calvin's story: kindness and acceptance

calvin's story: kindness and acceptance

Plastic Bottle Coloring

I recently discovered how much fun it is for children to color on the plastic from bottles. I use white bottles so that its easiest to see the marker and use dry erase markers that they can wipe away. The markers I found have erasers attached to the cap and as you will see in the video its fun to erase with them. Any activity that motivates children to scribble is great for developing finger motor control and eventually the tripod grasp.

I was playing with couple of neighbor 2 year olds to see if they liked my adapted lacing board, but one little girl preferred coloring and wow she was really good at it. I like the idea of scribbling on the handle also because it requires stabilization and a lot of motor planning to erase the markings that end up in hidden spots.

There are a lot of games using these with older children to work on motor control. For example, we can take turns erasing certain colors or shapes I can color in some hidden spots in the handle and ask the child to find and erase them.

A little girl in the video is also demonstrating the manipulation pants I couldn't pass up while shopping in Staples. I don't mind a 2 dollar impulse buy when it has zippers and snaps and can store markers:-)

Screen Time

As much as I love to manipulate objects I have been having some nice screen time over the last few weeks. I just returned from camping in Vermont where I met this adorable 2 year old. She  loved drawing on my Nook and pressing the numbers I pointed to to connect the dots and make a picture.  I think that forming lines and shapes with the index finger on a screen is a nice companion to doing this in finger point, wet sand or other sensory media. Its so easy for parents to entertain a young child in the car while working on finger control and forming shapes.



New toys- High-Tech offerings complement Low-tech tools in Pediatric Therapy

 

I'm sharing an article in the trade magazine- Today in OT
http://news.todayinot.com/article/20120806/TODAYINOT010206/108060031
The author Susan Birk suggests that the newest tools and toys of electronic devoices and hands on activities may complement one another.

For example Zaner Bloser has a new handwriting application for the iPad that lets children see and hear the order and directions of motions uased while forming letters.  Here is the link to Handwriting ABC
 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zaner-bloser-handwriting-manuscript/id419352555?mt=8

The Pulse Smartpen lets students record what they write and hear in class and later download to an iPad.
http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/

Birk writes that she interviewed occupational therapists who have recommended the following hands on activities to develop visual perceptual and problem solving skills:



The goal is to motivate children while incorporating therapeutic products/activities. I thank the author for these and other therapy tips....

Recycling Bottle Flower Videos

Art Grows Here

 I hoe that you enjoy my Art video. I love community art....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6S_7DILiHA&feature=youtu.be

Three Books Reviews: This is Gabriel, Sensitive Sam and A-U-T-I-S-T-I-C How Silly is That !

Children’s literature has always been packed with educational and “feel good” themes with characters overcoming challenges or reaping the rewards of perseverance and clever problem- solving. I think that’s why Harry Potter is such a phenomenal hit. I view what is known as “social stories” as a literary offshoot of sorts. They are written for young children with the goal of teaching that knowledge is power, that they are not alone with their challenges and that finding solutions are just a matter of time. I have recently read three books that share these characteristics.

This is Gabriel Making Sense of School (A Book About Sensory Processing Disorder) by Hartley Steiner is exactly what the title suggests. Readers meet Gabriel as he explains that he is really good at certain things-like helping people. But Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), one of the big words he teaches readers about- gets in the way. Gabriel describes the 8 senses and what to do to feel better when they overwhelm him…..

·         Sight- Gabriel feels better when there isn’t too much to look at

·         Hearing-Gabriel likes a quiet space or wearing headphones

·         Touch-Gabriel prefers soft clothes and squeezing an object like clay

·         Taste-Gabriel likes to chew on gum, a straw or water bottle

·         Smell- Gabriel feels better when others don’t wear strong-smelling perfumes

·         Vestibular- Gabriel loves spinning and needs to have lots of movement breaks

·         Proprioception- Gabriel likes a weighted lap pad and pulling a wagon  full of heavy books

·         Interoception- when all of the other sensory stuff is not so bad he is more easily able to interpret what his body is feeling- like hunger or needing to use the bathroom.

The last three terms are the "big words" that Gabriel is eager to teach because these terms are not as well known but play a big role in how he functions. Readers learn in conclusion, that by understanding the sensory systems and how to feel better Gabriel as well as other children can be  "learning sensations". Author, Hartley Steiner recommends that parents work with an occupational therapist to have an individualized sensory program designed for their child.   


Hartley Steiner writes a personal blog chronicling her life raising three boys with various diagnoses Hartleysboys.com. She is the author of Sensational Journeys, the founder of the SPDbloggernetwork.com  and a contributing writer for the SPD  Foundation’s blog, S.I. Focus magazine, and Autism Spectrum Quarterly. The illustrations in this book are beautiful and you can see more of  Brandon Fall’s work at Fallillustration.com.

Sensitive Sam is also a story of a child with a sensory adventure that has a happy ending. Written and illustrated by Marla Roth-Fisch, this book is written from Sam’s perspective as he copes with emotional and sensory challenges. I love each page’s rhyme and rhythm that will be familiar to children brought up on Dr. Seuss. Parents can use this social story to help explain the relationship between sensory sensitivities and feelings such as

·         Being sad and mad

·         Not feeling right

·         Feeling tense from too much sitting

·         Frustration from uncomfortable clothing

·         Nausea from aversive foods and smells

·         Wanting to cry because others don’t understand

While the first part of the book presents Sam and his challenges, the second part introduces the parents who are more concerned than mad (as Sam fears because the teacher called them into school!). The teacher explains how occupational therapy will help Sam to be less bothered by his sensitivities. Sam is thrilled to meet children with similar needs in the OT office, he is given a “sensory diet’ and as Sam reports:

“Treating sensory challenges

Takes some patience, and love, too.

And now I LIKE doing lots of things

I used to hate to do!”

Author, Marla Roth-Fisch is a happily married mother of two, including a son with Sensory Processing Disorder and is an active board member at the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation.  

As an occupational therapist it is a pleasure to read books that share the impact of my profession on the lives of children with sensory processing disorders. The third book I am reviewing provides a fun and different perspective.

A-U-T-I-S-T-I-C? How Silly is That!  by Lynda Farrington Wilson is a story told by a child (Tyler)  who is a brilliant person with autism. He is not

·         Brown-hairtistic

·         South-Paw-tistic

·         Aquatistic

·         Culinari-tistic

·         Loves-donuts-jelly-beans-and-ice-cream-tistic

·         Math-tistic

·         Big-foot-orthodont-istic OR

·         AUTISTIC

The beautifully illustrated message here is that labeling can negate gifts and talents and prohibit academic and social advancement.  Author Lynda Farrington Wilson hopes that her book contributes to “people first” language rather than language that objectifies a person by his or her condition (eg, “autistic”).  She is an artist and former marketing executive who advocates for children with autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. Her first book- Squirmy Wormy, How I Learned to Help Myself was endorsed by Temple Grandin. More information is available at Lyndafarringtonwilson.com

These 3  reviewed books are published by Future Horizons. Use code “Pedia” for a 15% discount on most books or
order from Amazon........