Let's Learn Something: Bouncers, Jumpers and Walkers

Let's Learn Something: Bouncers, Jumpers and Walkers

Let's Learn Something: Bouncers, Jumpers and Walkers

A tale of caution from Dr. Diane

My 10-month-old daughter Abby has some developmental delays.

She is a sweet and happy baby who loves to babble ("mamama"... be still my heart!), pick up small toys and explore them slowly, play peek-a-boo, pick up her tiny foods with two fingers, point, laugh, and clap.

Things she cannot do? Crawl with her belly off the floor. Pull up to stand, or really put much weight on her legs at all. Shift from sitting to crawling to sitting again. Cruise along the furniture while holding onto it. She has delays in what we call “gross motor development” – the development of the “big movements.”

I see patients all the time at our Willow Park office that have gross motor delays, so I know not to worry. Lots of things can contribute to this. Sometimes it's just genetics. Sometimes it’s the baby's weight-to-height ratio. I notice that leaner, smaller kids tend to develop these movements faster, and bigger, longer kids sometimes need more time to build the strength to try these things. As you can see from the pictures, Abby has not missed any meals. There are exceptions to every rule of course, but I think this plays a role.

The baby’s temperament can also lead to delays. Some kids want to go go go...and some are completely fine with sitting still and working with what is in a close vicinity. Abby certainly fits into this latter scenario. Of course there are numerous medical conditions that can cause motor delays. Always make sure, if your child has delays, to ask your pediatrician for a good neurological exam to check things like muscle tone. Unfortunately, I believe what has played a big role in Abby’s delay is the amount of time she has spent in her favorite jumpers.

Baby jumpers, bouncers, exersaucers, and activity centers (they’re all basically the same thing) are stationary devices that allow a child to “stand” and bounce prior to developing those skills naturally. Kids love them because they’re fun and stimulating – most have toys and games attached – and they get to see more of the room and things going on around them, along with getting a chance to bounce up and down easily. Parents love them, because, let’s face it – they’re a quick and safe option for a break.

Baby walkers are similar – except they are on wheels so babies can bounce/pull themselves around the house. I have never owned one of these because they come with safety risks – children can fall down stairs, tip over, touch a hot stove, get pushed by siblings, pinch fingers, and slam into walls in these devices, and as fun as they seem, they’re not a good idea.

Around 4-5 months we started putting Abby in a jumper and she was thrilled! Finally she could be propped up and see everyone! She could control her body enough to bounce, and loved it. We were happy too, because we were constantly chasing her 2-year-old brother around, and it was nice to have a safe place to plop her down while that happened. Admittedly, it became a habit. When we’d read books, Abby would be propped up to be able to see the pictures. When we’d sing songs and play music with her big brother…Abby would get to howl and jump along in the bouncer. When we had to deal with the 2-year-old tantrums (and boy are those frequent)…in she went. Emptying groceries? Bouncer. Going to bathroom? Bouncer. Cooking dinner? Boom. Folding laundry? Ker-splat. She was probably in them a total of an hour to an hour and a half a day. Looking back, she was in the bouncer way too much. Learn from my mistake, friends. Yes, pediatricians make mistakes.

Other doctors may think these things are harmless, but I respectfully disagree. Especially since I suspect my own child has likely been affected. Physical therapists have been warning parents for years about the problems with bouncers. And the more I’ve researched it, the more I’ve realized that too much time in these things can be detrimental to a child’s development.

I spoke with Gail Abaray, a pediatric physical therapist in Weatherford, who told me, "Bouncers don't allow infants to explore and move. They are limited in what they can do, and are stationary. And that pull to explore is so important. When they cruise the furniture, they learn about lateral movement, and how to turn their legs and feet. In a stationary bouncer, all of that coordination can't happen."

Look at the picture of Abby in her favorite bouncer. See how she’s on her tiptoes? This is typical and leads to the majority of the strength being recruited from her calves and thighs. What is not getting a workout is her hip, gluteal, pelvic and core muscles – and these are the ones that help children crawl and eventually walk.

Their hips are spread unnaturally wide by a piece of stiff fabric. They often lock their knees, especially the younger babies.

Babies cannot see their feet or the ground in these devices either – and thus cannot coordinate their body well in them.

Their upper bodies are also thrust forward – taking all the pressure/weight off their gluteal and hip muscles. The very muscles they need to strengthen.

The same things happen in walkers – babies are pulling themselves along while most of their weight is supported, and this works out and coordinates all the wrong muscles. They also can’t see the ground or their feet. “Walkers” are a true oxymoron here – they lead to delays in walking naturally.

So what do I recommend to parents now? Well…go buy a bouncer! They’re great! But – use them in moderation. Don’t put one in every room, like I did – it’ll only lead you to use them more. Use it only for very short periods of time – maybe 15 minutes here and there, once or twice a day – 20 or 30 minutes a day, max! Physical therapist Gail agrees: "I always tell parents not to feel guilty for using them. I did! But moderation is key!"

And avoid walkers in general. I am not convinced they’re safe or worth the money.

Don't feel guilty if you've put your baby in a bouncer - we all need breaks. And it's hard to deny they're so happy in them! But remember the big picture - kids need to learn to explore their environment on their own. It's vital to their development!

As for miss Abby-pants? Well, we got rid of all the bouncers and for the past month have set strict tummy time rules – she must work for toys on the floor for nearly the entire day, and must practice standing several times a day. She yells at me about it all day, but boy has this tough love helped. She has already shown vast improvements. She is now able to stand supporting herself on a piece of furniture, can quickly army crawl (using her arms mostly), and is starting to lift that big belly off the floor! We are also enlisting the help of a local pediatric physical therapist to help with some exercises and strategies. Slowly but surely, she’ll get there!

Hugs,

Dr. Dian

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TEXAN DENTISTS ARE USING ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES TO TREAT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

TEXAN DENTISTS ARE USING ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES TO TREAT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

When a family receives an autism diagnosis, there are a lot of big decisions to make: choosing the right therapy, finding a supportive school and doing everything you can to create a safe home environment. And then there are the challenges that don’t come to mind right away, such as how to take a specific-needs child to the dentist.

Adela Herrera has been taking her son to the dentist since he was a toddler. “My sister’s actually a dental assistant, so that was convenient for us,” Herrera says. “But it was still kind of hard because early on we had to take him to the hospital, so those experiences kind of brought fear every time he saw someone in scrubs.”

“Yes, it was scary when I got there for the first time,” says 15-year-old Jonathan Herrera.

Adela Herrera says when you have a child with autism, getting them to the dentist can rank low on your list of priorities. Herrera says that children with autism often don’t go until they are in their teens and complaining of tooth pain.

“Say your kid doesn’t go to the dentist for a year or two years, they have a lot of cavities and some of them end up needing caps and a lot of work so, it’s not like they just go for a cleaning and something very minor,” Herrera says. “By that time, they need more work, so with all that they have all the drills and the water and all that, and with their sensory issues it’s hard, it’s very hard.”

 It took a few visits for Jonathan to sit down in the dentist’s chair without being strapped down.

“I already understand the doctors will not hurt you, I know it’s gonna be fine, and just, it’ll be calm and peaceful,” Jonathan says. “Cause they won’t hurt you, that’s what my mom and dad told me,”

Dr. Amy Luedman-Lazar chose to open her practice in Katy, Texas, a city whereone in 70 kids has autism. Many Texas families dealing with autism have moved to Katy because of the city’s special education resources.

While “Dr. Amy” treats all types of children, she’s well known for her gentleness with specific-needs patients.

“We know they do understand and they’re just as smart as their peers, they just don’t have a way to communicate with us,” Luedman-Lazar says. “So I’ll talk to them and say ‘Ok, this is what we’re gonna do today.'”

“We don’t restrain them, we’re not gonna hold them down, we’re not gonna use any shots, we’re just gonna look at your teeth and clean them. You know if there’s anything you don’t like along the way you can make a little noise and raise your hand and let us know.”

Luedman-Lazar has modified most of the standard dental office procedures. For instance, she hasn’t given a shot since she opened her practice, instead she uses a laser.

“When you use it on the tooth, it polarizes, we think, just the tooth nerve,” Luedman-Lazar says. “So that’s the same thing you’re doing when you give a shot, but you get the tissue and everything numbs the tongue.”

Luedman-Lazar also starts every visit at a tooth brushing station, where she coaches her patients on how to clean their teeth. She says a combination of patience and a well-stocked prize drawer is usually all it takes for her small patients to sit down and open their mouths.

Autism & Disney - When your 2 year old falls in LOVE w/Snow White

This is my 2 year old - Jack Jack. He was having nothing to do with any of the characters on our Disney vacation in November. You see, he has autism and is non-verbal. He is on the shy side with people he does not know. THEN... he met Snow White. I must have cried 1000 tears watching his interaction with her. He was in love.

ETA- I have had a ton of friend requests on my personal page (over 1000 of them...haha) so I have created a page for Jack Jack and his brothers adventures if you'd like to follow along. smile emoticonhttps://www.facebook.com/adventuresindisneyandautism/?hc_location=ufi

Brazilian Doctor Crafts System Hailed As 'Way Forward' For Combating Zika

Brazilian Doctor Crafts System Hailed As 'Way Forward' For Combating Zika

In Brazil, one of the biggest challenges to dealing with the Zika crisis is logistics.

The South American country has bad infrastructure, unequal access to health care — and it's huge. It's difficult for a mom with a microcephalic baby who lives in the countryside, hours away from specialists, to get the help she needs.

But one doctor has developed a system that could revolutionize medicine in Brazil — and has already helped tens of thousands of babies.

Dr. Sandra Mattos, a pediatric cardiologist, checks in with her tiny patients from her laptop. Her screen is split, showing various hospital rooms around Brazil's northern Paraiba state. Mattos is practicing telemedicine, which allows doctors like her to diagnose and treat patients at a distance. The rational is pretty straightforward — it gives people in remote communities access to specialist care.

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"Training a specialist takes a very long time, it's too much effort, too much time," Mattos says. "Using telemedicine, you can concentrate the expertise in some areas and spread it to much bigger areas, and more people will benefit from it."

Telemedicine is not new. But what's different here is the scale and scope of what Mattos has created. It all started a few years ago. The state of Paraiba was having a lot of problems getting infants born with congenital heart defects the care they needed. Mattos had worked with telemedicine before outside Brazil, and had been thinking long and hard for decades about how to deal with the problems of the health care system here.

So she set up what she calls the Heart Network. There are 22 regional hospitals and more than 100 doctors involved — around the clock care. The linchpin to all this are what she calls the echo taxis: basically, cars that deliver specialized equipment to facilities in remote rural communities.

"They run around every week, three echo taxis go to three villages in the countryside, the medical equipment stays in that maternity for that whole week, during which we run pediatric cardiology clinics. And all of them are supervised via telemedicine," Mattos says.

The local staff is trained to operate the equipment while specialist doctors are on hand to look over the data. That way, they can check which babies need to be seen in person and which ones don't.

"It's a way of running clinics and not having to overload the big centers, which are really very, very few and far apart from each other," she says. "We try to bring to the large centers the patients that really need care."

In the few years the system has been in place, they've looked at the hearts of 127,000 infants in the state. This would be successful by any measure.

But, then, Zika happened. The minister of health was all of a sudden having to deal with a surge in cases of microcephaly. The government was looking for a way to treat and properly diagnose the infants with suspected brain damage. Mattos's program was easily adaptable.

"As we had the network and access in those remote areas, we just said should we not use the model of the network and try both managing and diagnosing these children," she recalls.

The echo taxis were sent out with equipment that would look at babies' brains instead of their hearts. On the other end of the computer, there were now neurosurgeons instead of heart surgeons. And that huge database of information on babies born in the state proved pivotal in trying to figure out what was going on regarding Zika-related birth defects in Paraiba.

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"I think, perhaps, that is what is so unique about our situation here in Paraiba and in Brazil. We don't have very large databases in Brazil as a whole, its not very common, especially rural communities — we don't get data from them," she says.

Ultimately, it has allowed the state to far more efficiently deal with the Zika crisis, says Erin Staples who lead the Centers for Disease Control study in Paraiba.

"I think it's a way forward," she says. "We saw children in places where it took our teams, you know, over a day to get to. And just imagining, if they had to come to here, they might not have the means or the time. So having a system set up to help spread the knowledge and expertise is important."

And, she says, it shouldn't only be adopted in other parts of Brazil.

"I think it's a good model for Brazil, I think it's a good model for even rural places in the United States, [where] there isn't always the right care."

Dr. Mattos says its an example of local solutions being applied to local problems.

"So rather than coming in with a globalized solution," she says, "we lead people by empowering them here. "

Why is pediatric therapy so important?

Why is pediatric therapy so important?

Pediatric therapy improves the lives of disabled and disadvantaged children, strengthens our society, demonstrates fiscal responsibility, and ultimately, promotes the well-being of our families and communities.

There are a number of different ways children can receive speech, occupational and physical therapy: through in-patient and out-patient hospital clinics, in private clinics, and in the home environment. Each treatment setting has advantages that can enhance the therapy experience.

 

PHYSICAL THERAPY

What does it mean for children?

Pediatric Physical Therapists (PT’s) and Physical Therapy Assistants (PTA’s)  assist children birth to age 21 with mild to severe deficits in gross motor skills. Therapists use a variety of techniques to work on movements such as rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking and running.

Pediatric patients need physical therapy for one or more of the following underlying problems:

·         Birth defects

·         Premature births

·         Disease Processes

·         Musculoskeletal anomalies of the leg or joint

·         Postural abnormalities such as torticollis

·         Syndromes, such as Down’s Syndrome

·         Autism Spectrum Disorder

·         Sensory Integration Disorders

·         Brain or spinal cord injuries

·         Traumatic accidents

·         General failure to thrive or developmental delays

 

SPEECH THERAPY

What does it mean for children?

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Speech-Language Pathologist Assistants (SLPAs) work to remediate communication disorders that interfere with or impede effective communication.

Speech therapy is recommended if a child’s form of communication draws attention to itself, adversely affects the child, creates avoidance behaviors, or limits interaction and participation with family and caregivers.

A speech therapist’s goal is to increase a child’s communication skills to an age-appropriate or functional ability level.

SLPs and SLPAs provide remediation for a variety of childhood conditions including:

·         Articulation Delays (speech sound substitution, omission, or distortion errors following a delayed developmental sequence)

·         Articulation and Phonology Disorders (speech production is limited by abnormal acquisition of sound patterns or by motor issues)

·         Language Delays (language acquisition follows a developmental sequence, but is delayed when compared to age group peers)

·         Language Disorders (abnormal acquisition of comprehension, expressive and/or pragmatic language skills)

·         Cognitive-Communication Disorders (communication deficits associated with acquired or congenital cognitive impairment)

·         Stuttering (abnormal rate of speaking, repetitions, prolongations or blocks)

·         Voice Disorders(abnormal vocal pitch, loudness, quality or nasality)

·         Communication Deficits associated with conditions such as Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or Hearing Impairment.

·         Swallowing or Feeding Problems in infants and children.

·         Feeding and swallowing therapy for children with severe birth defects or premature births is often conducted by an SLP in conjunction with physical and occupational therapists to focus on interventions that may include; increasing tongue movement, improving sucking ability and coordinating the suck-swallow-breath pattern for infants.Careful evaluation and re-evaluation with the child and caregiver is critical to test that there is increasing acceptance of different foods and liquids and altering food textures and liquid thickness to ensure safe swallowing.

 

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

What does it mean for children?

Pediatric Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) work with children to improve their quality of life, increase their ability to function independently, and empower them to participate more actively in their environment.

·         A child with delayed development may have difficulty with foundational motor and sensory skills needed in order to be successful in positioning, fine motor skills, play and leisure skills, self-care and self-feeding.

·         A child may struggle with cognitive, social and behavioral skills needed to understand relationships between people, objects, time, and space; and with developing problem-solving and coping strategies.

·         Therapists devise creative strategies for strengthening a child’s sensory and motor skills. They devise creative ways to modify a child’s environment to be more accessible for the child.

·         In working with developmentally delayed children, the therapist will:

·         Evaluate the child’s level of performance in critical developmental areas

·         Observe the child’s home and determine how it may be modified to promote better development

·         Develop a plan of treatment in coordination with other health care professionals treating the child

·         Develop age-appropriate self-care routines and habits, play skills, and social/behavioral skills

·         Recommend adaptive equipment to facilitate the development of age-appropriate abilities.

PROTECTING TEXAS KIDS

Trial Date Set

The state will once again try to implement across the board rate cuts of up to 26 percent to the Medicaid pediatric therapy program in a trial set to begin April 26 in Austin.

Families and care providers for medically fragile children had successfully halted the state from implementing the cuts when a judge granted a temporary injunction last fall, ordering the state to “…refrain from taking any action or implement any change in reimbursement rates for physical, occupational, and speech therapy services from the date of the order until the date of a trial on January 18, 2016.”

The trial was postponed at the request of the state and the plaintiffs’ attempts to settle the case were not successful.

The state instead opted for a trial in a renewed effort to enforce the cuts.

While the temporary injunction has brought nine months of relief for patients, families, and therapy providers, the threat of massive rate cuts looms close once again as the trial date approaches.

 

Kids drew us their favorite things in the world, and their pictures are fantastic.

Kids drew us their favorite things in the world, and their pictures are fantastic.

Kids drew us their favorite things in the world, and their pictures are fantastic.

·         APRIL 01, 2016

Butterflies, family, and painting on canvas: These are a few of their favorite things.

What's your favorite thing in the world? Quick, say it out loud.

Now think back — would you have given the same answer when you were a teenager? A little kid? Probably not, right?

Let's be real: The grown-up world can be pretty complicated. In the rush and stress of life, it can be hard to remember what matters most and what always makes us happy. It was easier to figure that stuff out when we were kids.

This magical button delivers Upworthy stories to you on Facebook:

That's why we asked our Upworthy fans on Facebook to give their kids a little homework last week: to draw their favorite thing in the world.

We were thrilled with the responses. So much so that we're sharing them right here, right now:

1. Angela, age 7, loves her cat Sassy Pants.

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2. 8-year-old Brooke loves art in all its forms.

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3. Carly, age 8, adores her family, including their two adorable dogs.

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4. 6-year-old Claire couldn't pick one favorite animal from these three — and neither could we!

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5. Connor, age 4, knows that home is where his heart is.

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6. Damien's mom tells us that this 3-year-old loves Metallica — especially their band logo.

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7. 4-year-old Ella loves her best friend Rexy. So do we.

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8. 5-year-old Eliza loves her family more than anything.

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9. 8-year-old Ethan is very particular about his favorite ice cream. Wouldn't you be?

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10. Gabriel, age 6, says his mom is his favorite thing in the world.

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11. 5-year-old Hawthorne picked the original Fab Four, The Beatles, as her favorite thing.

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12. Isabella is 6 years old and loves painting more than anything else.

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13. 14-year-old Jasmine's favorite thing is her "artistic talent."

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Jasmine's mom tells us that her daughter hopes to become a tattoo artist one day, so save some skin space, fans!

14. Jasper is 5 and says his mom is his favorite of all.

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15. 6-year-old Jessica picks butterflies as her favorite thing in the world.

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The little "I love you Daddy" in the top right corner of the illustration is giving us ALL THE FEELS.

16. 7-year-old Kyle thinks his mom and dad are hearts and stars above the rest.

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17. Laiba is 11 and loves drawing "Hunger Games" hero Katniss Everdeen most of all.

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18. Marley is 10 and says gymnastics make her jump for joy.

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19. 5-year-old Melody's tribute to her favorite thing is making us hungry.

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20. 3-year-old Pearl is very particular about her favorite things: a glass of Coke with a straw and a bowl of popcorn.

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21. 8-year-old Quinn picks football as his favorite.

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Don't get competitive Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers fans! Quinn has you both with the same score.

22. 5-year-old RJ says Lego is the best of all.

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23. Ryker is 6 and loves holidays — like Easter — more than anything else.

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24. 11-year-old Sara says both of her pets are #1.

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From left to right: Bobo and Dobby.

25. Sara is 7 and a proud member of the ice cream-loving crew.

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26. 8-year-old Simone couldn't "B" more excited about her three favorites: bees, butterflies, and bedtime.

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27. 5-year-old Stella is on a first-name basis with her favorite person: her mom.

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28. Tevye is 8 and loves art more than anything else in the world.

 

 

Maybe Early Humans Weren't The First To Get A Good Grip

Maybe Early Humans Weren't The First To Get A Good Grip

The special tool-wielding power of human hands may go back farther in evolutionary history than scientists have thought.

That's according to a new study of hand bones from an early relative of humans calledAustralopithecus africanus. Researchers used a powerful X-ray technique to scan the interior of the bones, and they detected a telltale structure that's associated with a forceful precision grip.

"It's clear evidence that these australopiths were using their hands and using grips that are very consistent with what modern humans did and what our recent relatives like Neanderthals did," says Matthew Skinner, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Kent, in the United Kingdom. He was part of the team that published the new work online Thursday in Science.

The human hand is capable of fine manipulation that is way beyond the capabilities of our closest living relatives, the great apes. A chimpanzee, for example, would find it impossible to hold a pencil in the way that people do. That's because the human hand has short fingers and a relatively long thumb, letting us easily press our thumb against the pads of our fingers.

And while chimpanzees do use tools — they might use a twig to fish termites out of a mound, for example — the use of stone tools has long been seen as a uniquely human activity. The earliest known members of the human group were named Homo habilis, or "handy man." These early humans were thought to be the first stone toolmakers; their hand bones had external features similar to those seen in modern humans.

Scientists have clear evidence of stone tool use as early as 2.4 million years ago. Recently, though, researchers made the controversial claim that they'd found animal bones from about 3.4 million years ago that seemed to have cut marks made by stone tools. That find was associated with an ancient relative of humans calledAustralopithecus afarensis; the discovery suggested that the precursors to humans also might have been handy.

Now, this new study of hand bones adds another bit of evidence. Skinner and his colleagues knew that bone is a living tissue that responds to the forces and stresses exerted on it. And they found that humans, but not chimpanzees, have a distinctive structural pattern inside the hand bones; it seems to be created when you, for example, forcefully oppose your thumb with your fingers.

What's more, the humanlike pattern was found inside the hand bones of Australopithecus africanus, suggesting that this type of grip may have been commonly used as early as 3 million years ago.

"We were very excited," says Skinner. "There are aspects of our anatomy which are very interesting and very unique and define us of a species. And what we have shown here is that some of the aspects of the hand which are so unique to modern humans have a much deeper evolutionary history than we thought previously."

He says it's not clear whether this species was actually using stone tools, or doing something else with their hands. But he thinks the new finding will probably prompt researchers to start looking for more evidence of stone tool use by these more remote ancestors to humans. "Because there's been a general feeling that one didn't even need to look for them, because they just didn't use them," Skinner says.

Brian Richmond, a paleoanthropologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, agrees that the big question is what these folks were doing with their hands to create this internal bone pattern. "It's not direct evidence of tool use," he says. "It's direct evidence of handling objects in a fairly humanlike way."

He says Australopithecus walked upright and had more or less the same hand proportions as modern humans, so it makes sense that they would be capable of using their hands to manipulate lots of things.

"But this suggests that they were actually doing it, not just that they could. There's evidence of behavior," he says. "It gives us a really high-resolution glimpse into the kinds of joint stresses that were happening in the hands, some 2 to 3 million years ago.

25 Sensory Activities for Kids

25 Sensory Activities for Kids

Sensory activities are almost always a no fail activity. It opens the door for free play. It lets the kids explore a material. And its just fun!

Sensory activities tend to end in a mess at our house. But if you’re not a mess fan, take preventative measures with our 10 tips for keeping messy play clean.

Sometimes, I have a hard time differentiating a sensory activity from any other activity, because really, everything the kids do has to do with their senses, right? Touch especially.

I’m challenging myself in the next few weeks to get the kids to explore with senses other than touch. I’m going to find more activities that intentionally get them to use their sense of sound, taste, sight and smell. I’m kind of excited to really stretch ourselves out of our normal element!

Most of these sensory activities listed are to do with the sense of touch. However, a couple break out of that too. Can you find the ones that explore the other senses?

Enjoy our 25 sensory activities for kids!

 

I’ve broken our list up into two sections. The first is the majority of our sensory activities and they’re more of a ‘sensory tub’, even though they’re not necessarily always in a tub. They’re set out as an activity to explore a material or some sort.

The second section is the accidental sensory exploration through the creation of something else. I love these the most because there seems to be a purpose for the exploration even though the sensory part is an activity in itself.

Sensory Tubs for Kids:

Sensory Exploration while Creating:

Be prepared for sensory fun with these affiliate products:

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DALLAS CHILDREN'S THEATER

INTRODUCING DCT'S NEW ACTING ACADEMY CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN WITH SENSORY PROCESSING CHALLENGES...
Enroll your child now for our new Spring and Summer classes designed for children with autism, Asperger syndrome, Down syndrome and other sensory processing disorders and special needs.

For Students Ages 10 and up
Thursdays $85
Contact Gina for more information
214-978-0110 ext 138 or gina.waits@dct.org
Scholarships available. Call for details.

For Students Ages 8-12

June 20 -24
Monday - Friday

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

$150

For Students Ages 10-16
Julu 5 - 8 (4 days)
Tuesday 1:00p.m. 4:00p.m.

$125
Contact Gina for more information

214-978-0110 ext 138 or gina.waits@dct.org

Scholarships available. Call for details.

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Resilience

Watch the Overview Video

Reducing the effects of significant adversity on children’s healthy development is essential to the progress and prosperity of any society. Science tells us that some children develop resilience, or the ability to overcome serious hardship, while others do not. Understanding why some children do well despite adverse early experiences is crucial, because it can inform more effective policies and programs that help more children reach their full potential.

One way to understand the development of resilience is to visualize a balance scale or seesaw. Protective experiences and coping skills on one side counterbalance significant adversity on the other. Resilience is evident when a child’s health and development tips toward positive outcomes — even when a heavy load of factors is stacked on the negative outcome side.

 

Over time, the cumulative impact of positive life experiences and coping skills can shift the fulcrum’s position, making it easier to achieve positive outcomes.

The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. These relationships provide the personalized responsiveness, scaffolding, and protection that buffer children from developmental disruption. They also build key capacities—such as the ability to plan, monitor, and regulate behavior—that enable children to respond adaptively to adversity and thrive. This combination of supportive relationships, adaptive skill-building, and positive experiences is the foundation of resilience.

Children who do well in the face of serious hardship typically have a biological resistance to adversity and strong relationships with the important adults in their family and community.Resilience is the result of a combination of protective factors. Neither individual characteristics nor social environments alone are likely to ensure positive outcomes for children who experience prolonged periods of toxic stress. It is the interaction between biology and environment that builds a child’s ability to cope with adversity and overcome threats to healthy development.

Research has identified a common set of factors that predispose children to positive outcomes in the face of significant adversity. Individuals who demonstrate resilience in response to one form of adversity may not necessarily do so in response to another. Yet when these positive influences are operating effectively, they “stack the scale” with positive weight and optimize resilience across multiple contexts. These counterbalancing factors include

  1. facilitating supportive adult-child relationships;
  2. building a sense of self-efficacy and perceived control;
  3. providing opportunities to strengthen adaptive skills and self-regulatory capacities; and
  4. mobilizing sources of faith, hope, and cultural traditions.

Learning to cope with manageable threats is critical for the development of resilience. Not all stress is harmful. There are numerous opportunities in every child’s life to experience manageable stress—and with the help of supportive adults, this “positive stress” can be growth-promoting. Over time, we become better able to cope with life’s obstacles and hardships, both physically and mentally.

The capabilities that underlie resilience can be strengthened at any age. The brain and other biological systems are most adaptable early in life. Yet while their development lays the foundation for a wide range of resilient behaviors, it is never too late to build resilience. Age-appropriate, health-promoting activities can significantly improve the odds that an individual will recover from stress-inducing experiences. For example, regular physical exercise, stress-reduction practices, and programs that actively build executive function and self-regulation skills can improve the abilities of children and adults to cope with, adapt to, and even prevent adversity in their lives. Adults who strengthen these skills in themselves can better model healthy behaviors for their children, thereby improving the resilience of the next generation.

Ballerina Teaches The Kids a New Dance Moves. Now Keep Your Eye on The Girl In Red…

Natalia Armoza dreamed of giving her daughter Pearl, who was born with cerebral palsy, a normal life and was tired of seeing her daughter miss out on amazing opportunities. One day, she decided to take a chance and emailed the New York City Ballet, one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world, about creating a dance program for children with special needs.
In no time, the company responded by creating four workshops with the help of cerebral palsy specialist Joseph Dutkowsky, MD and two of their principal dancers, Adrian Danchig-Waring and Maria Kowroski.
The end result is truly touching. Seeing the children smiling and dancing around is nothing short of sheer joy…for everyone.

Source: http://damnbored.tv/ballerina-teaches-kids-dance-moves-special-needs/

Primitive Reflexes: A Child in Constant Fight or Flight Mode   This post for primitive reflexes  contains affiliate links for your convenience. You have an important presentation at work in a few minutes and you have to stand bef

Primitive Reflexes: A Child in Constant Fight or Flight Mode

 

This post for primitive reflexes contains affiliate links for your convenience.

You have an important presentation at work in a few minutes and you have to stand before the entire board and give the analysis for the past quarter. Your heart starts beating loud, you breathe rapidly and you feel tense. There is a queasy feeling in your stomach and you start to sweat. These are all physical symptoms of the fight or flight response. The fight or flight response within each of us was designed to help us deal with feeling fear in our lives. Nowadays, it is more likely triggered by more complex worries such as job interviews, an exam or social situations. This response is normal and needed for both adults and children. The grief and concern for parents comes when their child is constantly in this anxious mode. The problem isn’t the fight or flight system. The problem is when this system activates when no apparent danger is present.

At our learning center, we often hear parents say, “My child’s emotions are never grounded.” Frequently this is accompanied with, “It seems like he is always on edge” or “She is in a heightened state of awareness all the time.” These statements may be a clue into your child’s response to stimuli, and may be an indicator of the child retaining a primitive reflex call the Moro Reflex. In previous articles, we discuss in depth what theseprimitive reflexes are, but in short, they are what controls a baby’s movement in the first year of life. These important primitive reflexes are critical for the infant’s growth and development of motor, sensory and brain skills. For more information on primitive reflexes, click here.

Overview of Primitive Reflexes

Before we discuss more about the fight or flight response, it’s good to have a brief overview of these primitive reflexes and why each is present when a child is born, and more importantly, why a child may struggle in school if they do not disappear after the first few years of life. More information on how to test for these reflexes and exercises to help your child are below.

Each primitive reflex provides essential responses to the world and why children with normal development naturally move into adult reflexes or replacement reflexes. The following is a list of the primitive reflexes seen in infants and the time frame associated with each one:

  • Moro Reflex: This reflex acts as the baby’s “fight or flight” response to the world. This important reflex usually integrates into the adult startle response by four months. (More about the Moro Reflex further in the article)
  • Rooting Reflex: Stroking a baby’s cheek will cause the child to turn and open the mouth. This helps with breastfeeding. Usually disappears by four months.
  • Palmer Reflex: This is the automatic flexing of the fingers to grab an object if palm is stimulated. This reflex should integrate by six months.
  • Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR): The ATNR is seen when you lay a baby on its back and turn their head. The arm and leg on the side the child is looking at should extend while the opposite side bends. This response should end by six months.
  • Spinal Galant: This reflex happens when the skin on the side of an infant’s back is stroked. The child should swing towards that side. The spinal galant should inhibit by nine months. Check out this article that relates to Spinal Galant.
  • Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR): The TLR helps with head management and prepares the baby for rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing and walking. This reflex actually integrates slowly while other core systems mature and should disappear by three and a half years old.
  • Landau Reflex: Helps with posture and is not present at birth. When the child’s head lifts it causes the entire trunk to flex. This reflex emerges by three months and disappears around the first year.
  • Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR): STNR or the crawling reflex divides the body along the midline to assist with crawling. You can view this reflex by watching the baby’s head drop towards its chest while the arms bend and the legs extend. Interestingly, the STNR appears briefly after birth and the reappears between six to nine months. It should dissolve by 11 months.

Now why is this important and how does it have to do with my child’s fight or flight response in the classroom or with their friends and peers? Here’s the link and what you may notice in your child.

How Is the Moro and Fight or Flight Response Linked?

As you can see, there are several reflexes that the child begins with at birth. Isn’t it astonishing how primitive reflexes adjust over time to help a small little body work? What happens when one of these primitive reflexes do not disappear or integrate? Well, let’s take the Moro Reflex for example. We find that if a child or adult still has the Moro present, there may be some distinct behavioral or learning obstacles to combat. As a well-known guru on primitive reflexes, Sally Goddard, explains in her book, The Well Balanced Child, that if the Moro Reflex does not inhibit, the child has exaggerated reactions to sounds, hot and cold, touch, and visual and hearing input. She is clear that the Moro Reflex is not the same as the startle reflex in adults. The Moro is much more heightened than the adult startle reflex, which is why a child may continue to have sensitivities in school or at home even when they grow older. The Moro reflex never left their body. One of the core symptoms we see in a child that displays the Moro reflex past the normal integration time is the constant fight or flight mode.

When kids are in the fight or flight mode, they are reacting and responding on instinct and survival. It is not only scary for the child during these moments, but for parents and other caregivers it can be frightening. The unknown of how to respond can be devastating to the adult if they don’t know how to help their child. In order to understand how to react with understanding, we must be aware of where this fight or flight originates in our child. This constant heightened state or anxiety might be a manifestation of a poorly integrated Moro Reflex.

If your child has retained the Moro reflex, you may see some of the following symptoms:

  • Frequently in the “fight or flight” mode; always on edge; heightened state of awareness
  • Anxiety
  • Exaggerated startle reaction
  • Motion sickness
  • Hyperactivity
  • Poor impulse control
  • Poor coordination (particularly in sports), which leads to sequencing and memory issues
  • Easily distracted
  • Significant mood swings
  • Poor eye movement leading to processing problems
  • Difficulty ignoring background noise

As parents and other individuals watch and spend time with a child that is frequently in a heightened state or on edge, it can be stressful, exhausting and concerning. You want to help your child calm down, but many times the young person doesn’t allow help or has so many barriers you are not sure what approach to take.

Here are some suggestions that may benefit the situation when the fight or flight mode has taken over:

  • Encourage deep breathing. This is important even if you are the only one taking some deep breaths. This works two-fold. One, the child is likely to pick up on the breathing and join in, and two, this will help you remain calm in the stressful moments.
  • Try not to rationalize or bargain with the child.
  • Find a calm, peaceful place that your child likes to go in the house. When they experience anxiety and panic, remind them or direct them to go to that place.
  • If the child has found a calm retreat, allow them time to be alone.

How to test for the Moro Reflex and Fight or Flight

There are three ways to test your child for the Moro reflex to see if it is still present in your child. It is how we determine if it could be the cause of your child’s balance and coordination issues, fight or flight mode, fidgeting and behavior problems.

Test 1

Have your child lift their arms out straight on the right and left sides of the body. Then have your child balance on one foot and then switch to balancing on the opposite foot. If your child wobbles or falls over it could be a sign they have retained the Moro reflex.

Test 2

Help your child cross one foot over the other and lift their arms above their head. Then have your child take their arms and touch their toes. When they have completed the first exercise, help them repeat the same exercise by switching legs. If your child displays poor balance and falls over, it could be a sign your child has retained the Moro reflex.

Test 3

Stand behind your child, have them close their eyes and stand up straight with their hands touching their chest (elbows bent). Tell your child to fall backward into your arms (catch them under the armpits). When your child falls backward, if they flail their arms outward instead of keeping them toward their chest, this is a sign they still have the Moro reflex present. While their eyes are closed you can also snap your fingers close to their ears. If the noise startles them and they flail their arms outward, this is another sign of a retained reflex.

Exercises to prevent fight or flight responses

If you have tested your child or student for the Moro reflex and are sure they have retained it, then your child will most likely continue to show signs of fight or flight in the classroom. We need to help your child with specific exercises that will “remove” the reflex that should have disappeared when they were a baby so your child’s body can calm down and no longer feel that anxiety.

In order to help you with these exercises, we have created a new membership site that contains videos, instructions and pictures that directs you through the process. We know you have been asking us for a membership to all our videos and now we finally have one for you. The membership includes full access to our videos, instructions, pictures and intervention we do with our students. Each month we post new videos, content and information to not only help your child or student with these reflexes, but also hand-eye coordination, sensory-motor activities, midline crossing exercises, fine motor tools, toys for learning and equipment used for Executive Functioning, vestibular, and proprioception.

Jan 22, 2016 What Educators and Parents Should Know About Neuroplasticity, Learning and Dance

By: Judith Hanna, PhD
— The Dance for Athletes class at Glen Burnie High School performs a swing piece
Dance. Is it merely art?  Is it just recreation?  Think again.

Dance is now being studied as a pathway to enhance learning.  And, scientists say, educators and parents should take note of the movement.

Recently at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, more than 6,800 attendees paid rapt attention to renowned choreographer Mark Morris as he answered questions about the relationship between creativity and dance.

Scientists are turning to dance because it is a multifaceted activity that can help them—and ultimately educators and even parents– demystify how the brain coordinates the body to perform complex, precise movements that express emotion and convey meaning. Dancers possess an extraordinary skill set—coordination of limbs, posture, balance, gesture, facial expression, perception, and action in sequences that create meaning in time and space. Dancers deal with the relationship between experience and observation.

The brain hides from our sight the wondrously complex operations that underlie this feat. Although there are many secrets to unravel about the power of the brain and dance, advances in technology– such as brain scanning techniques and the experiments of dancers, dance makers, and dance viewers– reveal to us the unexpected.  Research shows that dance activity registers in regions of the brain responsible for cognition.

More than 400 studies related to interdisciplinary neuroscience reveal the hidden value of dance.  For instance, we acquire knowledge and develop cognitively because dance bulks up the brain. Consequently, the brain that “dances” is changed by it. As neuroscientist Antonio Damasio points out, “Learning and creating memory are simply the process of chiseling, modeling, shaping, doing, and redoing our individual brain wiring diagrams.”

Dance is a language of physical exercise that sparks new brain cells (neurogenesis) and their connections. These connections are responsible for acquiring knowledge and thinking. Dancing stimulates the release of the brain-derived protein neurotropic factor that promotes the growth, maintenance, and plasticity of neurons necessary for learning and memory. Plus, dancing makes some neurons nimble so that they readily wire into the neural network. Neural plasticity is the brain’s remarkable abil­ity to change through­out life. (As a septuagenarian, I’m dancing—flamenco, belly dance, jazz, and salsa!)    As a method of conveying ideas and emotions with or without recourse to sound, the language of dance draws upon similar places and thought processes in the brain as verbal language. Dance feeds the brain in various kinds of communication.

Through dance, students can learn about academics—and themselves–including sexual, gender, ethnic, regional, national, and career identities. Moreover, dance is a means to help us improve mood and cope with stress that can motivate or interfere with concentration and learning. Influenced by body senses, environment, and culture, the brain “choreographs” dance and more.

Fodder for the Brain

The brain is comprised of about 100 billion electrically active neurons (cells), each connected to tens of thousands of its neighbors at perhaps 100 trillion synapses (the spaces between neurons where information transfers can occur). These atoms of thought relay information through voltage spikes that convert into chemical signals to bridge the gap to other neurons.

All thought, movement, and sensation emanate from electrical impulses coursing through the brain’s interconnected neurons. When they fire together they connect and reconnect, and the connections between them grow stronger in impacting our perception, our comprehension, and different kinds of memory.

If a pattern is repeated, the associ­ated group of neurons fire together resulting in a new memory, its consolidation, and ease of retrieving it. Neurons can improve intellect, memory, and certain kinds of learning if they join the existing neural networks instead of rattling aimlessly around in the brain for a while before dying.

Brain research has given us many insights for dance and other kinds of knowledge. Illustratively, we can apply what psycholinguists have found about learning a second or third verbal language to learning more than one nonverbal language—that is, another dance vocabulary (gesture and locomotion) and grammar (ways movements are put together), and meaning. Children who grow up multilingual have greater brain plasticity, and they multitask more easily. Learning a second or third language uses parts of the brain that knowing only one’s mother tongue doesn’t. Students who learn more than one dance language not only are giving their brains and bodies a workout; they are also increasing their resources for creative dance-making.

Connection for Education

So, what is the relevance of dance for educators and for parents? First, if one of the goals of education is to enhance procedural learning, then dance certainly helps. In traditional (blocked) approaches, the learner is encouraged to focus on mastering a particular dance movement before moving on to new problems. By comparison, varied practice (interleaving) that includes frequent changes of task so that the performer is constantly confronting novel components of the to-be-learned information is more effective.

Second, dance can be offered in multiple venues to promote cognitive growth, including arts magnet schools and academies, regular secondary schools, universities, and community and recreation centers. Venues may have their own dance faculty. Performing arts organizations, nonprofit operations, and dance companies offer dance education, often as partners with academic schools. Illustrative dance programs, some established in the last century but continuing to develop, show how dance education promotes skills for academe, citizenship, and the workplace. Principals can reach out to those offering dance classes and establish invaluable partnerships.

Obviously curricula and assessment vary in school settings. Dance may be a distinct per­forming art discipline with in-depth sequential exploration of a coherent body of knowledge guided by highly qualified dance teachers. Or dance may also be a liberal art, complimentary to or part of another subject. Brief introductions to dance may fill gaps in school curricula. Historical serendipity, leadership, teacher interest, parent involvement, and economic resources affect how youngsters experience dance.

Society privileges mental capacity—mind over matter and emotion. Talking, writing, and numbers are the media of knowledge. However, we now know that dance is a language, brain-driven art, and also, a fuel for learning subjects other than dance. In short, dance is an avenue to thinking, translating, interpreting, communicating, feeling, and creat­ing. As a multimedia communication that generates new brain cells and their connections, dance at any age enriches our cognitive, emotional, and physical development beyond the exercise itself and extends to most facets of life.

http://sharpbrains.com/blog/2016/01/22/what-educators-and-parents-should-know-about-neuroplasticity-learning-and-dance/

 

When Penmanship Holds You Back There's SnapType

An App for Dysgraphia, SnapType helps students keep up with their peers in class even when their penmanship holds them back. Students can easily complete school worksheets with the help of an iPad or iPhone.

Steven is a fifth-grader who I met during my occupational therapy fieldwork several months ago. He was diagnosed with dysgraphia. His handwriting is so messy that no one can read it.

His occupational therapist tried many things to help him improve his penmanship, but nothing worked. The determined OT even scanned his worksheets into a computer so he could type in answers to questions, but it was too time consuming and she stopped doing it. Steven was frustrated about getting left behind in class because he couldn't complete the worksheets with the rest of his peers.

There had to be a better way to help Steven keep up. I had an idea: What if he could take a picture of his worksheet using an iPad and type his answers on the screen? I searched the app store, but there was nothing out there that did that. There were a few apps, but they were designed for business people and were too complex for a child to use.

I sketched out my idea on a napkin and shared it with Steven's OT. She loved it. So I put together a detailed mockup of the app and worked with a developer to build it. A few weeks and a few dollars later, I had a working app called SnapType.

Steven's OT and teacher are thrilled. However, the real joy comes from seeing Steven use the app. It is easy for him to take a picture of a worksheet and use the iPad keyboard to answer questions. He no longer falls behind in class and is more confident about his abilities.

Another side benefit of using SnapType is that a student’s worksheets are safely stored in one place—on his or her iPad. This prevents kids with ADHD or LD from losing or misplacing them, as they sometimes do.

SnapType is available in the iTunes Store for free. I hope to help many kids with writing challenges by encouraging OTs, teachers, and parents to use it.

SnapType © 2014 Amberlynn Gifford

Milstone Donates to Dallas Children's Advocacy Center

Milstone Donates to Dallas Children's Advocacy Center

MTS owners Ellen Osburn and Sarah Rupp-Blanchard present their annual donation check to Rachel Roark, of Dallas Children's Advocacy Center

THE MISSION OF THE DALLAS CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER (DCAC) IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ABUSED CHILDREN IN DALLAS COUNTY AND TO PROVIDE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON CHILD ABUSE ISSUES.

Paula Poundstone: Electronics and kids' brains don't mix

Are we all spending too much time looking at screens? A question for contributor Paula Poundstone:

Almost everyone in our country is addicted to electronics, and riddled with denial.

When I talk to people about it, they get defensive. They say it's not addiction, it's just something they enjoy.

I love to play ping-pong, I love to practice the drums, I love to tap dance. But I have never, even once, tried to figure out how to do any one of those things, while driving, in such a way that the cops couldn't see. Because I am not addicted to those activities, I just enjoy them, and there's a huge difference.

Screen devices wreak havoc with the brain's frontal lobe. Diagnosis of ADHD in our children has taken a steep rise since the proliferation of screen devices.

Yet, even when presented with that information, parents often won't hear of protecting their kids from the harmful effects of screen devices. "Kids love them!" they say. Yes, they do, and kids would love heroin if we gave it to them. I'm told that after the initial vomiting stage it can be a hoot!

We didn't know this when we first brought these shiny new toys into homes. But, now, we do know. Still, adults aren't doing anything about it. Why? Because we're addicted. Addiction hampers judgment.

You see it. Everywhere you look people are staring at their flat things. We're terrified of being bored. No one drifts or wonders. If Robert Frost had lived today he would have written, "Whose woods are these? I think I'll Google it."

Screens are tearing away our real connections. Ads for "family cars" show every family member on a different device. Applebees, Chili's, Olive Garden and some IHOPs are putting tablets on their tables. These restaurants claim they are providing tablets just to make ordering easier. Well, gee, if saying, "May I please have chicken fingers?" is too difficult for our young ones, wouldn't we want to work on that?

The tech industry has profited from the "Every child must have a laptop in the classroom" push, but education hasn't. Research shows that the brain retains information better read from paper than from a screen, and students who take notes by hand are more successful on tests than those who type their notes on a computer.

Yet, art, music, sports, play, healthy meals and green space -- things we know help the developing brain -- are on the chopping block of school districts' budgets annually.

Even knowing this, at the suggestion that we get screen devices out of our classrooms and away from our children, people gasp, "But they'll need them for the world of the future!"

Our children will need fully-functioning brains for the world of the future. Let's put that first.