Monday, December 30, 2013

Dot Phonics Fine motor and Visual Motor Mazes Free Sample Page


Download a free sample page for the letters Y and Z to challenge phonemic awareness, fine motor and visual motor skills.  When you download the free sample page there are also 8 different suggestions of how to differentiate the lesson based on the child's abilities.  You can download the sample pages and ideas at    http://www.yourtherapysource.com/dotphonicsfreebie.html

Friday, December 27, 2013

Free Entry and Exit Slips for Pediatric Therapy


Did you know that checking on what a student learned can help to keep them on track and to head toward reaching their goals? How about trying entry and exit slips during therapy sessions?

Entry or admit slips are used at the start of the session to review skills from previous sessions or to check if the student has any concerns. Exit slips are used at the end of the session to determine if the student understood the materials or mastered the skills. These questions can be oral, written or demonstration.

Go to www.YourTherapySource.com/freeexitslips to download some sample entry and exits slips in editable Word format or PDF format.   

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Balance Skills and Girls with Visual Impairment

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on functional balance abilities in girls with visual impairment.  The participants included 26 girls, 10-15 years old, with visual impairment who were assessed with the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) and stabilography.  The following results were recorded:
  • balance difficulties appeared in single-leg stance, tandem stance, and reaching forward
  • PBS scores ranged from 47 to 56 
  • PBS scores correlated with all but 2 sway parameters 
The researchers concluded that girls with visual impairment may have difficulties in upright stance when the size of the base of support is narrowed and when the center of gravity approaches the edge of the base of support.  Treatment interventions should focus on improving the balance of girls with visual impairment.  

Reference:   Żyłka, Justyna MS, PT; Lach, Urszula MS, PT; Rutkowska, Izabela PhD, PT. Functional Balance Assessment With Pediatric Balance Scale in Girls With Visual Impairment. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Winter 2013 - Volume 25 - Issue 4 - p 460-466 doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e31829ddbc8

Cross the Beam Game

Download of game that encourages balance skills and visual perceptual skills

Get more information.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

5 Tips for School Children with Tactile Sensitivity

Difficulties processing tactile information can result in some individuals being very sensitive to touch and over-reaction to objects or people in the environment. Conversely, some individuals may have decreased sensation of touch which can result in people using too much force or placing themselves in dangerous situations.

Here are some suggestions to help children with tactile sensitivities:

1.  Encourage proprioceptive input prior to activities that require tactile input.  Examples of proprioceptive input are chair push ups, wall push ups, jumping, carrying heavy objects and push/pulling objects.

2.  Never force a child to touch objects that he/she dislikes.  The child can observe the activity, participate with modifications or touch the objects briefly and wash hands immediately.

3.  Always approach the child from the front or seat the child in an area where he/she has a good view of who is approaching him/her.

4.  Use a firm, gentle touch instead of light touch when you have contact with the child.

5.  If the child exhibits difficulties with personal space (touching people or objects excessively) or over reacts to light touch, provide modifications to the environment to help the child such as providing visual cues where the child needs to sit, provide fidgets for the hands and have the student stand first or last in the classroom line.

Need more ideas or hand outs?  Check out Modifications and Interventions for School at http://yourtherapysource.com/modifications.html or  

What? Why? How? Series 3 at http://yourtherapysource.com/wwh3.html

Friday, December 20, 2013

Gum Chewing and Headaches

Gum chewing is occasionally recommended for children as part of a sensory diet therefore I thought this research regarding gum chewing and headaches was important to mention.  Pediatric Neurology will be publishing research on 30 patients between 6-19 years old who had chronic or migraine headaches and chewed gum daily.  The medical doctor, Dr. Watemburg, requested that the patients stop chewing gum for one month.  The following results were recorded:
  • 19 of the 30 patients reported that the headaches went away entirely
  • 7 of the 30 patients reported a decrease in frequency and intensity of headaches
To further test the results, 26 of the 30 patients resumed gum chewing for two weeks and all of them reported a return of their symptoms within days.

The researcher concluded that gum chewing causes an overuse of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) resulting in headaches. 

Now, this is a very small study but interesting.  I happen to be a gum chewer and never experience headaches from it.  But, I only chew gum for short periods of time several times per day.  In addition, when I have recommended gum chewing for children on a sensory diet or to improve focus, I have never had reports of headaches.  

Just some information to keep in the back of your mind after you recommend gum chewing for a child on a sensory diet.  Perhaps inform the parents that headaches may be a side effect of excessive gum chewing. 

How about you?  Do you find that children occasionally get headaches from chewing gum?

Reference: American Friends of Tel Aviv University (2013, December 19). Chewing gum is often culprit for migraine headaches in teens. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2013/12/131219130937.htm  

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Find Your Balance Grant Challenge


Check out this Find Your Balance Challenge grant for elementary school children grades kindergarten through 5th.  A mentor (teacher or therapist) and students work together to form a plan to balance nutrition with physical activity.  The grant application process is open until 1/31/13.

This would be a wonderful activity to do for a pediatric occupational or physical therapy group.  You could have the students set goals, provide information and carry out a plan to help their school find a healthy balance.  Even if you did not win the grant, this is an excellent idea to implement at your school.  Read more at the Together Counts website.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

10 Ways to Use Clothes Pins with Craft Sticks

Here are 10 ideas to use clothes pins with craft sticks. These are inexpensive activities to create to use in the classroom setting while encouraging strengthening of the hand muscles. Use them for academics, sensory diets, emotions and coordination.  

Head over to www.YourTherapySource.com/freeclothespin for all the details.  

Monday, December 16, 2013

Speed Match Freebie

Here is another freebie from Your Therapy Source.  Test your visual discrimination skills.  Practice scissors skills by cutting out the cards.  Start your timer.  How quickly can you match up the exact stars?  Record your time and try again.  You can download the free Speed Match puzzle at www.YourTherapySource.com/speedmatch

Friday, December 13, 2013

Inexpensive DIY "Therapy" Gifts for Kids, Teachers and Parents

Make Your Own Play Time Kits

Are parents asking you for gift ideas for the holidays? Maybe you want to give your child's teacher a special gift for the classroom? Why not try creating your own gifts to give. Just like the craft stores sell all of those kits to create anything that you can think of, how about create some fun play time kits on your own.

Step 1: Buy a plastic container with a lid or decorate a cardboard or shoe box.

Step 2: Decide on a theme. Here are some suggestions:

  • Ball box - include various sizes and textures of different playground balls
  • Bubble box - include bubbles, different bubble wands and bubble trays
  • Jump rope box - add traditional jump ropes, chinese jump ropes and double dutch ropes
  • Sidewalk chalk box - have an art contest, create new black top games, hopscotch, etc.
  • Activity card box - write one playground game on each, i.e. freeze tag, hide and go seek, obstacle course, etc. The children can pick out one card at a time to choose a game.
  • Science box - magnifying glasses, bug containers, tweezers
  • Water paint box - buckets for water, large paintbrushes and paint rollers to "paint" the black top with different designs
  • Beach party box - include beach balls, tether ball set, paddle ball and Velcro mitt set
  • Celebration box - include streamers and ribbon sticks to run and play with
  • Catch All Box - Velcro mitts, Frisbees, soft footballs, small balls, recycled plastic milk jugs with tops cut off but handles left on to catch balls
  • Hula Hoop Box - suggest hula hoop contests or use hoops to create obstacle courses
  • Race Box - include stopwatches and cones; the children can set up races and time each other
Don't forget to create some active free play boxes for indoor recess or staying active on those chilly winter days as well.  These would make nice gifts for teachers and parents.  
  • Pedometers - children can see how many steps they take during recess and try to increase each time.  You can get these at some dollar stores.
  • Dance party box - radio with batteries, dance music.  Find an old radio player at a garage sale.
  • Indoor balls - balloons and cardboard tubes.  Have the balloons all blown up.  Put them inside stockings if you are worried about balloon pieces if they pop.
  • DVD box - collection of exercise DVDs for kids
  • Bean bag box - include bean bags and targets to throw at
  • Ebooks - Print these ebooks and put in a box or folder for teachers/parents to use to encourage motor activities:  Mini Movement Breaks, Classroom Activity Posters, Roll Some Fun , Dancing with the Owls , Imagination Action Journeys and Motor Minute Challenges.   
Creative Play
  • imaginary school - include a wipe off board, paper, red pen, pretend play school packet, pencil holder.
  • imaginary hospital - band aids, ace bandages, gauze and flashlight.  Try printing and laminating the pretend play doctor and hospital packet.
  • imaginary play with animals - stuffed animals, pretend play animal packet, simple cages and brushes
  • imaginary office - tape, stapler, paper, calculator, pens, pretend phone and name tags
  • arts and crafts - unusual crayon colors, scented markers, rainbow pencils and paper.
  • sensory - dollar store fidgets, different types of fabric swatches, smock and kids shaving cream
  • fine motor - Lego's, fine motor breaks notepad, beads, lacing string and small clips.
With the amount of active and imaginary free play time dwindling, physical and occupational therapists can play a crucial role in educating school staff and parents on the benefits of play for ALL children.
Reference:   Dowda, Marsha, Brown, William H., McIver, Kerry L., Pfeiffer, Karin A., O'Neill, Jennifer R., Addy, Cheryl L., Pate, Russell R. Policies and Characteristics of the Preschool Environment and Physical Activity of Young Children Pediatrics 2009 123: e261-e266

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Top 10 Blogposts of All Time


With the end of the year approaching, here are the top 10 blogposts of all time from Your Therapy Source:

10.  10 Tips for New Pediatric Occupational and Physical Therapists 
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2013/08/10-tips-for-new-pediatric-occupational.html

9.  Letter School App Review 
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2011/12/letter-school-app.html

8.  5 Make and Take Therapy Ideas for Summer
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2013/05/5-make-and-take-ideas-for-summer.html

7.  Motor Planning and Graded Movement
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2009/04/motor-planning-and-graded-movement.html

6.  Scissor Skills - Not So Cut and Dry
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2009/07/scissors-not-so-cut-and-dry.htmls

5.  Perceptions on Pediatric Group Therapy Sessions
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2012/06/recent-study-examined-administrators.html

4.  10 Tips for Transitions
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2013/06/10-tips-for-transitions.html

3.  10 Bilateral Coordination Activities for the Body
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2012/12/10-bilateral-coordination-activities.html

2.  Brain Breaks Game
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2012/04/new-freebie-brain-breaks-game.html

1.  10 Tips to Help Develop Self Control
http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2013/09/10-tips-to-help-develop-self-control-in.html

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Is Typing Like Riding a Bicycle?

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics has published research on skilled typists and the QWERTY keyboard.  The 100 participants (young adults and adults) in the study were asked to complete a short typing test.  Following the typing test, the participants were given a blank QWERTY keyboard on a piece of paper where they had 80 seconds to write the correct letters on the blank keyboard.  The results showed the following: 

  • they averaged typing 72 words per minute, moving their fingers to the correct keys six times per second with 94 percent accuracy.
  • they could accurately place an average of  only 15 letters on a blank keyboard.
The researchers had expected that the participants would be able to type without conscious thought (like riding a bicycle and driving a car).  Although the researchers were surprised that typists never appear to memorize the key positions, not even when they are first learning to type.  

A second study was completed using the Dvorak keyboard.  The 24 skilled QWERTY typists had to learn how to type on the Dvorak keyboard.  After a reasonable accuracy rate was established, the typists were asked to fill out a blank Dvorak keyboard.  On average, the typists were able to identify 17 letters on the blank keyboard.

The researchers concluded that the "lack of explicit knowledge of the keyboard may be due to the fact that computers and keyboards have become so ubiquitous that students learn how to use them in an informal, trial-and-error fashion when they are very young".

Interesting research to take into account when teaching keyboarding.  Have you ever tested to see what letters a student could actually identify on a blank keyboard?  This is a skill that we attempt to break down when teaching and we include memorizing where the keys are located.  When neurotypical individuals are learning to type is it purely through practice and use?  In your opinion, does learning to type require a conscious effort at first and become automatic over time?  

Reference:  Salisbury, D.  Study gives new meaning to 'let your fingers do the walking'.  Medical Express.  Retrieved from the web on 12/9/13 at http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-12-fingers.html#nwlt.

Monday, December 9, 2013

40 Documentation Terms for Pediatric Therapy


After seeing this post on Pinterest from Creative Clinical Social Worker, I thought it would be helpful to post about terminology to use for pediatric therapy.  If you follow my blog or website, you know I love the words "facilitate", "promote" and "encourage".  When documenting therapy sessions I tend to overuse the words "completed" and "accomplished".  So in order to expand my vocabulary I looked over the list and added some of my own.  Some of the terms are more suitable for evaluations and some are more suitable for on going documentation of therapy sessions.  Try adding some measurable outcomes to these verbs for goal setting.    

Here is a list of documentation terminology for pediatric therapists:
Accomplished
Assessed
Assisted with
Completed
Created
Cued
Decreased
Developed
Discussed
Educated
Elicited 
Encouraged
Engaged
Explained
Explored
Evaluated
Facilitated
Generalized
Guided
Helped
Identified
Increased
Informed
Investigated
Modeled
Modified
Monitored
Observed
Problem solved
Promoted
Provided feedback
Reviewed
Reinforced
Responded to
Recommended
Taught
Tracked
Utilized
Validated
Worked on

If you would like a printable of this page to toss in your therapy bag, wallet or purse to increase your vocabulary next time you write up an evaluation or session note visit YourTherapySource.com.

What is your favorite documentation terminology?  

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Crack the Code Free Printable Game


Here is a free printable game to encourage visual perceptual skills, handwriting and fine motor skills.  You can choose to practice coloring, shapes or handwriting letters/numbers.  This is easy game to print and toss in your bag for a last minute idea (or play while waiting at a restaurant, doctor's office, etc).  

If you want to facilitate fine motor skill practice try using manipulatives to create the code such as bingo chips.  You can download the free game at Your Therapy Source here http://www.yourtherapysource.com/freecrackcode.html

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

3 Motor Control Variables to Check On When Teaching New Motor Skills



As pediatric therapists, we learn a significant amount of information on motor control theory.  Do you always put it into practice?  When teaching new motor skills, do you stop and think about the theories and research you have studied?  Here are three motor control variables to check when teaching new motor skills:

1.  What is the child's experience with this new motor skill?  Is it brand new to them or are they learning this skill with a set of experiences behind it all.  Did Johnny fall off his bicycle many times before he came to physical therapy?  Does Jane get yelled at for taking too long to get dressed?

2.  Is the motor skill feasible to achieve?  Sometimes children, teachers or parents come to us wanting to learn a new skill but that skill may be very difficult to achieve.  Can the skill be broken down or re-evaluated to make it feasible to achieve?  Personally, I never say a skill can never be learned but you may need to modify the environment or the skill to make it an achievable goal.

3.  In what context is the skill being taught?  Does it make sense to the child to work on the skill or is it being practiced in isolation?  Is the skill being taught in an overstimulated environment or a quiet room? 

Sometimes, it is necessary to tweak how we are teaching motor skills based on all the motor control theories in order for a child to learn the skill.      


Modifications and Interventions for School

Modifications and Interventions for School - Reporting Forms provides pediatric therapists with over sixty, reproducible reporting forms with hundreds of suggested modifications and interventions for students. Interventions are listed by skill areas such as handwriting, scissors, dressing, walking, stairs, wheelchair skills and sensory skills.

Find out more information at http://www.yourtherapysource.com/modifications.html

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Playing with Food = Better Learning


Researchers at the University of Iowa studied 16 month old children's exposure to 14 non solid objects such as applesauce, pudding and juice.  The researchers presented the items and created fictional names.  One minute later the children were asked to identify the same non-solid objects in different sizes or shapes.  The toddlers willingly interacted with the non solid objects.  The researchers found the following results:
  • the toddlers who interacted the most with the non-solid objects were the most likely to correctly identify the objects by texture and name them
  • children in a high chair were more likely to identify and name the objects versus than those in other seated positions (ie at a table).
This is extremely interesting to me.  From a developmental perspective, I would guess the stability of the high chair assists the child with postural control therefore freeing up the hands, shoulders and brain to learn about textures, shapes and sizes.  Would love to see this study repeated analyzing the child's postural control throughout the experiment.  In addition, I would love to see this study explored further with children who play outdoors in the dirt, mud or sand. 

Regardless, this research supports all the therapeutic sensory, tactile play we recommend to parents and teachers.  Your thoughts?

Reference:  Lewis, R. Messy Children Make Better Learners.  University of Iowa.  Retrieved from the web on 12/3/13 at  http://now.uiowa.edu/2013/10/messy-children-make-better-learners.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Free Gingerbread Men Finish the Picture

Run, run, as fast as you can to Your Therapy Source to download this gingerbread men freebie to encourage visual motor and visual perceptual skills.  You can get it at http://yourtherapysource.com/holidaydecemberfreebie.html
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...