Therapist Mommy

Glow in the Dark Bowling...

2012-02-20T12:31:00.001-08:00

Simple. Bottles, glow sticks and a ball. It's sensory. It's motor. It's fun!

Rainbow toast...

2012-02-20T11:51:00.001-08:00

Bread
Milk
Food Coloring
Clean Paint Brushes

Or for my health nut friends...

Coconut milk
Gluten free bread
Berries/beets (will work as your "dye")
Clean Brushes

Mix 1/8 cup milk with dye.
Paint bread with clean paint brushes.
Toast.
Enjoy!

EZ SOX

2012-02-03T21:41:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to put up a post on EZ SOX. As an Occupational Therapist I am constantly looking for ways to make to my clients more independent. When I had a client (age 9) that was unable to put on traditional socks I knew I had to find something to help him out. I then stumbled upon EZ SOX. They worked great and within 2 sessions he was putting them on himself. When I ordered some for him I also bought my 3 year-old some and she loves them!

They recently started making some for adults. These would work great for clients with knee/hip replacements, etc...

Right now the website has free shipping and if you enter the code EZ40 at the end of your order you will get 40% off! Not too bad for super cute functional socks.

*BTW I don't think a child needs to use these socks everyday for their life. These socks are ment as a training tool and there should be a transference of skills (meaning once they get the hang of pulling up these socks they should be able to pull up regular socks).

**I am sure that you could make a few pairs by adding a similar loop at the top of the socks (I would use an old cut up teeshirt or the like). Just make sure to reinforce it because they are ment to be pull on.

Why I hate sippy cups...

2012-01-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

Our first child loved sippy cups... And I thought I loved them too. They were easy to make sure he was getting enough fluids and they didn't spill (well not too much!). Sippy cups were kind of like a security blanket for him. He would wake up get a sippy and curl up and cuddle with mom (this seem like a dream after having to wean him after starting OT school when he was 15 months old).

Then at 18 months he got the stomach flu and I decided to put Gatorade in his sippy cup. It seemed harmless and I knew he needed the fluids. But something happened he wanted his sippy cup more and more. And at first I obliged thinking he must be a thirsty kid. For some reason I didn't think twice about constantly filling his cup up with watered down Gatorade (um...SUGAR?! DYE?!). He was happy and so was I?!

But then...I found a sippy while cleaning out the car. You guessed it. It was FILLED with black, fussy mold. Nasty. That is when I decided we need to cut WAY down on sippy cups. If he has so many sippys lying around that I didn't even know where they all were then that was too many.

The trouble? He was already painfully addicted to his sippy and it's have Gatorade goodness. So I had to wean him. He was my first child, so I was nice about it (much slower and gentler of a wean then I probably would do now-umm can someone say COLD TURKEY). By an age of 3 sippys were just for car trips and usually just filled with water. Hooray!

Number two came along. And I decided (after months of cleaning up NASTY moldy sippy cups) we would put nothing but water in them. We always offered a glass (water) for a small sip (starting at 6 months or so) and Guess what?! She preferred a cup. She was drinking from a cup at almost all meals by 18 months and could drink from a small cup unassisted by 12 months. Ahh! She never became obsessed the juice or Gatorade and is a little water lover.

Number 3?! Same rules. She is already loving sipping from my water glass and even sucking on a straw covered with my finger.

Let me make this clear...I am not a Speech Therapist. I am however a mom, aunt, friend, and therapist who too often sees kids that are way too old drinking from bottles and sippy cups. If this is you, don't feel bad I was a victim of this too. But it is time to set you and your child free (plus hey drinking from an open cup is a life skill that SHOULD emerge around 12-18months).

Now a few more what I thinks, before I give you links to some GREAT Speech Therapy Blogs that discuss this topic as well and give helpful hints on transitioning.

1. Breast is best.

2. If bottles are needed STOP using at 12 months (For many reasons, including promoting correct oral motor development, but also to make the weaning (from the bottle-nurse as LONG as you want) process easier. The longer you wait the HARDER it will be and really that is only hurting both of you).

3. Introduce sippy cups at 6 months (Say bye-bye to them by 18-24 months.)

4. Encourage drinking from a straw around 9-12 months (even earlier if they seem interested- water please!). Drinking from a straw will help position your children’s tongue correctly for speech and give them the strength necessary to be more successful communicators (thanks Mommy Speech Therapist).

5. Practice drinking from an open cup (with your help) as early as 6 months. Just offer a sip or two of water and if they aspirate or start choking wait a few weeks before trying again.

6. Constantly sucking on a bottle or sippy cup can decrease your child opportunities to practice talking babbling and further decrease their language skills and articulation.

7. It is BAD for their teeth! Especially if the bottle/sippys are filled with juice/Gatorade (yikes!). I have seen plently of kids that have had TONS of cavities filled or even teeth pulled from juice rot.

Proof I am NOT making this up! :)
Mommy Speech Therapist
ARK Debbie's Blog

Go ahead wean your kid and increase their self esteem by showing them one more thing they can do like mommy and daddy!

Foot Painting?

2012-01-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

Who needs finger painting when you can paint with your feet?!

Besides our spines, our feet are the anatomical regions which contain the most proprioceptive sensory receptors!

So if you are looking for a super fun SENSORY experience with your kids, this is it.

1. Tape up paper from the floor to the highest their little legs will reach (I'd rather have TOO much then clean it off the wall). Butcher paper would work great but I was all out.

2. Make sure your kids are in grubby clothes! This can get messy.

3. Put some paint (washable) on a large plate or cookie sheet.

4. Have your kids lay on their back. Hold the paint in a desired location for your child to stretch for (High/Low/Left/Right).

5. Now encourage them to FILL the paper.

*This is also a great activity for kids who need to work on trunk and lower extremity strengthening!

APP of the month?

2012-01-06T14:34:00.000-08:00

I am currently getting all my Continuing Education Credits in order as I have to renew my Occupational Therapy License. I stumbled upon Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners website (I read the magazine). I found a fun little list. It is an APP of the month list. Each App has been reviewed and even have a handout on what skills each APP addresses! Awesome. Check it out all you Apple/APP fans.

Visual-Motor Painting?

2011-12-19T20:52:00.001-08:00

Visual-Motor Integration refers to a persons ability to coordinate their visual skills with their motor skills. Most of us do this instinctively.

When a child is born with developmental delays or has a neurological insistent later in life this integration of skills can be difficult. Even "typical" children can have difficulty, we can't all be Michael Jordan!

And now...

Container painting. My name is creative I know.

Supplies:
*Paint
*Paper
*Paint Brush (or fingers-depending on if you want to mix in the sensory or tool-use more)
*Small Containers with a hole punched in the lid, make the hole no bigger then what you want them to slide in and out. If you want then to use their fingers make sure the hole is a little big and the edges are smooth. I go my containers at the dollar store, 10 for a dollar. :)

Directions:
Paint. No really, it's not much different during the task. It's more about the setup.

Spray Paint

2011-12-04T20:26:00.000-08:00

Wanna have fun and work on hand (think intrinsic muscles) and finger strengthening?

How about "spray" painting?!

Grasping and spraying with a bottle is hard work, but totally satisfying when bright color comes out. If you use on old hair spray bottle (the pump kind) you can work on finger isolation/strengthening.

What you need:
Spray bottle (dollar store)
Paint
Water
Cardboard or old table cloth for the backsplash

How it's done:
Put water in a spray bottle (don't fill it all the way up- it will be hard to get the color dark enough).
Add paint. A squeeze/dollop or 10 depending on how dark of a color you want. I tested the color by spraying a paper towel in the sink. Just add more paint or water until the desired color is achieved.
Put up the backsplash. It's best if it's floor length (paint can drip).
Tape up desired color sheet or paper.
Now spray!!!

*To speed up drying I use a blow dryer, so we can spray paint and embellish all in one session.

**If you are doing a Christmas tree like I did, bingo markers make great ordaments.

Sent from my iPhone

School Glue Snowman (or Christmas tree)

2011-11-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Turkey Dinner?!

2011-11-29T06:18:00.000-08:00

I realize that this post may be a tad late (Thanksgiving was last Thursday). However the PT's at my work were so cute coming up with this that I had to share.

Thanksgiving dinner obstacle course (this can be changed to with different pieces to make it a Christmas dinner or even a school lunch).

     1. Stuff the turkey. They kids took an empty "turkey" bag and filled it with play balls from around the gym. (The kids can scooter board: in prone- tummy down (upper body & lower body propelling) or by sitting on their tushy (legs propel) to collect the "stuffing". If you don't have a scooter board you can use a skate board in the same positions or have them animal walk (crab, bear, bunny hop) to each ball.

When they are done have them tie up the turkey (see OT's you aren't left out!). Place the turkey on a lunch tray (ask a fast food restaurant for a donates one) or large cookie sheet (dollar store).

      2. Walk the balance beam to get the apple cider. To increase the fine motor in this activity have the kids rip yellow or orange paper into tiny pieces and place in a cup. Put on tray.

     3. Crawl through a tunnel or walk up stairs to get the more sides (play veggies, etc).

     4. Have then do ten jumping jacks or do the monkey bars to earn some pumpkin pie for their tray.

     5. Once their tray is full have them maneuver through another obstacle course over steps, under jump ropes held (limbo style), between chairs, holding tray while walking on knees/crawling/scootering, etc...

*Most kids have difficulty moving through a crowded lunch room. A little "practice" can ease the anxiety a hundred fold.
**This is a great total body sensory alerting activity.

Scented Painting...

2011-11-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

Glue + Koolaid = scented paints!

This fun sensory craft is just that simple. Use your favorite school glue and mix with a dash of an unsweetened Koolaid packet. Presto! Yummy scented paints.

Keep it simple with just the primary colors: red, yellow and blue. This way your kids can practice mixing and making various colors and scents.

*Thanks to my BFF and favorite OT Cristina for this fun idea.

Don't break the ice!

2011-11-18T19:29:00.000-08:00

My kids love the game Don't Break the Ice. I however, hate putting in the million fake ice cubes just to have it crushed 30 seconds later.

Please don't get me wrong, it's a great game and therapeutic (we play it all the time). But even great things can be improved upon (or reverted back to the original).

Thus...The REAL Don't Break the Ice.

What you need:

Tissue paper (one layer-just one, cut in half)
A large rubber-band or headband
A mixing bowl
Ice- 4+ cups wet down with a 1/2 cup cool water (give or take)

Get started:

Place the tissue paper over the bowl. Stretch the rubber-band over to hold in place.
Have the players place on piece of ice on per turn, being careful not to break the ice. Once the ice (tissue paper) has broken through the game is over. The person who put the piece on that cause the ice to brake loses.

What does this work on?

Turn taking (For kids that are working on socialization and/or verbalization- have each player go and then invite the next player to go..."David, it is you turn." Encouraging eye contact when possible.)

Sensory- it's wet and cold. This can easily be made more sensory by mixing in table salt or sand (mixed with the ice). Make it slimy/slippery by mixing in bit a dish soap. Freeze water with a drop or two of food dye and for a more colorful game (as the ice melts it will leave pretty colors on the tissue paper). To engage their sense of smell by freezing the water with scents (vanilla, peppermint, lemon) or mix a drop or two in the ice/water combo.

Fine motor control- Grade it up by using tiny round Sonic-type ice.

Pressure modulation- Carefully controlling their movements so they don't BREAK the ice.

Have fun!

ADL of Wiping...

2011-11-15T16:32:00.000-08:00

Occupational Therapists work on ADL's or activities of daily living.
One of therapists "favorite" ADL's to work on is toileting...Hey it may be a dirty job but somebody's got to do it.

That being said in the setting I work in we aren't allowed to directly work on toilet skills. I usually just provide parents with advice and ideas on how to work on the skills on their own.

The following video was made for a client who was having trouble getting all the way "clean" after wiping. We practiced using a mirror and stickers. The stickers were placed on areas that would normally need cleaned after having a bowel movement. He practiced and eventually he was able to retrieve all the stickers with no verbal cues. Then for a few more weeks he used a mirror at home to "check" and make sure he was clean. After about a month he no longer required a mirror because he was able to throughly wipe himself.

Enjoy! And it's ok to laugh...I always do!

Sensory Experiences for Baby!

2011-11-08T21:21:00.001-08:00

Sensory Processing...

What is it?
Sensory Processing is how the brain receives, processes, understands (or makes use of), and reacts to sensory information (input given via our senses).

What are our senses?
Sight
Smell
Hearing
Taste
Touch
Body Awareness (Proprioception, knowledge of where your body is in space)
Balance
*Some say LOVE is a sense, I would agree! :)

Why is it important to offer young children, even babies sensory experiences?
All of us are have challenges. Things that are harder for us. I'm dyslexic. Reading/spellings/sounds didn't just come to me. I had to "practice" to learn, earn and memorize every word that I read/spelt for many years (think hours of flash cards from an amazing mom who wouldn't give up on a daughter she knew could do it). Eventually I stopped having to earn or memorize each word learned. There was a generalization of skills. If cat was spelt, C-A-T. And fish was spelt, F-I-S-H. Then catfish must be spelt, C-A-T-F-I-S-H. You get the point.

Many children have challenges with sensory processing, even some "typical" children. The more they are exposed to it in a safe, controlled manner, the more they will learn to correctly process it.

This is not an easy task. Especially for children with Autism. You see most of these children have difficulty with speech and are unable to explain or even identify the areas of sensory processing that they need "help" with.

Their parents, teachers and therapists must painstakingly try with figure out what makes these special children tick. Then it takes even more time "convincing" the child that a given task is the sensory need they are seeking.

Wow, that was long and confusing...But basically, we must expose our children (babies) to sensory experience when there is the least amount of "noise" (think uncontrollable outside stimuli/ learned behavior/ compensatory strategies). This is easiest when they are babies. At this age they tell us what they want and don't want. They want food. They don't want to sit it a yucky diaper.

Learn your baby's/child's cues so that you can tell when something isn't processing just right. Then trust yourself.

Use this learned information (cues your child gives, crying, avoiding, turning away, seeking, reaching, grabbing, cuddling) so that you can safely and calmly expose your child to undesired sensory stimulation. So that they too can "learn" from it.

I have friends that say...My child isn't a cuddler. Okay, so their child doesn't like to be constantly touched, held all the time and sleeps better alone. Does this mean they should never hold their child or even cuddle them? Absolutely not. Should they force their baby to cuddle all the time or co-sleep? No way. Find a happy medium. Maybe the baby wants to be held but not tightly into the chest, maybe facing out or stretched out on an arm. You get the idea. Don't stop doing "normal" things with your baby/child because they don't like it. Alter the activity so that the child learns to be comfortable with it.

Let's face it, you can't control your child's whole life. Eventually they are going to have to learn to deal with undesired stimuli.

What can I do to expose my baby to sensory experiences? (Please SUPERVISE your child during ALL activities.)

1. Lotion/Oil rubs after bath time or during diaper changes, put gentle pressure on the joints (knees, elbows, wrists) by softly pushing or pulling at the joint (you can even name the body part you are touching to further work on body awareness).
2. Give your baby PLENTY of "Tummy Time" or playtime (supervised) on different surfaces (carpet, pillow, sand, grass, tile/wood floor-just be right there with your hand under their little chin so they don't smack their face).
3. Put a metal cookie sheet at the end of the bassinet/crib. How does it feel on bare feet? While lying on their back? While lying on their tummy? Swap the metal cookie sheet out for a silicon one.
4. Tickle their hands, feet, face with a feather, a sock, a soft toothbrush.
5. While in the bath put your baby's hands in a bowl of cooler water and a bowl of warmer water. Do they react differently? Watch for cues.
6. How does satin feel on baby's skin? Wool? Spandex?
7. Do they fall asleep when their is alot of noise (church/tv on, older siblings running around)? Or do they prefer it quiet? If one is greatly preferred DON'T let that dictate life try/work to get your baby to sleep when it is totally silent and insanely busy (even if the first step is just a white noise fan). My baby girl prefers quiet but she can usually sleep if she is self soothing with a finger/hand, binkie, and a soft blanket draped over her to help, close her out from the world.
8. Play with "toys" that make different sounds. (Plastic cups, rattles, crinkle paper toys, whistles, etc...)
9. Explore the world in dynamic planes. (Swinging, rocking, bouncing, take them for a ride on a large blanket (must be older with a strong neck 4+months) by slowly pulling them across the floor while laying on their back/tummy.
10. Let them get messy! Don't wipe their face after every bite. Wait until the meal is over. If this causes too much stress or anxiety, start by wiping every other bite them spread the cleaning out even more.

*More ideas to come but this Therapy Mommy is sleepy!
**Talking to your baby is so important too! Don't forget to narrate what you are doing..."Can you feel that cold water?" Label her body parts for as you rub them.

Sensory Man!

2011-11-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

I went to pick up my daughter from her wonderful preschool, when she says, "Look what I made...smell his nose!".

Her teacher, Shari Goodman (The Enlightened Homemaker) could tell I was nervous and said, "It smells like root beer".

And that is when I met Sensory Man. He is super cute and helps explain the senses.

*Googly Eyes: SEE
*A Pom-Pom Root Beer Nose (could use peppermint, vanilla, maple,etc...):SMELL
*Mini Jingle Bell Ears: HEAR
*A Licorice Smile: TASTE
*Sand Paper Hands: TOUCH

The only two senses missing? Body Awareness and Balance, but that's for a different post (see above!).

Enjoy! And don't forget to check out The Enlightened Homemaker Blog: http://enlightenedhomemaker.blogspot.com/ .

Thankful Tree

2011-11-06T20:04:00.001-08:00

What's more therapeutic for a child (and a parent) then thinking/talking/writing about things they are thankful for?!

Well this super cute craft also works on visual motor skills (cutting/tracing) and fine motor skills (writing all the things they are thankful for).

Wanna grade it up? (Make it more difficult)
-Give spelling help not by writing it right in front of the child but on a wipe board or a piece of paper taped up in a wall in front of the child. This way they can work on far-point writing. This skill is needed to take notes off the board in class, but is frequently difficult for children.

Wanna grade it down? (Make it easier)
-Trace your child's hands (at least 5,alternating hands). Then have your child paint the hands(with fingers- if they need to work on tactile sensory processing or a brush-if they need to work on tool use). Then you cut the dried hands out. Discuss with your child what they are thankful for and help them write their thoughts or draw them on the hands or the fingers (depending on your time, their letter size and patience).

"Clean Mud" Snowmen

2011-11-03T21:03:00.001-07:00

This week I told my OT Intern Maureen to find a good "recipe" for clean mud. The truth? She wasn't able to find a great one and neither was I. So instead we came up (mostly Maureen) with a modified clean mud/snow Snowman.

What you need:
1/4 a bar of Ivory soap (dollar store for 4 bars)
Toilet paper- around 6 squares 2 ply give or take a square
A microwave
A cheese grater (again dollar store)
A plate
Tablespoon of warm water
Decorations

Directions:
Rip toilet paper into tiny pieces. (Fine motor/Bilateral integration)
Grate 1/4 a bar of soap.
Microwave for 30 secs or when the soap appears to stop growing.
Add shredded toilet paper and water.
Mix with your hands.
Form into snowman.
Decorate with glitter (mix into) eyes, pipe cleaner arms etc...
The snowman should dry and become hard.

*Warning...This is very sensory (mixed textures, strong smells, and changing temperatures). Children should be encouraged to participate but NOT forced.

Flashlight Tag

2011-10-30T22:30:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite ways to work on visual tracking and attention is by playing with flashlights in a dark room.

Babies as young as 3 months can begin tracking the light. Just move slowly and keep their attention by frequently coming close to your baby with the light. She/he may even try to reach out and grab it.

Older kids will love playing flashlight tag. You will need a flashlight for each participant. Then decide who's it. Once in a dark room have the players turn on their flashlight. Now whoever is it needs to try and cross their flashlight path with another player. Once they cross that person is it.

To mix things up I sometimes have kids practice their prewriting shapes or letters by "forming" them with their flashlight. (This really works on formation and visual memory because they can't see where they've went!)

*PS...I could not resist this glow-in-the-dark baby picture.

Q-Tip Skeletons!

2011-10-25T06:41:00.001-07:00

My little sister runs a fabulous habilitation group on Saturdays. She uses my therapy area so I often find her cute projects and I make them my own...

This Monday I found a neat little skeleton made from Q-tips. My clients loved them.

What you need:
Q-tips (the kind with the paper sticks-they'll stick better)
School glue
Googly Eyes

Ways to use it:
Make an example and lay out the supplies and have them try and copy it exactly. This will work on attention, sensory processing (their hands are bound to get sticky!), fine motor skills and visual perception.

Or...For kids that are really ridged thinkers (things have to be a set way and be perfect) lay supplies out; plus some glitter, markers, maybe some Halloween stickers and tell the child that you would like them to make a skeleton but it CAN'T look just like yours. Encourage but don't give advice on what it SHOULD look it.

Now go get spooky!
*If the Q-tips are too hard for your kids to cut then bend them but don't break them. Then have the child finishing bending them until they snap. It's a great little finger strengthening task.

Pipe cleaners and a Strainer

2011-10-23T19:47:00.000-07:00

Pipe cleaners and a strainer. That's all you need for an early fine motor lacing task.

There is no right way and no wrong way. Just model for your child by taking a pipe cleaner and putting it in one hole and out the other. This is much easier then regular lacing because the cleaners are stiff and easy to control.

Wanna grade it for an older child? Use different colors and make different shapes/forms and snap a picture. Then give your child different pictures to see if they can copy them.

*Please note pipe cleaners can be sharp and you should not leave your child unattended when doing this task.

**All items were purchased at the dollar store!

Super Hero Day

2011-10-14T21:55:00.001-07:00

A month ago we had "Super Hero Day" in therapy land.

The kids loved it! Even the girls.

We warmed up our fingers and minds with a Super Hero Matching game. Kids match the heads and the bodies and put them together.

Then we made Captain America shields using paper plates and homemade stencils. We even taped string on the back so the kids could slide their hand in like a real shield.

We made Super Hero designs using marshmallows and tooth picks. This works on pincer grasp (pushing toothpick into the marshmallow), sequencing, following directions and visual motor skills.

The kids made super cute Hulks using a toilet paper roll and the printable found here.

Clients can also work on body awareness by coping the Super Hero poses you model (arms flexing, 1 arm bent, one arm straight as if you are flying, etc..).
My children even made Super Capes using on of Daddy's old shirts (as seen above). Just cut around the neck and into a cape shape. Depending on how old your child is they can either help cut or help decorate. Notice we are Apple people around here.

Pudding Painting!

2011-10-06T20:16:00.001-07:00

Talk about sensory. :) Pudding Painting is loads of fun.

What's needed?
Vanilla pudding.
Food dye.

The rest is up to you.

Use a muffin pan hold the colored "paint"
Use cookie sheet to paint on. That way your little one could "taste" as she paints.
Add cornmeal or rice to make it textured.
Tape a coloring book picture or hand drawn simple shape onto the cookie sheet and cover the cookie sheet in wax paper. Ask your child to copy the image or paint in the lines.
Let your child "glue" things on their picture...sprinkles, nuts, raisins, shapes made from fruit leather.

What if your child is on a special diet and/or you don't do dyes?
Try organic applesauce or Kefir with herbal teas or berries/veggies purred to give it color.

***Just make sure to have fun and relax. Because your child will get messy! (Notice one of Daddy's old shirts as a smock.)

Microwave Popcorn

2011-10-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can make popcorn in the microwave (kernals not the pre-bagged stuff)?

A few of my older kids/ young adults have been practicing their microwave skills. I made a worksheet with several different times, both written out and numerically and they must show me how they type the number in correctly (ie. 47 seconds, :42). Once they mastered this and the safety basics (no foil in the microwave, make sure the dish says microwave safe, how to know when popcorn is done popping) they are taught simple recipes.

One of my older teen clients made popcorn. She can get distracted with too many verbal or written directions so we stuck with basic visual directions. Worked like a charm! (Although our popcorn didn't quite need 3 minutes so listen up.) Oh and we made ours basic. But you can make it even more yummy by adding real butter, popcorn salt, ranch seasoning, a sprinkle of sugar!

*You can make visual directions for your children... tooth-brushing, making a PB&J, folding a shirt, nightly routine! If your child can't figure out numbers, just make sure your directions go completely in order from top to bottom or left to right.

We have our winners!

2011-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

The winners were drawn out of a hat by Madalyn.

The winners are: E. Norton and Terri Hirning
Please email your mailing address to Sarah at makingitformadalyn@gmail.com and expect a surprise in the mail in the next week or so. Those who participated continue to follow Therapist Mommy and Making it for Madalyn for updates and coupon codes in the near future.

Sent from my iPhone

A giveaway!

2011-09-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

Sarah, one of my best friends and new sponsors, would like to do a giveaway from her new Etsy shop, Making it for Madalyn!

Sarah makes beautiful bows, headbands, flowers, and tutus by hand for everyday and special occasions. She is offering 2 bows for two lucky winners! One winner will get a cupcake bow and the other can pick a bug bow from her shop.

You get one entry for doing each of the following:

1. Become a follower of my website: therapymommy.blogspot.com (just type your email address into the box on the right of this blog).

2. Like the facebook page Making it for Madalyn

3. Visit the Esty Shop Making it for Madalyn and leave a comment on my blog saying what you like best!

Two winners will be selected at random on Sunday, October 2nd at 6pm. Good luck!

Contact paper

2011-09-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

A riddle for everyone: what costs one dollar, is clear, very therapeutic, and sticky all over? Contact paper!

How to use it...

Tape it to a window, mirror, wall or box, sticky side out.
Give your kids different "manipulatives", (feathers, pom-pom balls, string, pipe cleaners, leaves, foam letters, noodles, beans, puzzle pieces, the list goes on), and watch the fun.'

Making it therapeutic...

Kids of all abilities can stick the above mentioned items on the paper, with very little resistance! They don't have to be as accurate as with stickers and magnets.

It's wonderfully sensory. It is sticky and they touch many different textures as they hang things up. If done on a window or a mirror, it can work on visual sensitivities as well.

Your child can practice many different skills. For instance, they can spell their name from foam cut-out letters. They can work on addition skills with pinto beans and a few foam numbers. Learning money skills can be achieved by sorting coins and having them stick a certain amount up. Shapes and letters can be practiced by something as simple as string!

Positioning. Think about where the contact paper is placed. Do you want your child to kneel? Sit? Stand? Squat? Reach? Or Cross Midline? You are in control! Put pieces to the side and have them rotate to place the parts. Put a few pieces on the ground and then put the paper high so they have to practice bending and reaching.

Enjoy!

Working that pincer...

2011-09-28T05:04:00.001-07:00

Dollar store cream container and toothpicks. A good challenge when working on pincer grasp. The child must also be more accurate with rotating their hand so the pieces fit in the tiny holes.

Sensory Balloons

2011-09-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

I love the dollar store! I found a million great new therapy ideas there today. My first one...Sensory Balloons.

What are they?
Bright color balloons (make sure they are latex free if you have kids with allergies) filled with all different fillings (rice, beans, sand, popcorn seeds, hair gel, decorative marbles, you get the idea). Make two of each type.

What is the purpose?
These silly balloons work on tactile sensory processing and stereognosis.

How to use them?
How ever you want! Or have the kids try and match up pairs (rice with rice, sand with sand). They can also match balloons with pictures of the fillings.

Play with me...

2011-09-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

I play games...ALL DAY LONG. I know! What a hard life. But sometimes, after playing games all day at work, the last thing I want to do is play again at home. But when my daughter asks in her cute voice, "Mommy you play Hi, Ho, Cherry-O with me?", I can't say no. And the fact of the matter is, I shouldn't say no.

Why play games?

Games are fun...at least for your child. :)
Games teach turn-taking. (Imagine children learning they can't have whatever they want RIGHT now)
Games teach children that there are "Winners" and "Losers"(or things we are better at and things that are harder for us). An over-praised child is a nightmare to teach, because they never do anything wrong so they have nothing to learn. (Don't be this parent!) Plus if everyone is good at everything, then nobody is actually special. This downplays true earned success.
Children learn that it is OK to lose. You don't have to be the best or perfect at everything to have fun. If your child FREAKS out, flips over the board when they lose, runs to their room and slams the door...Don't be tempted to stop playing games with your child. They obviously need more practice losing (I'm sure you would be mortified if your child did that after kickball in PE). And no, your child isn't "special" because they don't like losing. No children enjoy losing.
Games force you to spend TIME with your children. Real time. Not time spent in the same room while you cook and they watch TV.
Games work on critical thinking skills and problem solving. Children learn to think one step ahead rather than just thinking about right now. (Is it better to play this card now? Should I save it for later?)
Games work on fine motor skills. Examples include grasping game pieces, rolling dice, flicking spinners, grasping cherries, etc).
Games work on attention. Don't start a game that you don't think you can finish. Children need to learn to complete entire tasks.

How to make games even MORE therapeutic

Play games laying in prone (tummy on the floor). Prone position plays an important role in normal development. Time spent in prone helps with rolling and head/neck strength. In this position children learn to prop up on his/her elbows or even weight bear through the hand. It helps a child strength proximally (trunk) so that they can have better dexterity distally (hands/fingers).
Play games while half-kneeling (think down on one knee to propose marriage), squatting or tall kneeling (knees on the ground, the rest of the body straight up). Again, this helps to strengthen the trunk/core of the body.
Play games a little "different". Use chopsticks or tweezers to pick up the cherries in Hi, Ho, Cherry-O or to move the markers in Monopoly to work on grasp.
Play blind-folded Jenga to really work on motor control.
Use coins as markers when playing BINGO and have your child count up the money after they get a BINGO.
Have your child recite a difficult letter sound or the first letter of a word before they place a piece in connect-four.
Make a memory game with the letters of their name (matching Upper case "A" to Lower case "a") and then help them spell their name out when they finish.

Girls like boys who can tie their shoes!

2011-09-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

When I have boys at the clinic that can't tie their shoes by 8 or even 10, I like to encourage them by saying, "Girls like boys who can tie their shoes!". I ask them if they want their mom to come along on their first date or to their first job in case their shoe comes untied. :)

To work on shoe tying I first figure out why the child can't tie their shoes. Have they never been taught (we live in a world of velcro and flip flops)? Do they have trouble with dexterity or fine motor control? Do they have trouble sequencing long tasks or learning multiple-step directions? Once I figure out WHY...Then I can figure out...HOW to fix it.

Make a shoe tying card!

Get a piece of cardboard, some crayons/markers, and two DIFFERENT shoe laces. Different color laces help the child see what they are doing when they are learning to tie.
Trace your the child's foot/shoe.
Have the child color the "shoe".
Poke holes into the board with a pen or a pair of scissors.
Lace the shoe with the different color laces.
Decide which way you are going to teach your child to tie (loop/swoop or bunny ears).
Break down the steps into as simple, but descriptive steps that you can (I don't love the directions on the card above, those are my OLD directions-but I couldn't find any of my "newer" verbiage, because I have sent all those home with my clients!).
Practice and say/read the same words to your child each time so that no matter who they practice with they learn the same way.

Have they never been taught?

Simple. Teach them. In a quiet room. Demonstrate the first 3 steps (you know...Make and "X" then lace on the bottom goes through the hole and pull). Have them try...Demonstrate it again. And again. And again. As soon as they learn how. Buy them a pair of tie shoes (have them wear them at least 3+ times a week) and NEVER just tie their shoe again. Even send a note in your child's folder saying, " Bobby has learned to tie his shoes, please do not tie them for him." I did this with my son (because I found out at school he was pretending that he could not tie them so that other people would have to!). For the first month or so after they learn to tie their shoes, do NOT teach them to double knot them. We want them to come untied so that they are able to practice.

Do they have trouble with dexterity or fine motor control?

Then I suggest the "loop it, swoop it and pull" method. You know make a loop and wrap the lace around and pull through to form another loop. This is the method that most adults use. You do not need to pinch the laces so tight or form a loop using just one hand so it works for children and adults with some basic fine motor delay. I however find it difficult because it has more steps.

Do they have trouble sequencing long tasks or learning multiple-step directions?

Then you gotta do BUNNY EARS! It is definitely my favorite (hey it's the way I learned). I have taught several nieces and nephews and friend's children this way in less then 10 minutes (if they child has the skills and is ready to learn). When you use the BUNNY EARS the child is basically doing the same few steps, twice. (See some writtten directions for BUNNY EARS in the above photo).

Practice, practice, practice! And praise each step that is learned.

*Did you figure out fabulous wording for learning to tie shoes? Feel free to share it in the comments for other!

Tummy Time

2011-09-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

What is Tummy Time?
Time that an infant spends in prone (laying with their tummy down) to strengthen their muscles.

Why is it important?
Since most babies are put "back to sleep", infants are spending much less time on their stomachs. Some babies spend so much time on their back that their head becomes flattened and they become delayed/ or miss some developmental milestones all together. (No crawling)

Giving an infant as much time as possible (during waking hours) on their stomach, creates more opportunities for strengthening muscles, weight bearing and exploring their environment (both sensorially or cognitively).

But...My baby hates it.
Start it as a newborn.
If it's too late for that, make it a game.
Lay your baby on his/her tummy near the edge of the bed, arms in front like a push up. Now while staying close (so you can keep baby from wiggling off) sit on the ground next to your baby. Talk, sing and play with your baby.

You can also try propping up your baby on a boppy while playing, shaking a toy.

Put a makeup mirror in front of your baby. Infants love to coo and play with their reflection.

Start small. 2-5 minutes, 10 times a day. Then build up. 10-15+ minutes, 3-5 times a day.

Be creative

2011-09-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Therapy Equipment is EXPENSIVE.

Unless you are creative and therapy/learning is just a way of life.

In my last post I touched on pincer grasp and a cheap way to work on that skill. But please remember that was just ONE of a million ways to work on grasp.

Look around your house. Look at your hands. What do you use your hands for everyday that can be turned into a therapeutic game?

Do you ripe up old bills or junk mail? Did you realize that you are using the skills of bilateral integration, fine motor strengthening and control?

Life when lived thoughtfully, not just going through the movements to get things "done", is very therapeutic.

I would like to give another shout out for not doing things for your child that they are able to do for themselves. Don't snap their pants closed because they say they can't even though they have done it in the past. Instead stay calm, encourage and assist as little as possible (maybe hold the sides of their pants close while the snap). Don't open granola bars or yogurt. Teach them to do it and share the skills, share the learning.

But even a child that is living in a life full of learning may have things that they still struggle at. That is when we as parents/therapists need to get even more creative. Look around your environment and see what you have that can recreate and replicate opportunities for learning.

So do you have an old Parmesan container and a few noodles that can be used to practice pincer grasp?

Styrofoam

2011-08-30T19:28:00.001-07:00

One of every OT's most important skills is learning how to make almost anything therapeutic.

But how about STYROFOAM?

My favorite way to use it is with golf tees.

When a child pushes golf tees into the Styrofoam they use a pincer grasp. A strong pincer grasp (picking up items between thumb and pointer finger-see picture below) is important for good handwriting and fine motor skills in general. The denser the foam the better.

How to play with it:

Get a hunk of Styrofoam and some tees and demonstrate to your child how to push them in using a correct grasp.
Buy colored tees (or color them with sharpies) and then use the sharpie to color the Styrofoam and have the child sort and match the colors.
Make a pattern using colored tees and have the child copy the pattern.
Draw various small shapes and have the child insert certain colored tees into certain shapes (this is great for visual scanning and attention).
Make a super fun "free" version of the Tee game a Cracker Barrel (pictured above).
Get 26 golf tees and write the lower case letters on them. Then write the upper case letters on a piece of Styrofoam. Have them insert the tee just below its match.
Just be creative! Make up any game to suite your child's needs.

A few pictures of pincer grasps:

Monkey see, monkey do. Lego Style.

2011-08-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

When writing, coloring, creating with our hands we use 3 primary skills.

A. Fine Motor Skills: According to Wikipedia, Fine motor skills are the coordination of small muscle movements which occur e.g., in the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes

B. Visual Perceptual Skills: Visual Perception Skills help a person obtain and organize the information they collect from their environment and then interpret what they see. There are 6 types of Visual Perceptual Skills*,

Form Constancy – the ability to identify a form even if it is different in size, orientation, color, or texture.
Figure Ground – the ability to distinguish a form from the surrounding background.
Spatial Relations/Position in Space – the ability to understand the position of objects
in relation to each other and to one’s self.
Visual Discrimination – the ability to perceive the differences and similarities in forms.
Visual Closure – the ability to identify a form even though part of it is not visible.
Visual Memory – the ability to remember what one sees.

C. Visual Motor Skills: Visual Motor Skills help a person control their movements based on visual information. These skills should develop sequentially.

Imitate: Is completing a task after watching a person complete it.
Copy: Is completing a task after seeing the FINISHED product. (Making a circle after looking at a picture/drawing of a circle)
Visual Memory: Forming/drawing a shape/letter from memory. (You tell your child to make a circle and they can picture it in their mind and draw it).

If a child/person is difficulty in any of the above areas you may see: delay in or decreased reading skills, poor handwriting, inability to tie shoes or other small motor tasks, difficulty in locating items, they may appear clumsy and/or messy (bumping into things/knocking things over). The list goes on and on.

The Developmental Sequence of Visual Motor Skills*

12-16 Months: Scribbles on paper
16-20 Months: Imitates vertical and horizontal scribbles
20-24 Months: Imitates circular scribbles as well as single vertical and horizontal lines
2-3 Years: Imitates single circle; can copy vertical and horizontal lines
3-4 Years: Imitates single circle; can copy vertical and horizontal lines
4-5 Years: Copies cross, square, oblique lines; imitates and copies “X”; imitates some letters and numbers; may begin imitating and copying name
5-6 Years: Copies a triangle and most letters, writes name and some letters from memory

How to use Legos/blocks to work on Visual Perceptual and Visual Motor Skills

Make a simple pattern with Lego pieces and give your child some of the exact same pieces and have them try to "Imitate" it.
Grade it up by having them close their eyes while you are forming it and then have them try to "Copy" it.
You can even show them the piece for a limited amount of time (say 5-30 seconds) and see if they can create it using their Visual Memory.
Make a shape out of Legos...Say a rectangle and ask your child if they can form the shape using DIFFERENT pieces. (Test it out to make sure its possible).
Another way to grade it is to use less pieces to make it easier (3-5 large ones) and more (8-10 small ones) to make it more difficult.

If can you are interested the SJ (the girl in the picture) "Copied" the Lego block pattern. I made the shape without her looking and then provided her with the pieces and asked her to form it.

*I found an amazing handout from the company Super Duper explaining Visual Perception and Visual Motor Skills. Thanks to OT's Amber Swearingen & Tara Calder for putting it together.

Preschool Development Chart

2011-08-26T17:52:00.000-07:00

Child development chart: Preschool milestones

By Mayo Clinic staff

Age 2	Age 3	Age 4	Age 5
Language skills
Speaks about 50 words	Speaks 250 to 500 or more words	Answers simple questions	Understands rhyming
Links two words together	Speaks in three-and four-word sentences	Speaks in complete sentences	Uses compound and complex sentences
Uses some adjectives (big, happy)	Uses pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals	Uses prepositions (under, beside, in front)	Uses future tense
Speaks clearly enough for parents to understand some of the words	States first name	Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand	States full name and address
Social skills
Becomes aware of his or her identity as a separate individual	Imitates parents and playmates	Cooperates with playmates	Wants to be like friends
May become defiant	Takes turns	Tries to solve problems	Follows rules
Becomes interested in playing with other children	Expresses affection openly	May have a best friend	Understands gender
Separation anxiety begins to fade	Easily separates from parents	Becomes more independent	Wants to do things alone
Cognitive skills
Begins to play make-believe	Asks "why" questions	Becomes involved in more complex imaginary play	Uses imagination to create stories
Begins to sort objects by shape and color	Correctly names some colors	Prints some capital letters	Correctly counts 10 or more objects
Scribbles	Copies a circle	Draws a person with two to four body parts	Copies a triangle and other geometric patterns
Finds hidden objects	Understands the concepts of same and different	Understands the concepts of morning, afternoon and night	Understands the concepts of time and sequential order
Physical skills
Walks alone and stands on tiptoe	Walks up and down stairs, alternating feet	Stands on one foot for at least five seconds	Stands on one foot for at least 10 seconds
Climbs on furniture and begins to run	Kicks, climbs, runs and pedals a tricycle	Throws ball overhand, kicks ball forward and catches bounced ball most of the time	Hops, swings and somersaults
Builds a tower of six or more blocks	Builds a tower of nine or more blocks	Dresses and undresses	May learn to ride a bike and swim
Empties objects from a container	Manipulates small objects and turns book pages one at a time	Uses scissors	Brushes own teeth and cares for other personal needs

Every child grows and develops at his or her own pace. Still, child development tends to follow a fairly predictable path. Check out this child development chart for milestones from ages 2 to 5. If your child's development seems to be lagging behind in certain areas, share your concerns with your child's doctor.