Get to know the work of respiratory therapist Ruud van der Wel

As a respiratory therapist and an innovator, Ruud van der Wel has been able to develop amazing tools that can transform respiratory therapy into interactive games for children with LAMA2-CMD. 

Ruud van der Wel is a Dutch respiratory therapist at Rijndam Rehabilitation Institute that has been working with children with disabilities for many years now, including our Sara. Training and strengthening the respiratory muscles are key in maintain and improving the quality of life of patients with LAMA2-CMD. However, it is not always easy to maintain breathing exercises, especially when children are still very young. To address this issue, Ruud has developed two astonishing tools: The Magic Flute and the GrooveTube.

The Magic Flute is an electronic wind instrument designed to be played by children with pulmonary dysfunction, without the use of their hands. The GrooveTube is an interactive breathing exerciser, that is connected wirelessly to an iPad. Both these easy-to-use devices allow the children to carry out their breathing exercises in an instinctive and interactive fashion. The respiratory therapy becomes much more effective as it is turned into a game!

Apps for children

Ruud has also developed a suite of 9 different apps, freely accessible on the App Store, to be used in conjunction with either the Magic Flute, or the GrooveTube. These user-friendly and highly accessible apps, provide the children with biofeedback, allowing them to learn and develop strong breathing techniques all whilst seemingly having fun. In addition, the apps can generate breathing data that can be reviewed with a therapist to track progressions. For additional information, demonstration videos or to contact Ruud directly, please visit mybreathmymusic.com.