{"id":49141,"date":"2026-09-07T11:27:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T09:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=49141"},"modified":"2026-09-07T11:28:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T09:28:08","slug":"a-day-in-the-life-of-a-conductor-the-person-behind-everyday-miracles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2026\/09\/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-conductor-the-person-behind-everyday-miracles\/","title":{"rendered":"A day in the life of a conductor: the person behind everyday miracles"},"content":{"rendered":"
Conductive teacher Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok primarily works at the Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 Rehabilitation and Healthcare Department (PAREEO) and at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Semmelweis University’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which provides follow-up care for the so-called \u201cat-risk\u201d newborns considered to be particularly vulnerable. The main focus at the former is the comprehensive development of children with central nervous system injuries and early childhood development. At the latter, she collaborates with doctors and families to provide follow-up care and support the development of infants and young children born prematurely or with conditions that may hinder their psychomotor development. In this installment of our \u201cOne day\u201d series<\/a>, you\u2019ll get a glimpse into the daily routine of a conductor who specializes in early childhood development and pediatric rehabilitation.<\/div>\n

Click on the pictures to read our photo report.<\/em><\/p>\n[slb_exclude]

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Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok, a conductor at the Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 Rehabilitation and Healthcare Department (PAREEO) at the Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 Faculty (PAK) of Semmelweis University, has been working with children for nearly 30 years. Ildik\u00f3 spends most of her time at the pediatric rehabilitation clinic in the PAK complex on K\u00fatv\u00f6lgyi Street, working with children up to age 18 who require comprehensive development support. Her expertise was recently recognized with the Semmelweis University Outstanding Conductor Award, presented on Semmelweis Day, the day of Hungarian healthcare.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Most people associate conductive education with group-based early childhood and school-age development programs for children with central nervous system injuries. However, the methodology and approach developed by Hungarian physician Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 can also yield significant results in the development of children with mild developmental delays or who struggle with motor, cognitive, or communication problems \u2013 whether in individual or small-group sessions. In addition, it can improve the quality of life for teenagers entering adulthood, people who have suffered a stroke or require rehabilitation following an accident, as well as adults living with Parkinson\u2019s disease and multiple sclerosis.<\/div><\/div>
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Kende was referred by her pediatric nurse because he significantly arched his back when lying on his stomach. Although the examination revealed no abnormalities in his musculature or development, this posture is common in babies with reflux. A gastroenterologist later confirmed the condition. It also turned out that his posture is slightly asymmetrical, which parents can correct with simple exercises at home, explained Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok. In the pediatric rehabilitation clinic, she monitors the development of children with medical referrals and diagnoses who do not have neurological damage; rather, some factors affect their movement or development. She monitors progress through monthly follow-up evaluations for minor issues. “Depending on the results, I adjust the exercises. If necessary, we may stop them or bring in other specialists. We have to maintain a balance. We mustn\u2019t overload the children\u2019s nervous systems,\u201d she adds.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Infants undergo a comprehensive evaluation on a special conductive device called a plinth, whereas older children are evaluated on the floor. While the examination is underway, the specialist interviews the parents about the child\u2019s and family\u2019s daily life. According to Ildik\u00f3, it is important to identify the potential causes of any apparent delay compared to the average.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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“The extension hold is a good way to correct left-sided asymmetry. So is holding the baby in the opposite hand and on the opposite shoulder because parents tend to hold their child in their dominant hand,” says Ildik\u00f3 as she gives Kende\u2019s father step-by-step instructions on how to support their son\u2019s healthy development at home. “Cross your arm as if it were a seatbelt. Then, slide it down a little across your chest. Finally, the baby\u2019s head should rest on your upper arm,” she explains, walking him through the “homework” step by step.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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In addition to posture, the assessment covers the ability to focus attention. Rattles, singing, and bubble blowers are all great tools for this. The bubble blower is one of Ildik\u00f3\u2019s most useful aids. First of all, noticing the bubbles is a good indicator of visual development. Secondly, the spectacle of the bubbles captivates little ones so much that they usually stop crying, allowing the real work to continue.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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“I like it when both parents can accompany their children to the sessions,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok. She believes it\u2019s important for families to look forward to returning. In this particular case, it\u2019s twice as helpful. While Ildik\u00f3 teaches the homework assignments and assesses Kende\u2019s condition, his father plays with his sister, L\u00e9la. Ildik\u00f3 had previously started working with L\u00e9la as well, on the recommendation of a health visitor. As a baby, she wouldn\u2019t lift her head while lying on her stomach.<\/div><\/div>
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L\u00e9la is starting kindergarten in the fall, but Ildik\u00f3 has kept working with her because the little girl still often walks on her tiptoes. For L\u00e9la, comprehensive development means performing exercises while squatting on a ramp to stretch her muscles. Holding the instrument on the appropriate side while singing corrects the asymmetry that was more pronounced in infancy but is now barely noticeable. “The tools and exercises depend on the children’s age and current condition,” Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok adds.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Each session concludes with some paperwork. Ildik\u00f3 records the children\u2019s current developmental status and personal information. She also notes what she observed during the session and suggests developmental activities to do at home.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Sometimes the sessions of two children overlap, and they become friends. Then, we can coordinate appointments for these kids with similar challenges. These spontaneous educational situations also help foster the social development of children with disabilities. Both little girls have cerebral palsy for different reasons, and the nature and severity of their conditions differ as well. While playing together, however, they instinctively make movements that Ildik\u00f3 would have to work hard to get them to perform during individual sessions. For example, they extend their arms or fingers while Ildik\u00f3 slips the ring onto them. “Success for us is when a child performs a new movement, takes a developmental step, says a new word, or learns to eat,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Molli has difficulty maintaining good posture while sitting because her back and neck muscles are weak, and her limbs are stiff, which makes it difficult for her to move them. “We use the cards to develop her communication and cognitive skills. By having her draw the cards, we encourage her to take independent action: reaching out with her arms, grasping, and releasing. This also improves her eye-object and eye-hand coordination,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok. “Butterfly, butterfly, where do you fly? So quick, so high in the blue, blue sky,\u201d Ildik\u00f3 sings. Meanwhile, they act out how a butterfly flutters.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Sometimes, even very simple household items can be perfect for stabilizing your posture.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Walking may be challenging, but the squeaking of the slatted chair designed by Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 still makes Molli burst into loud laughter when pushed along the floor. The fundamental idea behind Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151\u2019s unique conductive pedagogy system is that despite any damage, our nervous system has reserves and the potential to form new connections. These can be mobilized through the appropriate guidance of the learning and teaching process.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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“In addition to the steps, it\u2019s important to practice proper head posture and enjoy the process,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok. She can adapt to each child\u2019s current condition and mood during individual sessions, preparing them for group-based conductive therapy later on. Often, the individual conductive therapy she provides transitions into more traditional group-based early conductive therapy or preschool classes.<\/div><\/div>
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Finally, amid loud laughter, she manages to cover a few meters. “One of the most important goals of conductive education is to promote independence,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok as she lightly helps Molli free her arm from the elbow brace stretching her muscles. At the end of the session, Ildik\u00f3 sings “Bravo, bravissimo, Molli.”<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Neonatologist Dr. Csaba N\u00e1dor and Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok are currently assessing Ol\u00edvia’s progress over the past month at the NICU outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The little girl was born three months prematurely due to intrauterine growth restriction, resulting in an extremely low birth weight. She spent 74 days in the hospital overcoming numerous challenges before going home. For her mother, the consultations with the specialist and conductor \u2013 which initially took place once a month and later every two to three months \u2013 provided tremendous support and reassurance. “This type of professional collaboration began more than twenty years ago, which was unique in Hungarian medical practice at the time,” says Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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At the time of our interview, Ol\u00edvia was celebrating her first birthday. “Premature babies have two birthdays until they turn two: their calendar birthday and their corrected age birthday,” notes Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok. She tells parents that their children are born as fetuses and don\u2019t become babies until the 40th week, so their development should be viewed strictly from that point onward. In other words, at three months old according to the calendar, Olivia was still expected to do things typical of a newborn. “It’s not recommended to bring out too many toys at once because then it’s harder for the child to focus on one thing,” Ildik\u00f3 advises parents.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Dr. Csaba N\u00e1dor is measuring Ol\u00edvia\u2019s head circumference. Along with weight and height, this is an important indicator of premature infant development up to the age of two. To determine if her growth rate is optimal or lagging behind, it is compared to the growth charts published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Since Ol\u00edvia has almost caught up with her peers in terms of motor skills, her homework consists of flipping through touch-and-feel books and reciting rhymes with gestures, which helps her practice pointing with her finger and focusing her attention. These at-home activities are also useful because they allow the child to practice them when she\u2019s in her best state, integrated into her daily routine, and they also incorporate family-based learning. Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok believes that empathetic and reassuring communication with parents is one of the most important parts of her work.<\/div><\/div>
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The Andr\u00e1s Pet\u0151 Faculty’s students are also on hand to gain practical experience with the methodology of conductive education during the academic year. However, the NICU outpatient clinic, which provides follow-up care for at-risk newborns, including premature infants, is also special to them. Here, they can gain valuable knowledge about the development and care of the youngest patients and experience first-hand what it is like to work as part of a diverse, more hierarchical healthcare team and communicate with colleagues and family members.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Final words of advice for the next generation. Gr\u00e9ta M\u00f3ricz, a student conductor, graduated in educational rehabilitation the day after this interview.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>[\/slb_exclude]\n

Melinda Katalin Kiss
\nTranslation: Judit D\u0151tsch
\nPhotos by Bogl\u00e1rka Zellei \u2013 Semmelweis University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ildik\u00f3 Bajnok: Success for us is when a child takes a developmental step or says a new word.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102255,"featured_media":49142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,286],"tags":[377,39],"class_list":["post-49141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-semmelweis-world","category-x-nyitolap","tag-one-day-series","tag-interview"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102255"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49141"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49166,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49141\/revisions\/49166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49142"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}