Your Therapy Source - www.YourTherapySource.com

Motor Characteristics of Children with Possible Autism

2012-01-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research on a retrospective chart review of 30 children (mean age 31.57 months (plus or minus 6 months) who were referred to an autism clinic. According to scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III), the children exhibited a mean delay of 6 months in gross motor skills and 8 months in fine motor skills. Although, overall there was no difference between in total score or item analysis between children who were or were not diagnosed with autism. The researchers concluded that motor skill delay is a characteristic of young children who are referred to an autism spectrum disorder clinic.

Reference: Lane, Alison; Harpster, Karen; Heathcock, Jill. Motor Characteristics of Young Children Referred for Possible Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 24(1):21-29, Spring 2012.doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e31823e071a

Grant Money Available From Collective Brands

2012-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

Collective Brands Foundation is offering grant money to non profit organization with programs that involve children's physical activity and fitness or improving the lives of children and youth in need. They also consider sponsorship requests if you live in certain areas (NYC and greater Boston area are two locations along with others). Grants can be awarded up to $30,000. You must submit the grant by Feb. 13, 2012. You can get more information at the Collective Brands Foundation website.

Handwriting Summit

2012-01-24T09:37:00.001-08:00

News report from the Handwriting Summit in Washington DC yesterday. Just hit the play button to start the video.

Dr. Karin James Discusses the Importance of Handwriting in Child Development: MyFoxDC.com

Need handwriting activities? Check out YourTherapySource website.

Fine Motor Match Up

2012-01-23T02:35:00.000-08:00

After seeing this picture on Pinterest, I knew I had to try this activity. Just match up little tags with numbers, letters or shapes to beads using toothpicks. I did not have any Styrofoam so I used some clean, recycled meat trays. This was a real fine motor challenge but a nice twist. You really have to grade the movement along with having coordination to get the small bead onto the toothpick. I did matching letter beads, number of beads and a four in a row vertical game. Just make sure that the beads you are using can fit on toothpicks. If this is too difficult, you could use larger wooden skewers and bigger beads. This is a nice cheap activity that encourage fine motor skills, coordination skills, cognitive skills and grading of movements.

Matching beads and colored toothpicks

Matching letter tags to letter beads

Playing four in a row - you need to get four beads in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally to win. Here blue won with 4 vertical blue beads in a row. Nice small travel game to stick inside a tin to take on the go.

Have fun!

Physical Activity and Improved Processing in ADHD

2012-01-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

A study to be published in the Journal of Attention Disorders indicates that physical activity helped to improve the coordination, motor skills and ability to process information in children with ADHD.

Ten children (9 boys and 1 girl) with ADHD participated in a physical activity training program for 3x/week, 45 minute sessions during lunch, over a 10 week period. The control group was 11 children (10 boys and 1 girl) with ADHD who did not participate in the physical activity program. The sessions consisted of warm ups, aerobic, muscular and motor skill exercises and a cool down. The results indicated the following in the experimental group:

increase in locomotion and total motor skill scores

information processing improved

increased scores in arm muscle strength

no changes in aerobic fitness and body composition

higher scores in behavior and attention functions

improved scores on the social scale

You can view the full article at the Journal Of Attention Disorders.

If you need activity ideas for children with ADHD check out our sensory motor electronic books.

Reference: Verret, C et al. A Physical Activity Program Improves Behavior and Cognitive Functions in Children With ADHD : An Exploratory Study. Journal of Attention Disorders January 2012 vol. 16 no. 1 71-80

Accommodation for Shoe Tying?

2012-01-19T04:38:00.000-08:00

I came across a young soccer player wearing this on her indoor soccer sneakers this past weekend. This was a new product to me but I thought it was worth a mention although I have not personally used these. It is worn over the laces to make sure the sneakers stay tied during the game. To me, this seems like the perfect accommodation for a child who just can not tie his/her shoes. Rather than being limited by velcro sneakers, perhaps give this "SweetSpot" a try. They come in many colors (could use school colors or team colors). It is really just a piece of looped heavy duty resistive band. They are latex free.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Another benefit would be for eye foot coordination training. When teaching a young child to drop kick a ball the colorful marking provides a good visual target.

Has anyone used these in their practice? Would love to hear if anyone has had any success with using them as an accommodation.
You can get them at Amazon.

1/22/12 - Follow Up: I stopped into the soccer store so I could buy the Sweet Spot but he was sold out. He stated there are several brands one being Adidas. I found these online as another alternative. I did wonder though could you sew velcro strips onto thick elastic and achieve the same thing? May have to try a sewing project. That way you could create different sizes.

Good Fine Motor Skills = Good Grades

2012-01-18T05:18:00.000-08:00

New research that will be published soon in the Journal of Early Childhood Education and Development indicated that children who scored well on fine motor tasks when in pre-K had higher averages in second grade than those who scored lower on fine motor tasks in pre-K. Data was reviewed on 1000 second graders in Florida. The researchers looked at averages in 2nd grade and compared that to fine motor scores in pre-K. The results indicated the following:

2nd graders with an average GPA of 3.02 in math and 2.84 in reading – B averages, had received good grades in fine motor tasks in pre-K

2nd graders with an average GPA of 2.30 in math and 2.12 in Reading – C averages, scored poorly on fine motor tasks in pre-K

on the 2nd grade SAT the students with better fine motor scores in pre-k scored in the 59th percentile for reading and 62nd percentile for math

the students with poorer fine motor scores in pre-K scored in the 38th percentile on the Reading SAT and the 37th percentile for the math SAT

Although there is no cause and effect relationship is does make a good case for occupational therapy in the early years if delays are present.

You can read more about it at Florida International University website.

Reference: J Prenaud. Good handwriting and good grades: FIU researcher finds new link. Retreived from the web on 1/17/11 at http://news.fiu.edu/2012/01/good-handwriting-and-good-grades-fiu-researcher-finds-new-link/34934?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=good-handwriting-and-good-grades-fiu-researcher-finds-new-link

Simple Portable Clothes Line

2012-01-17T03:44:00.000-08:00

Here is a simple idea to sneak in some clothes pin work on a portable clothes line. Just empty out a picture frame and hang some string. Make sure the child clips the clothes pins low down or they will flip due to the short line. Here are some suggested uses:

1. Make a puzzle. Cut it up and hang it in the correct order.

2. Hang numbers in order.

3. Hang art work on the wall. Super easy to change often.

Want some more clothes pin activities? Check out out Clothes Pin Collection, Clothing Match Up or our freebie Clothes Line Numbers.

Wii Use and Down Syndrome

2012-01-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

A case study was published in Pediatric Physical Therapy regarding a 12 year old with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome who followed a home program using the Wii. The 12 year old used the Wii 4 times per week for 20 minute sessions over a period of 8 weeks. The family was encouraged to participate. The 12 year old choose 4 different games to play. Following the 8 week period, the child exhibited improvements in "in the child's postural stability, limits of stability, and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition balance, upper-limb coordination, manual dexterity, and running speed and agility standard scores".

Would love to see this study replicated with a larger sample size. The Wii is so much fun and engaging. In my opinion, home programs could be easily set up with increased follow through with the Wii. More fun for the individual and less set up time for the parents.

Do you use the Wii in your practice?

Curious to hear if anyone is using Kinect and what your opinion is?

Reference: Berg, P et al. Motor Control Outcomes Following Nintendo Wii Use by a Child With Down Syndrome. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Spring 2012 - Volume 24 - Issue 1 - p 78–84. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e31823e05e6

DIY Balance Board for about a buck!

2012-01-12T04:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a video to make your own balance board out of cardboard, a piece of pool noodle and some glue. By gluing three sheets of cardboard together it makes it sturdy enough for kids to stand or sit on. You can watch the video at Your Therapy Source.

Goal Worksheet for 2012

2012-01-11T04:02:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this idea over at ChapelHillSnippets blog to create some goal worksheets for OT and PT. This is a nice way to empower children to participate in therapy and sneak in some drawing and handwriting practice. You can print the goal sheets at Your Therapy Source.

If the children are stuck on coming with ideas ask open ended questions:
1. Do you want to work on skills for the classroom?
2. Do you want to work on skills on the playground?
3. Do you want to do more without the help of an adult?

Then once they answer those questions if they are still stumped offer different skill suggestions.

Intellipad App for the iPad

2012-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure of playing around with a new app - Intellipad for the iPad. It was created by an occupational therapist, Cheryl Bregman. This app is quite impressive for a simple way to create individualized keyboards. It allows you to make any keyboard you want which is great for simple layouts. It offers word prediction and text to speech as well. Although I am not a speech therapist, I love this app because of its ability to be customized. This would work for an individual who needed very few symbols to select to an individual who could create his/her own boards for communication. Another huge plus if for keyboarding practice. You can eliminate keys to decrease the choices.

Here is one board I created for leisure activities:

Here is one created with a picture alongside of the text:

The updated version of the app allows you to add pictures to the keyboard:

Here is a basic video of the app reading the text aloud.

I can see many opportunities to use the app beyond communication. It would be an excellent tool for teacher's to create interactive lesson plans. Another huge benefit to this app is that it is suitable for all ages. It is available in Spanish, French and German. Fun app to use with ESL students especially with the picture cues. There is also a way to share notepads and keyboards. You can download keyboards already created or share the ones that you create. Overall, super versatile with a lot of bang for the buck.

You can view more videos of the app and further description of its capabilities at Intellipad's website. This app is only $19.95 available from Apple.

January Issue of Digital Magazine

2012-01-10T07:25:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest issue of our digital magazine for pediatric occupational and physical therapy. You can read articles on goals for 2012, cerebral palsy, sensory processing and print lots of freebies. Check it out below. If you can not view the document below go to YourTherapySource.com and you can download a pdf copy.

Open publication - Free publishing - More cerebral palsy

Free Webinar Including Preschoolers with Special Needs in Active Play

2012-01-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

Heard on Twitter from @balmeras about a free webinar on February 7th entitled including preschoolers with special needs in active play. Here is the description from the Head Start Body Start website:

"Join HSBS Advisory Board member Diane H. Craft, Ph.D. to learn fun ways to include preschool children with special needs in active play with their peers. This webinar provides many practical ideas for inclusive physical activities that are developmentally appropriate, use inexpensive equipment, can be done in small spaces, and are enjoyable for children to play together!"

You can register for the webinar for free here.

It looks as if they archive their webinars if you are not available at 1:00pm. You check out their previous webinars here.

Free Sensory Integration Webinars

2012-01-04T06:55:00.001-08:00

I recently came across a company, Sensational Teaching, that will be offering free webinars on sensory integration. The first one is January 5, 2012 (tomorrow!). I asked the occupational therapist from Sensational Teaching, Katie Ryzhikov, some questions about the upcoming webinars.

1. Who is the target audience for the webinars - therapists, parents, teachers or all three?
- The webinars are aimed at teachers, parents and any therapist or youth worker who works with children who have sensory processing disorders, ADHD or Autistic Spectrum Disorder

2. How long are the webinars?
- The webinars are approximately an hour long

3. What is your background?
- I am an occupational therapist. I have worked with the pediatric population my whole career, both within the school system and privately, but my area of interest is sensory integration.

4. What motivated you to start the free webinars?
- Working in a private outpatient clinic I had the leisure of working on whatever goal the family and I chose. If the child's main goal was to pump a swing or ride a bike, that's what we would work on. Most of the kids we saw were struggling at home and at school, they were being labeled 'difficult' kids because of their sensory processing issues. Sensory integration therapy was really helpful on both social and academic levels. So when I started working within the school system I noticed that often the root of the child's issues was sensory based and many kids would not receive OT services for this. These kids would begin to 'fall through the gap'. I started working with teachers, explaining sensory integration and giving them ideas to build into their lessons to help these kids become more successful. Research was also suggesting that our ADHD kids would also benefit from some sensory strategies. Parents too were struggling, not only to get homework done but to get other daily activities done too, like brushing teeth or just getting dressed. I decided to launch a free webinar series, primarily for parents and teachers to help their 'tougher' kids become successful both at home and at school.

5. Will the webinars be archived online following the live webinar?
- Yes, the webinars will be available online following the webinar.

6. Tell us more about Sensational Teaching.
- Sensational Teaching is based in the Washington DC area. We bring practical, applicable and fun workshops to schools and parent groups. We combine Sensory Integration theory with dynamic teaching strategies in a format that enables parents, teachers and related service providers, to create rich and responsive learning environments. Our current workshops include
APPLYING SENSORY INTEGRATION PRINCIPLES IN THE CLASSROOM
- How to improve attention spans!
APPLYING SENSORY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES AT HOME
- How to get homework and other stuff done!
APPLYING SENSORY INTEGRATION PRINCIPLES FOR HANDWRITING DEVELOPMENT

To register for the webinars you can go to Sensational Teaching.

Set Goals for Yourself in 2012

2012-01-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

With the start of a new year, how about setting some basic goals for yourself to accomplish in 2012. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Realistic Home/Classroom Programs - I will make every effort to provide parents and teachers with activities that are easy to carry out in the home or classroom (see below for ideas).

2. Take the time to observe - I will take the time to just observe. I will document observations in the classroom or home in writing or with photographs. It is very difficult to determine needs if you do not have an idea of baseline issues.

3. Make the children part of the therapy process - I will incorporate the children in each therapy session by allowing them to make choices. I will discuss goal setting with each child.

4. Be patient - I will encourage children to think critically and problem solve independently by allowing them enough time to form a motor response without interfering. Therapy sessions usually only last 30 minutes and we want to jam pack them with activities. Slow down and let the children respond - quality is better than quantity. Let me re-phrase that...independence is better than dependence (regardless of quality at times).

5. Document correctly in a timely manner - I will document therapy sessions immediately following the session so that the documentation is accurate.

6. Set a goal for each therapy session - I will set small, realistic goals for each therapy session.

7. Keep it fun, fun, fun!!!! - I will keep therapy sessions fun. Some children have to attend therapy sessions for years, keep it novel, motivating and fun.

Care to add to the list with your goals for 2012?

Need some easy activities for Goal #1? Try these reproducible forms from Therapeutic Activities for Home and School.

Idiopathic Toe Walking and Left Handedness

2011-12-29T04:01:00.000-08:00

Acta Pediatrica recently published research that children with a diagnosis of idiopathic toe walking have a higher incidence of left handedness. It was a small sample size of 19 Australian boys and 11 girls with a diagnosis of idiopathic toe walking and 30 in the control group. The average age was 6 years old and the children had otherwise normal neurological examinations. The results of the study were the following: 27 of the control group preferred their right hand and 3 preferred their left hand compared to 18 of the children in the toe walking group preferred their right hand and 10 preferred their left hand.

Do you find in your practice that children with idiopathic toe walking are left handed?

Reference: Wall Street Journal. Left-Handedness May Come From Toes. Retrieved from the web on 12/28/11 at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970203479104577122733533236086.html#articleTabs%3Dcomments

Playing with Children

2011-12-26T06:33:00.000-08:00

During this time of year, children usually have many new toys and gadgets to play with. Parents can play a supportive role in encouraging play skills and get in some fun bonding time. Here are several tips when playing with children:

1. Turn off all cell phones, televisions and computers while you are playing with your child. Set a good example by ignoring your electronic devices while you play.

2. Follow the child's lead. Let the child decide what to play with. If the child is playing pretend play along and follow their directions.

3. Play at the child's level. If the child is playing on the floor, get down on the floor to play with him or her.

4. Do not have a plan. This is the hardest to follow. With all the routine and rushing in today's lives, it is very hard as a parent not to have a plan. Just sit and play even if it is just for a few mintues. The child will appreciate your undivided attention.

You can print out this flyer to hang up in your playroom to remind parents how to "behave" during playtime.

Use of Time - Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

2011-12-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

Child: Care, Health and Development published a research study that took a close look at how ambulatory adolescents with cerebral palsy use their time. They compared 41 Australian adolescents with cerebral palsy to 82 typically developing peers. They had each adolescent complete a validated interview of recall of information over four days. The results indicated the following:

adolescents with CP spent 91 minutes/day participating in physical activity vs. 147 min/day (typical developing peers)

adolescents with CP spent 28 min/day in active transport versus 52 min/day

adolescents with CP spent 25 min/day in team sports versus 39 min/day

adolescents wtih CP spent 116 min/day in quiet time versus 80 min/day

adolescents with CP spent 6 min/day in social interaction versus 22 min/day

no significant differences were noted in sleep, screen time, domestic activities or school-related time.

This is an area where occupational and physical therapists can offer suggestions to adolescents with cerebral palsy. Perhaps provide them with a list of ideas that encourage physical activity time. Start a social club where the adolescents can get together to socialize. If they can not get together physically, why not try some of the social networking sites. There are several that are safe for children to join. Therapists can work to offer leisure activities. There was a large different in quiet time comparably. Perhaps the adolescents just need some ideas of what to do with their free time based on their motor abilities.

Any other suggestions? Do you have any creative leisure activity ideas? Any tips on appropriate social networking sites for adolescents?

Reference: C. Maher1,J. Kernot, T. Olds. Time use patterns in ambulatory adolescents with cerebral palsy Child: Care, Health and Development. Early view online. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01352.x

Jingle Bell Pencil

2011-12-21T07:15:00.001-08:00

Here is a super simple idea that promotes fine motor skill practice and handwriting fun. Have the child string some jingle bells on to a pipe cleaner. Wrap the pipe cleaner and bells around the pencil. Start your musical writing!

Practice Screwing and Unscrewing Caps

2011-12-20T06:53:00.001-08:00

Here is a simple activity box to create using recycled baby food pouches and the caps. I love this idea because some of the caps have a nice large diameter which can be a little easier to unscrew than a regular water bottle top for example. The smaller caps have ridges for gripping.

GMFCS Parent Questionnaire

2011-12-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can download a parent questionnaire to fill out for the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS)? CanChild offers the questionnaire in three age groups - 2-4 years, 4-6 years, 6-12 years and 12-18 years. It is also available in 6 languages - English, Arabic, Farsi, French, Portuguese and Thai. You can download them all at the CanChild website.

LEGO Grant

2011-12-16T08:32:00.000-08:00

LEGO grants are available on a quarterly basis for programs that encourage creativity, technology and communication projects. The next grant application is due by January 15th. Here is some information from the website:

Local and national communities, organizations and groups who cater to children ages birth - 14, with special consideration for the following:

* groups that support disadvantaged children
* groups that are supported by LEGO employee volunteers
* special projects or programs designed to elevate a child's opportunities for
exploring creativity
* organizations serving Connecticut and Western Massachusetts

Here is a great opportunity to see if you would qualify for some grant money to help children. The average grant approved is $3000. Why not start an after school club to build fine motor skills and creativity? You can get more information at the LEGO grant website.

Play Outdoors Tear Off Sign

2011-12-15T06:49:00.000-08:00

Here is a cute sign with some suggestions for children to play outdoors. Sometimes they just need some basic ideas to get started. Hang this by your back door or in the therapy room so kids can tear off an activity idea. Go to YourTherapySource.com to download the sign and print it.

Letter School App

2011-12-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

Letter School is an app that was just released. I just tested it out because it looked so interesting. I have to admit I am pretty impressed for $2.99 (there is even a free version so you can test it out yourself before buying). Here is what it has to offer:

different fonts to practice - D'Nealian, HWT and Zaner Bloser
practice capital letters, lowercase letters and numbers
reinforces phonics and meaning of letter
entertaining visual feedback
two levels

You simply pick the style of handwriting and type of letters or numbers in the settings. When you pick a letter it will show you the letter, verbalize the letter sound and show you a picture of an object that the letter begins with.

Then you proceed to practicing forming the letter. In the first stage you only have to tap the dots not actually form the letter. Once you tap the correct dots the animation will move to complete the letter.

For stage two, you trace the letter from dot to dot. Again, the animation will help you to complete the letter. Check out these train tracks. I know I lot of kids will love these!

In the final stage you form the letter with no dots or letter to guide you.

I have tested out a few letter tracing apps and I give this one the award for the best so far. You can get more information on the website for Letter School or visit the app store.

Move and Play Results for Children with Cerebral Palsy

2011-12-13T02:37:00.000-08:00

The Move and PLAY study was conducted from 2006-2009 in order to understand determinants of motor abilities, self-care, and play of young children with cerebral palsy. Over a one year period 430 children were followed.

There are three research summaries currently available on the Can Child website - Conceptual Model of the Move and PLAY Study, Health Conditions of Children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), New Shortened Versions.

In addition, four measures that were developed during the Move and PLAY study - Early Clinical Assessment of Balance, Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66-B&C), Health Conditions Questionnaire Spinal Alignment and Range of Motion Measure.

You can view all of the research summaries, measures and presentations at the Can Child website.

Well worth a look!

Use of Thumb Splint in Children with Hemiplegia

2011-12-12T06:58:00.000-08:00

Clinical Rehabilitation published research on the functional abilities of 7 children (ages 2-7) with unilateral cerebral palsy who used a neoprene thumb opponens splint (McKie splint). The children were followed for 4 months - about one month baseline, 2 months intervention and one month follow up. Goal attainment scaling and visual analog scales were used to assess function. The results indicated that four children increased their scores following use of the splint. Only two children benefited from the splint when it was worn. All the children tolerated the splint well.

Reference: Ten Berge SR, Boonstra AM, Dijkstra PU, Hadders-Algra M, Haga N, Maathuis CG. A systematic evaluation of the effect of thumb opponens splints on hand function in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Clin Rehabil. 2011 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Wii Jogging for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy

2011-12-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

I am highly interested in the Wii and its use in rehabilitation. In a high priced market of therapy products the Wii comes in at a dirt cheap price. There are many university students who are working on "hacking" in the Wii remotes to be able to adapt them for different activities and motion analysis. I also read recently that Microsoft is opening up the Kinect to some developers to see how it can be used in terms of motion analysis. For now though there are some great simple way to use the Wii at home for children and I have discussed some of them in previous blog posts. Just type Wii into the search box on the right of this blog to read previous posts.

I came across this video on You Tube and wanted to share how motivating the Wii could be at home. Here is a young man who is holding onto a standing frame (built by his Dad it says in the comments). Using the Wii Jogging from Wii Fit he is able to track his progress on the screen which keeps him motivated to keep working. Check it out.

Growing Pains and Somatosensory Dysfunction

2011-12-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

A recent study in the Journal of Pain Research researched how children with growing pains responded to various sensory inputs. Thirty three children, ages 5-12, with a history of growing pains underwent sensory response testing to touch, dynamic brush, cold, vibration, and deep pressure applied to limb and abdominal sites. The results indicated that children with growing pains exhibited "minor but statistically significantly increased responses to cutaneous cold, vibration, and to deep pressure stimuli in cases compared to controls, evident in a wider distribution than the symptomatic lower limbs". The researchers concluded that growing pains is a regional pain disorder with deficits in somatosensory processing.

Question of the day - do you find that children who have deficits in somatosensory processing complain more often of growing pains or pain in general? Just curious...

If sensory integration techniques are successful in children with sensory processing disorder would they be helpful for children with growing pains? I know this is a HUGE conclusion to make from this small study but just makes me question where we as therapists can help.

Reference: Pathirana S, Champion D, Jaaniste T, Yee A, Chapman C. Somatosensory test responses in children with growing pains. Journal of Pain Research December 2011 Volume 2011:4 Pages 393 - 400
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S24875

Brain Correcting Bumps To Body

2011-12-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

An interesting study was published in Nature about how the human body corrects itself when knocked by an external blow. The scientists discovered that the pathway of the primary motor cortex provides this information for limb correction. One of the researchers states that "the corrective movement pathway works by limiting and correcting the domino effect of involuntary bodily movement caused by an external blow". They are suggesting that in certain individuals who have had strokes the sensory message to the brain may need to be addressed first rather than the motor response.

Makes me wonder what about children with dyspraxia or sensory processing disorder? Is there changes in the primary motor cortex that influence the corrective movement pathway in these populations as well as patients who have had strokes? How does the corrective movement pathway work in individuals with motor planning deficits? Any insight?

Reference: Queens University. Scientists discover how brain corrects bumps to body. Retrieved from the web on 12/7/2011 from http://www.queensu.ca/news/articles/scientists-discover-how-brain-corrects-bumps-body

A Farewell to Handwriting?

2011-12-05T04:01:00.000-08:00

Check out this CBS news story entitled A Farewell to Handwriting? Great video to show to start a discussion at school districts debating between handwriting, cursive and keyboarding.

FREE PVC Assistive Tech Book

2011-12-04T09:40:00.000-08:00

Came across a great free resource on how to make adapted equipment using PVC. This is a 57 page book with detailed instructions on how to make many projects such as adapted writing aids, eye gaze frame, sand/water table and so many more. Great find from Adapting Creatively Blog (original blog post).

Here is a link to the document entitled Practical Versatile Cheap Assistive Technology Supports published by ATEN in Floridda.

Support Walker Survey

2011-12-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

Pediatric Physical Therapy published the results of a survey completed by 513 pediatric physical therapists who use support walkers. Support walkers were used most often to improve mobility, gait, participation at school and socialization with peers. In general, the devices were used for one month as a trial period before purchasing. This was followed by 9 sessions of training provided in the school. The researchers concluded "Pediatric physical therapists use SWs to increase postural control, mobility, and children's participation in school".

You can read more on this study over at Rifton where there is a nice summary of the study with more details regarding therapist's reasoning behind choosing support walkers.

Reference: Low, Sheryl A. PT, DPT, DSc, MPH, PCS; McCoy, Sarah Westcott PT, PhD; Beling, Janna PT, PhD; Adams, Janet PT, MS Pediatric Physical Therapists' Use of Support Walkers for Children With Disabilities: A Nationwide Survey. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Winter 2011 - Volume 23 - Issue 4 - p 381–389
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e318235257c

2011-12-02T11:26:00.001-08:00

Wanted to mention about the new social networking site Pinterest. It is basically a virtual board where people categorize different ideas and activities. My description is the following - it is a people driven search engine instead of a computer driven search engine. So if a person finds an activity on the internet that they think would benefit fine motor skill development, they "pin it" to the board on Fine Motor Skills. Other people can than follow that board or create their own.

I have to say I really enjoy the visual format of Pinterest. I also do find that it is one more thing to distract me though. Check it out for yourself so you have a better understanding of it. Here are the boards that I have created - Pinterest YTherapySource

Movement App Review - Dance Party Zoo

2011-11-30T06:50:00.000-08:00

I love to test out apps that require whole body movement. So far I have not been impressed with many and don't even bother sharing them. Here is one that has some potential...I guess. I am not overly excited about it but I have decided to mention it and see if anyone has some great uses for it. It is called Dance Party Zoo. Basically you pick an animal avatar and then dance with the iPhone in your hand or pocket and it measures your rhythm (according to the app). After the countdown you start moving and grooving to your choice of music. While you are moving there is just an orange screen like this:

Then when you are done dancing, the screen changes and shows the animal dancing to the rhythm you previously danced. It provides a nice visual for slow or fast dancing. You are awarded points for maintaining a consistent rhythm. The dancing animals are cute but you can barely see them. I was really hoping that when you danced the animal would move (like a Talking Tom app but the animal moves based on how you move the iphone - does anyone know of any apps like that?) This app costs $2.99 and you can get it here - Dance Party Zoo.

December Holiday Clothes Pin Mat

2011-11-29T06:34:00.001-08:00

Download this free holiday mat to practice visual motor skills and encourage muscle strengthening on the fingers with matching clothes pins to the letters. You can download it at YourTherapySource.com.

Child Welfare and Gross Motor Skills

2011-11-27T11:35:00.000-08:00

Here is an interesting study published in Pediatric Physical Therapy. One hundred seventy six children in the child welfare system underwent gross motor skill evaluations, physical examinations and case workers were interviewed. The results indicated the following:

significantly lower gross motor skills for children in foster care versus kinship care
children who were abused or neglected also received lower gross motor scores
overall the mean gross motor score for children in the child welfare system was lower that children in the general population.

You can read the research article in full at Pediatric Physical Therapy.

Reference: Hanson. H. et al. Factors Influencing Gross Motor Development in Young Children in an Urban Child Welfare System Pediatric Physical Therapy:
Winter 2011 - Volume 23 - Issue 4 - p 335–346 doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e3182351fb5

Raining Letters Activity

2011-11-25T18:00:00.001-08:00

Check out this free activity, Raining Letters, to print to encourage letter identification, matching lower case to upper case letters and physical activity. You can download it at YourTherapySource.com

Serial Casting and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

2011-11-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

Pediatric Physical Therapy published a medical records review following serial casting in 9 boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and ankle contractures. The results indicated improvements in range of motion (12 degrees on the right, 11.6 degrees on left with knee extended and 7.8 degrees on right and 8.7 degrees on the left with knee flexed). In addition, the boys were assessed on a timed 10 meter run, ability to climb four stairs and transfers from floor to standing. These scores were unchanged following the serial casting. The researchers concluded that serial casting increases range of motion in the ankle with no loss of function or speed in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Reference: Glanzman, Allan M. et al. Serial Casting for the Management of Ankle Contracture in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Pediatric Physical Therapy:
Fall 2011 - Volume 23 - Issue 3 - p 275–279 doi: 10.1097/PEP.0b013e318227c4e3

New Desk for Individuals with Physical Disabilities

2011-11-22T05:55:00.001-08:00

I came across a new desk recently while on Twitter, Facebook or maybe Google. Regardless, in my opinion this product looks really amazing to use in the schools. In my experience, it can be difficult to have the proper seating in every classroom for an individual with a disability especially as students get older and change classes. Although I have not tried it personally, the Desktop Desk seems very promising. Wouldn't is also be nice to have one in the OT room for ease of use when working on an angled surface? I asked the creator of the desk, Rob Mayben, a special education teacher, to answer a few questions. To get an idea of how the Desktop Desk works be sure to check out the links to the videos or start with this video, because the visual of the desk in use is very helpful. His answers are so interesting about the creation of the desktop desk and how innovative products are created based on need.

Once again thank you for the opportunity to talk about the desktop desk. The following are answers to your desktop desk questions. I am real passionate about providing access and opportunities and what the desktop desk is providing. I am a Teacher first, but sure am having a lot of fun with my desktop desk adventure - Rob Mayben.

Thank you Rob!

Question #1: Why did you design the product?

The first desktop desk was developed for Neil. Neil has Cerebral Palsy and because of his large wheel chair and poor motor skills struggled to actively participate in my Special Education Math/Woodshop class. I did not have a plan to develop, manufactured, and market a product, I simply wanted to put something together to help Neil independently access and participate in class activities. I think many Special Education Teachers actively work to find ways to help their kids participate as independently as possible through self made devices, and that is how the desktop desk started.

The first desktop desk prototype provided access and immediately allowed Neil to independently participate in academics along side his peers. The moment I saw Neil writing INDEPENDENTLY on the desktop desk prototype, with no help from me or his adult aide was to this day was my best teaching moment.

A couple of days later I built another desktop desk prototype for a student who was in a upper body brace (because of a back surgery) and was not able to bend over a desk or table because the positioning irritated her back. The portability and tilt of the desktop desk allowed her to be comfortably positioned at a classroom table and work. And then one was built for an autistic boy who was struggling to keep focused. The desktop desk became part of his routine when he walked in my class. He was able to set it up, place his activity sheet on it, and when he tilted it to a comfortable working position he was able to work with less visual distraction. This equaled less classroom behavior management for me and more academic time for him.

One student benefiting from the desktop desk lead to more students benefiting and then adults and ultimately that is why I worked to develop, patent, manufacture, and market the desktop desk. My goal through the desktop desk is to help provide kids and adults access, opportunity, and independence in academic and social settings. And it is happening!!

I am very proud to announce that desktop desks are being used by the following agencies across the US:

School Districts Hospitals

Creative Centers Students

Resource Agencies Colleges

Technology Centers Libraries

County SE Programs Therapists

Adult Centers and more…

Question #2: Can it fit on any table?
The desktop desk easily attaches to most tables provided in classrooms, offices, cafeterias, restaurants, and can even be attached to most picnic tables. When attached properly and to an appropriate table, it is usually as strong as the table it is attached to.

Question #3: How easy is it to move from one desk to another if a child changes classrooms?

It takes about 2 minutes to take the desktop desk out of the carry/storage bag and safely attach.

Question #4: How quickly can you adjust it if a different student needs to use it?

It can be adjusted to meet individual needs in seconds

Here are the videos -

http://www.desktopdesk.com/video/webvid1_temp.html How the desktop desk set up

http://www.desktopdesk.com/video/webvid2_temp.html Parent video on the desktop desk

http://www.desktopdesk.com/video/webvid3_temp.html FOX 40 reports on the desktop desk

http://www.desktopdesk.com/video/webvid4_temp.html Neil using the desktop desk

Question #5: For others who are thinking about creating an innovative product for students with disabilities what is your number one piece of advice?
Do it! I know parents, teachers and other professionals work everyday to develop great devices to help kids and adults be included. And you never know where that will lead. If they are looking to develop a product to manufacture and market a realistic business plan is very important.

Question #6: Where can they go to get more information or order the desktopdesk? Do you take purchase orders?

The desktop desk can be purchased through your local Sammons Preston or Patterson Medical Sales Representative at http://www.pattersonmedical.com/app.aspx?cmd=findARep

Also information, testimonials, pictures, video, and purchases can be found and made through the desktopdesk.com website. Purchase orders are accepted.

Other interesting desktop desk information

Have you heard about the desktop desk Sponsorship Program? This Program works within communities and with local Service Clubs and Businesses to sponsor and provide desktop desks to agencies that have kids or adults who would benefit academically or socially from desktop desks. Through the desktop desk Sponsorship Program several desktop desks have been donated by Rotary, Lions, and Veterans Clubs as well as local businesses around California to many different agencies and schools. It has been fun to see Clubs and Businesses work together to help provide desktop desks in their community. Here is a link to some great pictures of the Sponsorship provided desktop desks. http://desktopdesk.com/sponsors_slideshow.html

Kids as Teachers?

2011-11-21T06:39:00.001-08:00

Do you ever let the students that receive therapy services teach other students? Research has shown that the highest retention rate of what you have learned results from teaching others, with practice the skill coming in a close second. During therapy sessions, therapists spend hours working on practicing and learning new skills. When a child does reach a goal and learns a new skill it would be very beneficial for that same child to teach that skill to another child.

Here are the benefits of teaching others:

1. Demonstrates that you have full knowledge of the skill.
2. Forces you to review what you learned.
3. Provides you with a sense of accomplishment that you are helping others.
4. Helps to commit the information to long term memory and a permanent motor plan.
5. By teaching the skill, the child may have to research the skill even further to explain it properly so you are generating new knowledge.
6. The child will be seen as a role model since he/she was able to learn the skill.

Now of course in therapy there are some skills that would be hard for a child to teach but in general most skills could be taught by a child. In addition, the children may be able to offer tips and insights that adults can not.

Why not give it a try?

Fitness and Mental Health In Children

2011-11-18T06:29:00.001-08:00

Another study has been published touting the benefits of physical activity in children and its effects on their mental health. A longitudinal study was done in Australia with the researchers reporting the following:

"Our main findings are that higher levels of fitness are resulting in lower levels of depression and stress and greater body satisfaction and this is even after accounting for the potential negative effect of body fat.”

This study was looking at the effect of strong physical education programs in public schools. The researchers concluded that psychological well being in children is linked to cardio-respiratory fitness and physical activity.

Reference: Fitness Boosts Mental Health. Retrieved from Australian National University at http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=12201

50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids! - creative, fun filled activities and games that get children moving.

Find out more at YourTherapySource.com

Postural Control and Fine Motor Skills

2011-11-17T07:37:00.000-08:00

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published research on the relationship between postural control and fine motor skills in infants. The medical records were reviewed of 105 preterm infants. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale was used to assess postural control and the Peabody was used to evaluate fine motor skills. Statistical analysis revealed that the development of postural control is related to the development of fine motor skills particularly in this pre-term group of infants with delayed postural control. The researchers state that this information supports the intervention techniques during occupational therapy of proximal to distal development.

View the full study at AJOT.

Reference: Tien-Ni Wang, Tsu-Hsin Howe, Jim Hinojosa, Sharon L. Weinberg. Relationship Between Postural Control and Fine Motor Skills in Preterm Infants at 6 and 12 Months Adjusted Age. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2011.001503 American Journal of Occupational Therapy November/December 2011 vol. 65 no. 6 695-701

Video- Activities for Kids of All Abilities

2011-11-16T06:24:00.000-08:00

The Move Forward PT website has posted a video on You Tube encouraging physical activity for children of all abilities. It is a short video with a few suggestions. Would be nice to show to parents and other health providers.

Scissor Use - Progress Monitoring Formr

2011-11-16T06:16:00.001-08:00

We have just published Progress Monitoring Forms - Fine Motor Skills. This download includes 40+ forms to track an individual's fine motor skills over time. You can get a free copy of the Scissor Use Progress Monitoring Forms here.

Musical Magnet Maze

2011-11-14T07:49:00.001-08:00

Here is a unique way to make a maze multisensory and practice visual motor and bilateral coordination skills. You only need a maze, magnet, jingle bell, cardboard and a page protector. To learn how to create this activity and to see it in action watch the video at YourTherapySource.com.

Classroom Background Noise

2011-11-12T07:18:00.000-08:00

Background noise in classrooms can influence a student's ability to learn. Many children with sensory processing disorder in particular can be distracted by different noises. Frequently classroom seating accommodations are suggested based on the student's ability to stay on task. Some recent research indicated that students who spent time in louder classrooms performed worse on tests. Sound levels were taken in classrooms when they were empty to compare the different rooms that the tests were taken in. Therefore, the sound levels were only background noise that influenced the test scores.

Did you know that the recommendation for classroom background noise should not exceed 35 decibels? This research showed that for optimal performance on a test, the sound level should be at 28 decibels (the level of a whisper).

This data is from during test taking but makes me wonder about everyday learning. What about classrooms that are participating in group learning? The decibel level is more like 50-65 (loud conversation). Curious to see research on understanding of material in louder classrooms.

Reference: Braconnier, D. Study shows background noise affects test scores. Retrieved from the web on 11/12/11 from http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-background-noise-affects-scores.html

Use of Weighted Vest

2011-11-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published research on a pilot study of 10 second grade students that exhibited difficulties with attention span. The intervention group wore a weighted vest and the percentage of time on task was measured. The control group wore a non weighted vest. The examiners and data collectors were blind to whether the student was in the intervention or control group. A statistical analysis revealed that the weighted vest was not effective in increasing time on task.

You can read the full text article at AJOT.

Reference: Amy Collins and Rosalind J. Dworkin. Pilot Study of the Effectiveness of Weighted Vests Am J Occup Ther November 2011 65:688-694; doi:10.5014/ajot.2011.000596

Podcast on Integrating Movement Across the School Day

2011-11-09T05:06:00.000-08:00

Just finished listening to an informative podcast on integrating movement across the school day. This free podcast can be listened to online or you can download it and save it to listen on your mp3 player. It offers some nice ideas on incorporating more physical activity throughout the day.

You can listen to the podcast entitled More than Just Gym: Integrating Movement Across the School Day at The Whole Child.

My favorite point that was a great reminder is that physical activity in the classroom is not just for the younger children. It can be even more important for the older students who have such a heavy caseload of school work. Middle and high school students brain and body benefit from these bouts of exercise throughout the day.

Tips for Teaching a Child Dressing Skills

2011-11-08T03:57:00.000-08:00

When children learn how to dress themselves it is a huge accomplishment. Independent dressing is a skill that needs to taught and practiced. Here are some tips for teaching a child how to dress:

1. Children will usually learn to undress first. Remember to allow children practice time to undress. Praise them for being independent when undressing (if appropriate).

2. Be patient. Do not try to teach dressing skills if you are in a rush. It takes children a long time to dress themselves. Perhaps pick out clothes the night before to eliminate one step.

3. Provide verbal cues as necessary. Try to use the wording on each step by step direction for consistency. As the child becomes more independent, reduce the verbal cues until they can be discontinued completely.

4. Try teaching dressing using backward chaining. Backward chaining means that an adult provides assistance throughout several steps until the child can complete the last steps independently. For example - you help the child hold shirt, put arm through, put overhead and put other arm through. The child then completes the last step independently of pulling the shirt down. Continue this process by advancing to the child completing the last two steps...then last three steps...etc until the child is independently putting on the shirt.

5. If you are not sure where to start, try the easiest items first - elastic shorts, elastic pants or shirts without buttons.

6. Lay the clothes out in the proper order and direction for the child. Make sure all the clothes are turned right side out.

7. Practice dressing skills with larger dress up items to increase motivation levels.

8. Model the steps by dressing a doll first. The child can practice dressing and undressing dolls or stuffed toys.

9. If the child is sensitive to clothing, try cutting tags out of the shirts or purchasing seamless clothing. Try washing the clothes several times before wearing.

10. If the child needs complete assistance for certain steps, try doing hand over hand to complete that step until the child becomes more independent.

11. Once the child can complete the dressing tasks independently, practice the skills in different environments (i.e. bathroom versus bedroom) or with different types of clothing (i.e. tighter fitting versus looser fitting).

12. Try practicing getting dressed in front of the mirror unless it confuses the child.

13. Try completing the dressing skills in sitting on the floor or on a bench if it is too difficult in standing.

14. If the child has one side of the body weaker or tighter than the other, dress that side first. If undressing, remove the weaker/ tighter side last.

Dressing Skills - Step By Step Visual Directions to Teach Children How to Dress

Find out more information.

Dressing Skills Rubrics

Quantify dressing and undressing skills with 21 rubrics to assess dressing skills.

Find out more information.

Children with Disabilities Participation in PE and Extracurricular Activities

2011-11-07T04:33:00.000-08:00

The Department of Education has published a report entitled Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth with Disabilities to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Activities. It is a 24 page report that provides an overview on the law, guidelines for physical activity and suggestions to increase opportunities. Here is a summary:

IDEA and Section 504 are the laws that require children and youth with disabilities have access to physical education and extracurricular activities.

In general, children should participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. For children with disabilities, the recommendation is to work with your health care partner to determine an appropriate number of minutes per day of physical activity.

The suggestions to increase opportunities are the following:

make sure that the activity is accessible for all children with disabilities.
use specialized equipment or modify equipment if necessary
educate personnel on adapting games and activities
encourage an inclusive teaching style
assess progress on an individual basis
utilize staff with strong behavior management skills
use a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach for the physical education curriculum

For more information and a list of references and resources you can read the report in its entirety here or below.

Reference: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs, Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth with Disabilities to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics, Washington, D.C., 2011.

Visual Tracking and Bilateral Coordination Activity

2011-11-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun, super cheap activity to encourage visual tracking and bilateral coordination. All you need is a pool noodle, a marble and some tape.

Step 1: Cut the pool noodle in half lengthwise with a serrated knife (adults please).

Step 2: Shape one half of the pool noodle into a circle and tape it closed.

Step 3: Try to make the marble go around the circle track without it falling out. See how many times you can make the marble go around the track. Our record was 32 times!

Bonus: nice science lesson on centripetal force. You have to keep up the speed of the marble going around the track or it will fall out.

Gender Differences in Sedentary Behavior

2011-11-04T07:12:00.001-07:00

Interesting research in Pediatrics on the different sedentary behaviors of boys versus girls. Three hundred thirty one preschool children wore accelerometers over a period of 2 weeks. The results indicated the following:

girls were more sedentary than boys
for boys sedentary behavior was correlated with the amount of weekly tv/video games and physical activity equipment in the home
for girls body mass index and coordination was significantly correlated with sedentary behavior

None of these results are surprising but they do validate that children need to be physically active from a young age or bad habits will start very early. In addition, if girls in particular have deficits in coordination skills this needs to be addressed at this early age to prevent a lifetime of sedentary behavior. Simple tips can be offered to parents to increase physical activity time such as decrease tv/video game time, increase physically active play time, eat healthy and practice coordination skills such as throwing, catching, skipping and any other ball skills.

Reference: Wonwoo Byun, Marsha Dowda,and Russell R. Pate Correlates of Objectively Measured Sedentary Behavior in US Preschool Children Pediatrics 2011; 128:5 937-945; published ahead of print October 17, 2011, doi:10.1542/peds.2011-0748

50 Sensory Motor Activities for Kids!

Download of 50 activities to get kids moving.

Find out more.

Block Play and Spatial Awareness

2011-11-03T06:28:00.000-07:00

A recent study in Mind, Brain and Education indicated that playing with blocks helps children to understand spatial concepts such as over, around and through. The researchers found that parents who participated in guided block play with their children had significantly higher proportions of spatial talk. Guided block play consisted of playing with the blocks along with guided instructions for how to build different structures.

Developing the skills to express and understand spatial skills are the first step in understanding spatial ability and awareness such as math skills, visual perceptual skills and body awareness. Maybe next time you see a child struggling with spatial awareness take a quick moment to determine do they understand spatial language the first building block to spatial awareness.

Reference: Fisher, K. Interactive play develops kids' spatial skills. Temple University. Retrieved from the web on 11/3/11 at http://news.temple.edu/news/interactive-play-develops-kids-spatial-skills

Building Block Patterns and Games

Get over 40 pages of building block pattern cards and games.

Get more information.

Visual Perceptual Games and Activities

Includes many games to practice visual perceptual activities including block patterns to create and build.

Get more information.

Challenging Motor Skills

2011-11-02T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was spending some time with my 14 month old daughter outdoors. I was just watching her interact with the environment and see what choices she made to play. All of a sudden it hit me how often she challenges her motor skills to a more difficult level. There were many examples of this:

she was walking on the pavement (still somewhat unsteady being a new walker for about one month) and gets bored with that rather quickly and prefers the challenge of the uneven terrain of the grass (notice her crouched position and wide base of support walking on grass)
she had the choices of ride on toys, the Cozy Coupe car and balls to play with but it never takes long for her to gravitate towards the porch stairs so she can practice climbing up and down (this is an obviously dangerous task for her - she can make it up but if left to her own accord she would tumble to the concrete when descending the stairs)
she occasionally asks to go in the swing but much prefers to attempt to climb up the slide or up the ladder (also quite precarious when she stands on a slide)
she has the choice to play with balls, pine cones and leaves but she always goes back to these tiny round balls that fall from one of our trees to practice her fine motor skills to pick up the potential choking hazard

Now of course I am closely watching and guarding her throughout all these activities but I do let her explore them. It really made me wonder why some babies do this behavior? Why is he or she always looking for the next motor challenge? I realize that not all babies behave this way although she is my fifth child and her four previous siblings behaved in the same manner (especially obsessing with climbing the stairs). In addition, whenever we are at a gathering with other parents many of them see me closely following my children up and down the stairs repeatedly (babies love to perform the same tasks over and over and over again). Almost of all them say "I see they found the stairs, I remember those days".

Although my observations are based on typical childhood motor development, children who are developing at a slower pace also benefit from being challenged motorically. This is why when some babies or young children are not walking they will benefit from a standing program, gait trainer or wheelchair for social, cognitive and physical benefits. You can read more on this topic from a previous post Ready, Set, Go.

So I guess my questions for the day are:

Do you let your child explore and challenge themselves to learn new motor skills and develop a sense of accomplishment?
Why is it that when a baby could choose to play with toys or explore the outdoors they sooner or later gravitate towards something they can climb on or perhaps something they should not have?

Is it the novelty, the fear, the sense of accomplishment or self driven motivation? I am guessing it is all those things together. I looked for research on this but came up empty handed. Would love to hear if anyone has anything on it I am very curious...

Fun App to Use for Motor Skill Practice

2011-11-01T06:51:00.001-07:00

Here is an app I came across called Spinnerz. This app is only $0.99 and you can customize the spinners with your choices. There are some fun graphics to spin with as well - Holiday themes (i.e. Santa's arm spinning), a fish spinning around and lots of mesmerizing images.

There are many preinstalled spinners that basically work like a magic 8 ball. Ask a question and it will give you a prediction or answer which does not exactly pertain to therapy but...you can make your own lists. Here are some suggestions for make your own lists:
1. warm up activities before handwriting tasks
2. gross motor skills to wake the body up
3. calming activities
4. proprioceptive input activities
5. different colors - spin a color and run to find an item that is that color

Obviously there are many more ideas that you could come up with to suit the children that you work with.

One more bonus - you can actually activate the spinner by blowing on it like a pinwheel too! It is a little difficult but it does work. Go into the settings and turn on the breath control. Now slide the weight all the way to the left and the friction should be low. Just blow right over the center of the spinner and it will start the spinning action. (I could not get the blowing action to work on the iPad only the iPhone)

I really like this app because it allows you to customize it. Plus, I like any app that I can add physical activity to. You can download it for $0.99 at the app store.

If you need simple activity ideas check out our Mini Movement Breaks and Fine Motor Breaks .

Influence of Gender on Surgical Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy

2011-10-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

Interesting research was published on the influence of gender on surgical outcomes in 34 children with spastic diplegia. Initially following surgery there was no difference on the Gillette Gait Scale between girls and boys. The children were followed for 10 years. Over the course of the 10 years, the girls maintained their enhanced walking ability whereas the boys exhibited a constant deterioration of walking skills. The authors conclude that gender may influence surgical outcomes in children with cerebral palsy.

Personally, I have not noticed this with the population of children that I have worked following surgical intervention. Have any of you experienced this - boys and girls performing differently?

Reference: Zwick EB, Svehlík M, Kraus T, Steinwender G, Linhart WE. Does gender influence the long-term outcome of single-event multilevel surgery in spastic cerebral palsy? J Pediatr Orthop B. 2011 Oct 24. [Epub ahead of print]

Halloween Clothes Pin Activity

2011-10-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Download this Halloween mat to match up clothes pin or to practice visual motor skills.
You can download the activity at YourTherapySource.com.

Video Activity - Cup Challenge

2011-10-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

Combine movement and learning with this fun challenge using 3 oz plastic cups and a recycled potato chip can to store them in. Download the template and get directions at YourTherapySource.com.

Wii and Head Control

2011-10-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting but very small study on using the Wii controller to assist with head control. Two subjects with multiple disabilities used the Wii remote controller to control their favorite stimulation by actively keeping their head in an upright position. The results showed that both participants significantly increased their time maintaining the head in an upright position.

Reference: Shih CH, Shih CJ, Shih CT. Assisting people with multiple disabilities by actively keeping the head in an upright position with a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller through the control of an environmental stimulation. Res Dev Disabil. 2011 Sep-Oct;32(5):2005-10. Epub 2011 May 20.

Pain and Cerebral Palsy

2011-10-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

A recent study assessed the pain of 153 participants (8 -18 years old). The majority of the children had bilateral spastic cerebral palsy (55%) followed by 38% with unilateral spastic, 6% dyskinetic and 1% ataxic. Gross Motor Function Measures varied from Level I through V with the majority of children in Levels I and II. The results indicated that 62% of the children experienced pain. The only significant predictor of pain was being more than 14 years old. The children reported their pain to be moderate whereas parents reported their pain levels to be higher. Both children and parents stated that pain impacted walking and general activity.

Reference: RAMSTAD, K., JAHNSEN, R., SKJELDAL, O. H. and DISETH, T. H. (2011), Characteristics of recurrent musculoskeletal pain in children with cerebral palsy aged 8 to 18 years. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 53: 1013–1018. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011.04070.x

Fine Motor Rewards

2011-10-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Previously, I had written a blog post on Positive Reinforcements following therapy sessions. Basically it was some suggestions to encourage compliant behavior and active participation during therapy sessions. I wanted to add a few more suggestions to the list of my 6 previous suggestions: Carnival Party, Olympics, Playground Time, Nature Walk, Gym Time and Free Therapy Play Time. All of those suggestion were sensory motor activities.

Here are a few suggestions for fine motor positive reinforcements:

Button Bags - sew a felt bag that has a few button closures at the top. In order for the children to get the reward they must unbutton the bag to reveal the prize.
Zippered Bags - hide the prizes inside pencil pouches and they have to unzip to reveal the prize
Lock and Key - use a lock on a treasure box. To pick a prize you have to unlock the box.
Unscrew the Lid - paint the inside of a jar to hide what is inside. The children have to unscrew the lids to get the reward.
Shoe Untying - hide the prize inside a sneaker. The child must untie the shoe to get to the prize. Then let the child pick a prize to hide back in the shoe for the next child and tie the shoe back up.
Envelope Cutting - hide the prize in an envelope and the child has to use scissors or a letter opener to cut the envelope open. Good one for small stickers.

P ositive Affirmation Posters and Cards for Children
Keep a positive attitude with this download of 25 positive affirmation posters and 25
small cards of the posters.

Find out more.

Awards, Signs and Certificates for Pediatric Occupational and Physical Therapists

Need some inexpensive reward ideas? Just print out one of these certificates for a child!

Find out more.

Make Your Own Action Dice

2011-10-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun freebie to create your own dice. At Big Huge Labs you can upload up to 6 images to create your own paper dice. Here is a simple set that I created using locomotor skills. Try rolling the paper dice along with a regular dice to see how many of the locomotor actions you need to perform. Makes for a nice exercise break in the classroom.

Try making your own dice by taking pictures of the children that you work with performing different exercises or stretches. How about yoga poses?

You can download my sample die below.

Need more physical activity ideas for the classroom?

Check out Action Alphabet and more sensory motor activities at Your Therapy Source.

Fine Motor Game to Print for Fall

2011-10-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Here is a fine motor game to print and play with a Halloween/Fall theme. You can download it at Your Therapy Source.

Neoprene Splint and Handwriting

2011-10-19T18:29:00.001-07:00

Recent research in Pediatric and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics examined the use of a neoprene splint on the hand/wrist and its effects on the handwriting of 4 ninth grade students with joint hypermobility and pain. The statistical results indicated that the neoprene splint resulted in a significant decrease in handwriting speed in 3 of the 4 students. No significant changes in pain or endurance was observed while handwriting with the splint on the hand/wrist. When the splint was removed, 3 of the subjects indicated a significant decrease in pain. The authors concluded that the use of a neoprene splint was not indicated for ninth grade students with joint hypermobility.

Reference: Lauren Frohlich, Alison Wesley, Margaret Wallen, Anita Bundy. Effects of Neoprene Wrist/Hand Splints on Handwriting for Students with Joint Hypermobility Syndrome: A Single System Design Study. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. Posted online on 12 Oct 2011. doi:10.3109/01942638.2011.622035

Product Review - Kindertools

2011-10-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Kindertools are a set of unique "helping handles" that help children to eat, brush their teeth, clean their nails, paint and color. The interesting part of Kindertools is the handles. On each of the 8 tools there is a specialized handle that allows for different grasp patterns. In addition, for the eating utensils the handles are curved making it a little easier for the children to get the food to their mouths without spilling it. The handles also provide a safety net in preventing the child from choking on the utensil.

This product would be a nice addition to an occupational therapist or speech therapist's tool kit. The different shaped handles allow for different grasps which is extremely beneficial for children with disabilities that affect the function of the hand. The Kindertools offers the child the ability to grasp the utensil or writing implement which they otherwise may be not able to do with a traditional utensil. This allows for the child to achieve success and gain independence.

Here are some positives to the Kindertools:

child is able to use various grasps to hold the utensil affording independence
increase success rate for younger children in terms of keeping food on the utensil
offer choices to children with impaired hand function
safe, no choke design (especially nice for toothbrush)
the crayon can be placed in two positions to offer more adaptability

Here are two minor issues (not even a negative):

handle is short therefore sometimes difficult to get the bottom of a narrow cup or dish (i.e. yogurt container) which you could easily fix by pouring the yogurt into a wider mouth or shallow bowl.
they are designed for toddlers so if you wanted to use the tools for older children with a disability the handles may be too small.

Would love to hear from others who have used Kindertools. You get more information at Kindertools.com. What are your thoughts on the product?

Artist Trading Card Challenge

2011-10-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

An OT blogger is hosting a fun artist trading card challenge in honor of World OT Day (October 27, 2011). She is challenging us to create artist trading cards that reflect occupational therapy. If you are unfamiliar with artist trading cards check out lesson plan for a group occupational therapy session. If she gets enough trading cards she would like to vote on the 12 best to create a calender for charity. Pictured below are a few submissions from us. To find out how you can enter your trading card check out her blog.

Submitted by K. (11 year old girl)

Submitted by M. (10 year old girl)

Submitted by me! (age undisclosed)

Context Therapy and Cerebral Palsy

2011-10-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

Great news story in support of context therapy to compliment traditional physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy.

Muscle Strengthening Activity for the Hands

2011-10-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Check out these activities using squeeze containers from the Dollar Store. Can't beat the price - 2 for $1. Economical occupational therapy tool for sure...

Cerebral Palsy, Computer Games and Sitting

2011-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Research was published to investigate whether sitting balance could be improved in children with cerebral palsy following the use of motion activated computer games. After using the center of gravity game controller in sitting for three months, "statistically significant improvements were seen in two elements of box sitting using the Chailey levels (shoulder girdle position and spinal profile) and in five elements of the Sitting Assessment for Children with Neuromotor Dysfunction across both reach and rest phases of the assessment". The researchers recommend further research in this area.

Have you ever tried using Wii fit in a sitting position for children with cerebral palsy? There is one game on the Wii Fit, Lotus Focus, that is meant to be used in sitting. The individual is supposed to sit on the board and maintain stillness. There is a candle flame flickering for visual feedback. If you move too much, the candle goes out.

Today we tried sitting on the Wii Fit balance board to see if you could still activate the controls for other games. Using the Soccer Heading game, you could control moving the Mii side to side to hit the soccer ball. Of course it was not as accurate as in standing, but it would be viable to use in sitting just don't expect the same scores. We also tried moving the Mii side to side in quadruped only using the upper extremities. This worked as well but was quite fatiguing on the neck muscles. It would work for short periods of time to work on upper extremity weight bearing. I would recommend keeping the TV at a low level to prevent neck hyperextension. I would assume you could also try skiing or other games in sitting that require weight shifting. What have you done to adapt the Wii for children?

Reference: Wade W, Porter D. Sitting playfully: does the use of a centre of gravity computer game controller influence the sitting ability of young people with cerebral palsy? Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2011 Oct 4. [Epub ahead of print]

Free Therapy News and Tips Templates

2011-10-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Here is another freebie from Your Therapy Source Inc. - Therapy News and Tips templates. Create you own monthly newsletter and tips hand outs to provide to teachers and parents. You can either type directly onto the templates (and even save them) or print the pages and hand write the therapy news. The templates are suitable for occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. Why not share the document between the disciplines to create an informative monthly newsletter from all departments. You can download the templates at YourTherapySource.com.

Moving and Feeling Using Only Brain

2011-10-07T02:17:00.000-07:00

This is some crazy research from Duke University having monkeys use brain control only to move a virtual arm over the correct target based on sensory feedback (vibration). The researchers are hopeful that in the future this type of technology will not only help individuals with spinal cord injuries to move arms and hands and to walk again but even to feel and touch again.

Read more about this study from Duke University.

Learning to Glue Freebie

2011-10-06T06:47:00.001-07:00

This Learning to Glue freebie is great. I came across it on Pinterest. It has a cute little song about learning to glue. The best part is the worksheets where children can practice little dabs of glue, large spots of glue and glueing a frame. You will need to register to get the freebie but it is worth it if you have children who LOVE to overuse glue. Bonus: great hand strengthening activity and control to get the dabs of glue in the circles!

You can download it here at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Spina Bifada and Daily Life Tasks

2011-10-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

A dissertation written by an OT doctoral student focused on 50 children (ages 6-14 years old) with spina bifada. Using the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS), the quality of performance of everyday tasks was compared between the children with spina bifada, international age norms and a control group of typically developing Nordic children. In addition, the autonomy levels of the children were rated by the children themselves and the parents. Furthermore, the children and their teachers rated their participation in school activities. The School Function Assessment was completed by the teachers. The results indicated the following:
1. Most of the children with spina bifada had difficulties completing well-known everyday activities in an effortless, efficient, safe and independent way.

2. The low quality of task performance, especially the process skills, was strongly related to both the children's level of autonomy in daily life and their level of active participation in school.

3. The children with spina bifada had low autonomy levels in goal-directed situations that needed personal initiation.

4. Parents’ and children’s ratings of the children’s autonomy level indicated low agreement between the two groups.

5. Children with spina bifada participated in more school activities in high school.

The author concluded that occupational therapists need to support and encourage autonomy in everyday tasks for children with spina bifada.

In a school setting therapists can perhaps put techniques in place that will help children with spina bifada initiate activity. Here are some suggestions:

visual schedules with steps that are necessary to complete the task - this will allow the student to see what step number one is to initiate the activity.
written or visual reminders of what tasks need to be accomplished - at desk there could be a check list of what needs to be done before school begins i.e. put book bag away, hang up coat

Do you observe in your everyday practice that children with spina bifada have difficulties initiating every daily tasks? Do you find that children with spina bifada can perform daily tasks but may not be fully independent in finishing the tasks?

You can read the thesis in its entirety here.

Reference: Marie Peny-Dahlstrand. To get things done, the challenge in everyday life for children with spina bifida Quality of performance, autonomy and participation. Dissertation published in September 2011 for the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg

Dressing Skills is a 24 page booklet that provides visual directions of how to:

* put on a shirt
* put on pants in standing
* put on pants in sitting
* put on a coat
* put on a coat with the flip method.

Find out more.

October 2011 Magazine

2011-10-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More autism

Bicycle Riding and Down Syndrome

2011-09-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Physical Therapy has published research on the effects of bicycle riding on children with Down Syndrome. Two groups of children with Down Syndrome ranging in age from 8-15 years old participated in the study. The experimental group was taught how to ride a bicycle over a five day period. The control group received no intervention until one year after the experimental group. Following the 5 day instruction, 56% of the children learned to ride a two wheeler bike. The children who learned to ride spent significantly less time in sedentary activities than the control group after 12 months. In addition, the bike riding group spent more time in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The amount of actual bicycle riding was not recorded during the study.

Reference: Dale A. Ulrich, Amy R. Burghardt, Meghann Lloyd, Chad Tiernan, and Joseph E. Hornyak. Physical Activity Benefits of Learning to Ride a Two-Wheel Bicycle for Children With Down Syndrome: A Randomized Trial. PHYS THER October 2011 91:1463-1477; published ahead of print August 18, 2011, doi:10.2522/ptj.20110061

Occupational Therapy Home Programs Effective for CP

2011-09-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

Pediatrics has published a study on the benefits of providing occupational therapy home programs for children with cerebral palsy. A double blind, randomized controlled trial was done with 36 children with cerebral palsy (mean age 7.7 years old). The children were GMFCS Levels I through V. One group was to receive and follow the OT home program for 8 weeks, one group to follow OT home program for 4 weeks and the control group received no OT home program. The parents of the children in the OT home program for 4 weeks did not discontinue the home program after 4 weeks and continued to do the program for the full 8 weeks. Following the 8 weeks, the groups that received the OT home program showed a significant difference in function and parent satisfaction with function. The researchers concluded that occupational therapy home programs:

"developed with a collaborative, evidence-based approach and implemented by parents at home were clinically effective if implemented 17.5 times per month for an average of 16.5 minutes per session".

You can read the full article at Pediatrics.

Reference: Iona Novak, Anne Cusick, and Natasha Lannin. Occupational Therapy Home Programs for Cerebral Palsy: Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial. Pediatrics October 2009; 124:4 e606-e614; published ahead of print September 21, 2009, doi:10.1542/peds.2009-0288

Free Personalized Physical Activity and Nutrition Program

2011-09-28T03:07:00.000-07:00

Found about this free opportunity on Twitter. The National Center of Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is providing individuals with mobility limitations, chronic health conditions and physical disabilities a free, web based, personalized physical activity and nutrition program. According to the website, each individual registers for the program and answers several questions about themselves. Then they will provide you with exercises and resources matched to your needs over a 14 week period. Each week builds upon the previous week. You even get access to coaches throughout the 14 weeks. All for free!

I have not tried this out but seems like it may be a great option for teenagers and up to try to stay active. Would love to hear if anyone has tried this program out...

You can get all the information and register at NCPAD.

Motor Memory and Motor Planning App

2011-09-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

There are constantly new apps coming out for the iphone and ipad. Here is a cute one that actually involves physical movement - Move Like Me. This game is suitable for young children to practice copying movement patterns and motor memory. Basically, the child picks a character. That character then performs a simple movement (hop, clap, march or sway). The child then has to repeat what motion the character did. It continues adding motions each round and the child must remember and repeat.

In addition there is a dance along option. This allows the child to create a dance and then follow along to practice the dance.

Nice, novel app that encourages body awareness, physical activity, motor planning, coordination and motor memory. Not bad for $1.99.

Move Like Me is available at the App store.

Do You Talk During Therapy Sessions?

2011-09-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a question to ask yourself today... do you talk to your clients during therapy sessions? Not about the weather or the latest cartoon but about what the children are actually doing? As therapists we offer an excellent opportunity to incorporate language acquisition, understanding and memory skills along with movement skills. The kinesthetic sense is being activated during movement activities which allows children to take in information via an additional pathway instead of just auditory or visual. Here are some examples of how you can help young children across several domains instead of just the motor domain:

Talk about the actions the children are doing to help them to understand spatial location and body awareness - ie "You are standing in between two chairs"; "The walker is behind you."; "You are jumping to the right."
Verbalize directional cues regarding their own bodies to help with body awareness - i.e. "I am moving your arm up and down".; "I am bending your knee."
Use action words to describe what the children are doing - i.e. "You are all jumping."; "Let's climb the ladder."
Use descriptive words regarding speed and direction to assist again with body awareness and motor planning - i.e. "You are running fast." "You are walking backwards."
Ask open ended questions to see if they understand movement concepts and the relation to other people or animals - i.e. "How would you move if you were a basketball player?" "Can you move like your favorite animal?"
Reinforce memory skills by asking questions about movement - i.e. "Do you remember what movements we did when we started the therapy session?"
Discuss and ask questions about movements that are similar and opposite - i.e. "You are moving so fast now. How can you move the opposite of fast?" "You are throwing the ball at the target. Can you think of another way to throw a ball?"

Don't forget to mention these tips to teachers and parents as well.

Find out more at YourTherapySource.com

Locomotor Games
This download is a collection 20 locomotor cards, 10 non locomotor cards, 10 body part cards, 10 directional cards, 6 speed/path cards, 10 number cards, 30 object cards, 2 Roll and Move games and one relaxation poem. The locomotor games are quick to set up and require none or minimal equipment. It does not get any easier than this to encourage sensory motor activities in the classroom or home.
Only $1.99

Inclusion Golf

2011-09-24T04:58:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in starting a golf program that includes individuals with and without disabilities? If so, there is a grant available from the United States Golf Association (USGA). Partnering with the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, the USGA is offerring a maximum award of $20,000. It is open to tax exempt non profits, schools and government programs. You can find out more at the National Alliance for Accessible Golf website.

Exercise and Behavioral Problems

2011-09-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

A recent study was published in Journal of Positive Behavioral Interventions on using exercise to decrease problem behaviors in boys. Using a multiple-baseline across-participants design, three boys participated daily in eight exercise sessions lasting from 1-20 minutes during the school day. Following the exercise intervention, two of the boys reduced the challenging behaviors to zero and the third boy's challenging behavior reduced to near zero.

Reference: Helen I. Cannella-Malone, Christopher A. Tullis, and Aline R. Kazee. Using Antecedent Exercise to Decrease Challenging Behavior in Boys With Developmental Disabilities and an Emotional DisorderJournal of Positive Behavior Interventions October 2011 13: 230-239, first published on May 3, 2011 doi:10.1177/1098300711406122

Classroom Activity Posters

16 exercises to complete in the classroom

Find out more.

Communication Check List

2011-09-22T03:19:00.000-07:00

Go to www.YourTherapySource.com to download the free check list.

Now that the school year is in full gear and schedules are set it is time to settle in and get to know all of the students or clients on your caseload. In order to do this you will need to make sure that you communicate with all members of the team that work with a particular student. You can download a check list that you can use to ensure that the lines of communication are open between therapists, school staff and home. Go to YourTherapySource.com to download the free check list.

$10,000 Fitness Cash for Your School

2011-09-21T03:25:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting contest to enter from Henkel. All you need to do is nominate your school by answering some questions about what your school is doing now to keep fit and what you would do with the $10,000. They are giving away $30,000 total - $10,000 at each level of elementary, middle and high school. They will pick finalists and then you can vote for what school you want to win! Why not give it shot?

Find out more information at Henkel Helps.

Physical Activity Boosts Emotional Health

2011-09-20T03:33:00.000-07:00

As therapists, we frequently provide physical activities for children to promote muscle strengthening, range of motion, balance, motor skills and coordination. We must not forget that physical activity also helps to boost the social and emotional health of children. Physical, active play can help children to:

express emotions such as smiling and laughing
negotiate with peers during games such as turn taking, establishing rules of games, etc
reduce stress
elevate the mood
establish feelings of pride and accomplishment by achieving goals such as climbing equipment or running around a track

Therapists can offer suggestions to parents and teachers on how to support the emotional development of children through play. Here are some helpful tips to suggest:

observe the children and see what they enjoy playing. Create more opportunities for what they enjoy.
recommend "just right" activities for the children. Provide teachers and parents with a list of activities that the children can accomplish to help boost feelings of self worth. Perhaps provide some activities that may be a challenge so that children can have a sense of accomplishment of pushing themselves to achieve more.
praise children when they achieve new motor tasks or skills
add emotions to make believe active play i.e. be a silly troll, a happy princess or a miserable witch
offer some activity ideas that all children can participate in regardless of motor skill to encourage peer interaction. This will help some children to focus on the social aspects of play without having to struggle with motor skills.
keep children motivated and engaged. If certain activities are not encouraging active play, change it up to make it more active. Add more loose parts to play such as balls and hula hoops rather than relying on playground equipment to get children moving.

Physically active play can help children to become more confident, develop self control and support emotional health.

Reference: Dr. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith and Julia DeLapp. Moving With Feeling Nurturing Preschool Children’s Emotional Health Through Active Play. Brief developed by the Center for Early Childhood Education at Eastern Connecticut State University for Head Start Body Start. Retrieved from the web on 9/20/11 at http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/activityresources/upload/Moving-with-Feeling-brief-final.pdf

Get more info at www.YourTherapySource.com/feelings

Feelings Activities

Create 3 activities to help children learn about emotions and feelings.

Interesting New Treadmill

2011-09-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

Came across this new treadmill they are using in the Netherlands for adult rehabilitation. Images are projected onto the treadmill as obstacles or targets. This would be great in pediatrics. Check out this You Tube video.

Sensory Over Responsivity and Risk Factors

2011-09-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

A large study was recently conducted with 1159 twins on sensory over-responsivity. Data was collected via phone interviews to parents when the twins were 2 years old regarding emotional behaviors and sensory experiences (auditory and tactile). Medical records were reviewed again when the children were 7 years old. The results from the study indicated the following:

parental report of negative affect and fear was related to auditory and tactile sensory over-responsivity
prental complications predicted tactile over-responsivity but not auditory
auditory symptoms were more genetically influenced than tactile symptoms
auditory and tactile symptoms had a similar genetic relationship with fear
auditory symptoms shared more genetic covariance with negative affect than tactile symptoms

The researchers concluded that tactile and auditory symptoms may have non overlapping causes and risk factors.

Reference: Keuler, Megan M. BS*; Schmidt, Nicole L. MS*; Van Hulle, Carol A. PhD*; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn PhD†; Goldsmith, H. Hill PhD Sensory Overresponsivity: Prenatal Risk Factors and Temperamental Contributions. Journal of Developmental; Behavioral Pediatrics: September 2011 - Volume 32 - Issue 7 - pp 533-541 doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e3182245c05

The Scale of Sensory Strategies

The Scale of Sensory Strategies (S.O.S.S.) Tool Kit™ provides an evidence-based plan of care with sensory strategies that will optimize a child’s behavior in the school, home and community.

More information at http://yourtherapysource.com/soss.html

Color Versus Black and White Pictures

2011-09-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you who use social stories and visual schedules you may find this research interesting and helpful (save you some money on color ink). A recent study had 22, 4-6 year olds, create stories with either color or black and white pictures. The stories that the children created were then analyzed on word count, content and vocabulary. The results indicated that the stories told did not differ in word count, content and vocabulary. When asked which story the children preferred, an equal number of children preferred each story (color or black and white). When asked why the children preferred one version over another, only 4 children stated it was becasue of the color pictures. Therefore, the researchers concluded that color or black and white pictures did not influence typically developing children's abilities to create stories.

Not sure you can apply it to social stories or visual schedules but it would make an interesting study if someone did. Do you think it makes a difference if a social story or visual schedule is in color?

Reference: Phyillis Schneider, Jeane Rivarde and Buffy Debreuil Does colour affect the quality or quantity of children’s stories elicited by pictures? Child Language Teaching and Therapy October 2011 27: 371-378, first published on September 9, 2011 doi:10.1177/0265659011414278

Sensory Mini Books and Charts -

Electronic book to create 7 sensory mini books, 7 charts, 7 four square strips and over 100 picture word cards

Find out more at
www.yourtherapysource.com/minisensory.html

Motor Skill Interventions in Early Childhood

2011-09-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

A review of the research was conducted on the benefits of motor skill interventions on the development of fundamental motor skills. The results indicated that a significant positive effect was found on the development of fundamental motor skills following motor skill interventions of planned motor activities. Similar improvements were seen in object control and locomotor skills from pre to post intervention. They also found that the effect size of the control groups (for example free play) was not significant. The researchers recommend that early childhood centers should provide planned motor skill interventions to encourage the development of fundamental motor skills.

Reference: Logan, S. W., Robinson, L. E., Wilson, A. E. and Lucas, W. A. (2011), Getting the fundamentals of movement: a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of motor skill interventions in children. Child: Care, Health and Development. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01307.x.

Sensory Motor Group Activities from A to Z

Download of over 50 sensory motor group activities for every letter of the alphabet.

Find out more at www.YourTherapySource.com

Early Motor Experiences and Social Interaction

2011-09-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

A recent study was performed with 36, three month old infants. Half of the group received active motor experiences using sticky mittens that had Velcro on them. The infants used the sticky mittens to swipe at objects which would get stuck onto the mitten giving feedback to the infant as if they grasped an object. This was done 10 minutes each day for 2 weeks. The other half of the group received passive motor experiences where parents provided the stimulation but the infants still played with the mittens and similar toys. Finally, there were two control groups of non reaching 3 month old infants and 5 month old infants. By tracking infant eye moments following the training period the results indicated the following:

active group showed a preference for faces over objects whereas the passive group had no preference
the social preferences of the 3 month olds who received the sticky mitten training were simliar to the 5 month old social preferences in the control group
regardless of any group, the more the infants practiced reaching the stronger their preference for faces

The researchers concluded that early motor experiences is associated with the ability to orient towards faces. The group will be followed for one year to see if the social development gains are maintained.

Here are some thoughts I had about this study. What does this mean in terms of adapting the environment for young infants with disabilities? At times, therapist may choose not to adapt the environment for an infant to give them time to learn the skills first. When you read this small but interesting study one has to question is this the best choice? Should we, as therapists, be offering suggestions to adapt the environment for infants as early as possible to promote social and cognitive development? When you have an infant with an extensive medical history that is high risk for being diagnosed with a developmental disability at what age do you start to adapt the environment or provide adaptive equipment? Do you start as young as 3 months?

Another interesting point from this study is to perhaps try this velcro mitten with young infants who are at risk for developmental delay to encourage social development.

Want to read more on this topic? Read this previous post on walking and social interactions.

Reference: Early motor experiences give infants a social jump start. Retrieved from the web on 9/10/11 from http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-early-motor-infants-social.html

Adaptive Seating and CP

2011-09-10T04:23:00.000-07:00

A comprehensive review was completed on the use of adaptive seating for children with cerebral palsy from January 1990 to December 2010. Five reviews were discovered with all showing generally positive results but lacked significant evidence for "effectiveness for postural control and management, seated posture, upper extremity function, and overall clinical outcomes". The author concluded that improved strategies are needed to improve the quality of research on the use of adapted seating for children with cerebral palsy.

Reference: Ryan SE An overview of systematic reviews of adaptive seating interventions for children with cerebral palsy: where
do we go from here? Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2011 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Wrist Extension and Hand Function

2011-09-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

A recent studied examined the use of wrist monitors on 15 children with hemiplegia to study the hypothesis that wrist extension frequency is an indicator of functional hand use. Using video analysis and a wrist monitor that assessed wrist extension frequency, the subjects participated in the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA). The results indicated that the wrist monitor was reliable to measure frequency of wrist extension. In addition, wrist extension frequency was significantly correlated with the AHA scores.

Reference: Howcroft J, Fehlings D, Zabjek K, Fay L, Liang J, Biddiss E. Wearable wrist activity monitor as an indicator of functional hand use in children with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2011 Aug 30. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011.04078.x. [Epub ahead of print]

7 Technology Things to Try this School Year

2011-09-08T03:45:00.000-07:00

With the start of a new school year, why not try some new technology things this school year. Here is some suggestions of 7 things to try to accomplish this year:

1. Start a Wiki: A wiki is a website that people can add or edit information on different topics. Do you have a specific interest in pediatric therapy i.e. handwriting, vestibular system, gait training, etc? Start a wiki to begin to gather information.

2. Try starting a blog: Blogging is a great creative tool to share your opinion or activity ideas. You could gear it towards other therapists, parents or teachers. There are many platforms that will host your blog for free. You can check out our Google hosted blog at YourTherapySource.blogspot.com.

3. Join Twitter: More and more people are getting their information from Twitter. It is a great way to get a collection of links and suggestions from groups of people that you choose to follow. Read more about Twitter for Therapists or follow us @YTherapySource.

4. Try out Skype: If you have never used Skype it is super easy. This would be a simple and effective way to communicate with parents, "face to face", if they are unable to meet during the school day. If you travel to different schools, this would be a helpful way to demonstrate techniques to teachers or aides if you will not be there for a few days.

5. Get an iPhone, iTouch or iPad: Okay, I know this is not a freebie, but I can not say enough about the Apple devices. They offer so many great apps for therapists to improve documentation and provide novelty along with some training for students. You can read more about what you can do with our electronic books on an iPad here.

6. Create some YouTube videos: Do you find that you explain the same things over and over again to teachers or parents? Why not create a video that other professionals and parents can review after you explain different topics? You could create videos on pre-handwriting activities, postural tips, how modifications help and more.

7. Try walking a mile in someone else's shoes: Do you know a student who uses a communication device? Wouldn't it be interesting to spend a day only using a communication device to speak to others? If you get the iPhone I mentioned, there are some free apps and well as paid communication apps.

Anyone care to add to the list? Can anyone check off all 7 already?

Design Your Own Sensory World

2011-09-07T17:44:00.000-07:00

Stumbled across this website that is AMAZING! And free of course which makes it more amazing!!! You can design and decorate your own sensory house. There are sensory rooms, lounges, bedroom, kitchen, sensory garden and more. There is visual and auditory feedback so it makes it suitable for different learning abilities. All you have to do is point and click on the mouse which makes it easy to navigate. If you register, you can save your house for the next time you return. I created a fish sensory room for one of my little ones who loves anything related to fish. There is even music playing in the background. The bathroom also has lessons on hygiene. Definitely worth a look for children through adults! Check it out at SensoryWorld.org.

September 2011 Digital Magazine

2011-09-06T18:58:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More autism

If you can not view magazine go to www.YourTherapySource.com/magazine to download the pdf.

Survey Results Are in - Types of Caseloads

2011-09-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

The survey results are in from 226 therapists on caseloads. You can view the results here. Looks as if most of you work in Pre-K through 5th grade spread out among general ed, inclusion, self contained and multiply disabled.

Don't forget to answer our new survey on the economy and pediatric OT and PT.

Self Regulation in Young Children

2011-09-05T19:09:00.001-07:00

Here is an excellent article entitled Developing Young Children's Self Regulation Through Everyday Experiences. It is a 6 page articles with a thorough description of self regulation and how teachers can support the development of it in young children. You can read the article here.

Handwriting and Learning

2011-09-02T05:41:00.000-07:00

Pediatric occupational therapists spend a significant of time working on the handwriting skills of students. With all of the technology that is available today, more and more children are not getting the handwriting practice they once were (nor are adults for that matter). Now 44 states have adopted the Common Core Curriculum Standards which does not include cursive instruction. It is not just about learning to write words though. Here are some research studies that have shown a connection between how the brain learns and handwriting:

MRI studies have shown that handwriting can help to learn letters and shapes and improve writing composition and ideas
Functional MRI results showed that children had enhanced neural activity when handwriting letters rather than just viewing letters
When comparing writing by hand to typing on a keyboard, the subjects who wrote by hand had improved and longer lasting recognition of the proper orientation of characters
Children in 2nd, 4th and 6th grade had improved writing in terms of word count, speed and expression of ideas when hand writing versus using a keyboard
Test scores can be influenced by handwriting legibility

So the next time someone suggests that children do not need to practice handwriting due to the digital age, you can refer to some of the above research to justify why handwriting should continue to be taught.

To read more on this topic you can go to the Wall Street Journal article. Below is a video on the same topic.

References:
Lerner, E. When Cursive Cried Wolf. Retrieved from the web at http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/08/when-cursive-cried-wolf-1.html

Bounds, G. How Handwriting Trains the Brain. Retrieved from the web at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704631504575531932754922518.html

Autism, Motor Skills and Socialization

2011-09-01T04:55:00.000-07:00

If you ever need to justify why children with autism need occupational or physical therapy, don't forget to include the benefits that improvements in motor skill development has on socialization. Recent research looked at young children's scores on the Battelle Developmental Inventory–Second Edition for gross and fine motor skills. The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with Autism Traits, Part 1 was used to assess socialization. The results indicated that children with higher gross motor skill levels exhibited less social impairments.

Reference: Megan Sipes, Johnny L. Matson, Max Horovitz Autism spectrum disorders and motor skills: The effect on socialization as measured by the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits (BISCUIT) Developmental Neurorehabilitation Oct 2011, Vol. 14, No. 5: 290–296.

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