department who got me interested in providing assistive technology. He visited us in a physiotherapy unit and showed us special orthoses for children. I was very impressed by the function and design of these orthoses.
Was there a moment or a person that had a particular impact on you?
There are many moments and many special people. However, I was particularly impressed by a little girl who was able to play hide and seek with her brother again with the help of an orthosis. I will never forget their laughter at that moment. It's often the supposedly very small moments that stay in your memory forever.
What often surprises people when they get to know you better?
Definitely my impatience! Professionally, I'm a very, very patient person, I've always been that way and it's completely automatic. It's a different story in my private life.😉
2. your path & your motivation
Why do you do what you do?
Because I really enjoy doing it.😊
What specifically motivates you to develop products for children with disabilities on a day-to-day basis?
On the one hand, the fate of some children and families. It makes you think and you want to help as specifically and sustainably as possible. On the other hand, the laughter of the children who, despite their limitations, enjoy life.
What values guide you in your work?
Respect, sensitivity, a close look and also trust in your own experience, which you gain over the years.
Were there also moments when you doubted - and why did you stay?
Yes, there definitely were. There were moments when I really questioned myself and my approach. But I stayed because that's what my gut feeling told me.....and it turned out to be right.😊
3. behind the scenes of development
How do you develop a new aid - from the initial idea to the finished product?
The process is as follows: we are approached by physiotherapists, technicians or doctors with a specific problem or project. The management then considers whether this project fits in with our strategic direction and whether we have the technical expertise for it. If so, different solutions are examined to ensure the best possible care for patients.
Who is involved in this process?
A lot of people and minds: technicians, designers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, economists, sales staff and users.
What do you attach particular importance to in development and production?
Accuracy of fit, high-quality materials, practicality and also the look.... products should also be visually appealing for children, which promotes compliance enormously.
Which materials or technologies do you use - and why these in particular?
We attach great importance to skin compatibility, durability and sustainability.... and always try to act economically.
Is there anything that would surprise parents if they could see how your products are made?
Yes, how many people are involved here and how wild the discussions can sometimes be. Many minds lead to many justified and highly qualified opinions. But in the end, you can always sense in these discussions how important it is for everyone to get a good product off the ground. Another special feature of our work is that the entire development process takes place here in Bernau am Chiemsee and everything is made by hand.
What is particularly sensitive or challenging about aids for children?
I don't want to say that the provision of aids for children is particularly sensitive or challenging. In my opinion, it is a completely different, special world and also a different approach. I think the phrase "children are not small adults" is a very apt description. You simply have to be able to engage with children again and again and see each child as a special individual, then it can sometimes be quite easy.
Briefly asked:
Gut feeling or plan?
Both!
Calm or speed?
Calmness!
Tinkering or listening?
Listen!
4. your team & your philosophy
What makes your team special?
Definitely the humor, the strong team spirit and the motivation for what we do.
How do you work together - more creative and chaotic or structured and technical?
Both! Depending on where we are in the work process. In the beginning it's rather unstructured, chaotic and some ideas are discarded. Towards the end comes the detailed work, which is often highly technical and everything is meticulously analyzed.
What is particularly important to you when dealing with your colleagues?
Respect and appreciation! And that you can take some things with humor and laugh together.
What do you sometimes laugh about in everyday life?
We laugh very often. I'm actually Austrian, but our company is based in Bavaria. I think Bavarians are particularly humorous and funny, which is why we regularly exercise our laughing muscles.
5. personal view
Do you have a favorite tool from your product world? Why this one in particular?
Definitely the CDS lock combination knee-ankle orthosis. There is so much detail work behind it and this orthosis offers children real added value on so many levels.
Do you remember a family or a child for whom this aid has made a difference?
We received a call a few months ago from an orthopaedic technician who needed help with a fitting. Her patient was ambulatory until an infection. After two years of immobility, contractures developed in the knee and ankle, which made standing and walking impossible. However, the therapist wanted to get the boy standing again. Using the CDS lock combination knee-ankle orthosis, we were then able to stretch the contractures to allow the leg to stand up straight. Once the patient had reached this position, the locking function of the joint allowed him to be brought safely into a vertical position. With this fitting, we were able to exploit all the possibilities of the orthosis and provide the patient with the best possible rehabilitation support.
Is there an aid that you would like to develop because it is still missing or could be even better?
I wouldn't want to develop a new aid now because there are already a lot of good ones. But I think it's worth evaluating and revising existing products, preferably in an honest exchange with the users.
When you think about the families who use your products: What do you wish them?
Patience and trust.....Patience, as it is often a long process until a tool really fits and is used with pleasure. And confidence in themselves and in the children, who often have really amazing abilities to adapt.
6. looking ahead & conclusion
How do you see the future of children's aids?
Very positive! I think that technological progress will make more and more things possible. We also have better and better assessments to really identify and understand problems. This also makes the care options much more precise.
Which developments or trends do you think are useful - and which are more critical?
I think the trend towards multidisciplinarity in the provision of assistive technology is very important and makes sense. Collaboration between the various professional groups is ultimately also of great benefit to the children.
I am critical of the tendency for the provision of medical aids to be associated with more and more bureaucracy and approval processes, which means that customer contact is often neglected.
What urgently needs to change in the provision of medical aids?
The time component: more time for direct contact with the children, more time for talking to parents, more time for team discussions and more time for reflection and evaluation.
If you could give parents something: What is your personal wish or advice?
Trust your gut feeling! Speak up if you are not satisfied with the care. Express your concerns if you have the impression that your child does not accept the assistive technology device or needs something else. Parents' intuition is often a really good guide for all of us.
Thank you, dear Martina,
for your openness
and the exciting insights
into your work
and the passion
with which you support children and families.
🧡