HELPFUL ACTIVITIES
The activities described below are designed to improve and develop your baby's overall function, including strength, endurance, gross/fine motor control, normalizing tone, providing sensory stimulation, and increasing awareness of self and the environment. Also, I have added the Occupational Therapy Frame of Reference to further clarify why the activity would be helpful. These are just a few examples to give you an idea of what to look for in order to address your child's specific needs.
Play and Sound Mat
Deficit: Low tone and low sensory registration
Goal: Promote trunk strength through positioning infant prone on matt. The visual, tactile and auditory stimulation promote reaching, grabbing and pushing up on elbows for play.
Principle: Positioning of infants prone on elbows promotes trunk and upper extremity strength and sensory stimulation promotes learning and awareness of the environment.
Frame of Reference: Model of Human Occupation (MOHO). Volition or desire drives humans. First find out what the child is interested in and promote exploration in order to facilitate occupation (play). (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011)
Method: This 40" x 40" textured foam play mat is easy to set up on any floor in the home, or clinic or classroom. It has interlocking soft foam pieces that you put together like a basic puzzle. There is a push button flower that plays melodies, a safe mirror for visual fun. This puzzle provides tactile, visual and auditory stimulation just by placing your baby prone on the matt, so she can explore. Have her look in the mirror for 5 minutes, then shift her over to the butterfly pattern for 5 minutes and so on.
Grading: If baby is particularly interested in getting to a specific section of the puzzle (i.e. mirror) then initially place her at a short distance from the mirror in order to encourage movement toward it. As your baby progresses in creeping you can place her back farther and farther from the mirror. Also, putting the puzzle together in a different pattern will maintain your baby's interest. As your child develops she will be able to put the puzzle together herself.
This can be purchased at www.especialneeds.com for $41.95
Goal: Promote trunk strength through positioning infant prone on matt. The visual, tactile and auditory stimulation promote reaching, grabbing and pushing up on elbows for play.
Principle: Positioning of infants prone on elbows promotes trunk and upper extremity strength and sensory stimulation promotes learning and awareness of the environment.
Frame of Reference: Model of Human Occupation (MOHO). Volition or desire drives humans. First find out what the child is interested in and promote exploration in order to facilitate occupation (play). (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011)
Method: This 40" x 40" textured foam play mat is easy to set up on any floor in the home, or clinic or classroom. It has interlocking soft foam pieces that you put together like a basic puzzle. There is a push button flower that plays melodies, a safe mirror for visual fun. This puzzle provides tactile, visual and auditory stimulation just by placing your baby prone on the matt, so she can explore. Have her look in the mirror for 5 minutes, then shift her over to the butterfly pattern for 5 minutes and so on.
Grading: If baby is particularly interested in getting to a specific section of the puzzle (i.e. mirror) then initially place her at a short distance from the mirror in order to encourage movement toward it. As your baby progresses in creeping you can place her back farther and farther from the mirror. Also, putting the puzzle together in a different pattern will maintain your baby's interest. As your child develops she will be able to put the puzzle together herself.
This can be purchased at www.especialneeds.com for $41.95
"Developing Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Birth to Three" by Donna Staisiunas Hurley
Deficit:
Low tone and developmental delays in fine and gross motor movements
Goal: To increase tone for purposes of improving gross motor movements such as holding up the head, rolling over, sitting up, creeping, crawling, standing, walking as well as improving fine motor movements such as reaching, holding and manipulating toys.
Principle: These exercises facilitate the natural progression of motor skills. Also verbal, visual and tactile encouragement are implemented.
Frame of Reference: Developmental. Promoting age typical skills through education, modeling of skills, practice and repetition. (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011).
Method: This is a home exercise program designed for children ages birth to three years old. It is designed to guide parents and caregivers in developing specific motor skills typical of that age level. For example: Three to Six Months: Gross Motor — Prone on forearms, prone with arms extended, sitting with support, head control, supine: feet to hands, rolling prone to side-lying, rolling prone to supine, rolling supine to prone, pedaling action in supine, creeping, weight bearing in feet.
Grading: As child progresses her/she will move to the next developmental position, per the booklet instructions.
This can be purchased at www.proedinc.com (special needs catalog) for $63.00
Wingbo: the worlds first tummy-time swing
Deficit: Developmental delays regarding gross motor, low tone, loose joints and sensory integration deficits.
Goal: Increase endurance and strength in arms and in neck and shoulders for head control, rolling and crawling. Improve development of the hip joint socket. Integrate spatial movement and balance awareness.
Principle: Improving tone, strength and endurance helps with the factors that impact gross motor. The spread position of the upper leg leads to an improved development of the hip joint socket. The rocking addresses vestibular stimulation to improve sensory integration, and the swinging movement provides spatial movement and balance awareness.
Frame of Reference: Sensory. Provides controlled sensory input to improve the child's ability to process sensory stimuli. (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011)
Method: Place your baby in the swing and notice that there is an increased acceptance of the tummy position which provides a position from which they can independently move their arms and legs and push off on the floor to swing.
Grading: Increase tummy time sessions in duration and frequency as the baby will tolerate this. Also, mom or dad can position themselves or a toy in front of the baby to encourage reaching and swinging (improving strength, motor and trunk control as well as providing sensory stimulation).
This can be purchased at: http://www.wingbousa.com/special.htm for $219.00
Goal: Increase endurance and strength in arms and in neck and shoulders for head control, rolling and crawling. Improve development of the hip joint socket. Integrate spatial movement and balance awareness.
Principle: Improving tone, strength and endurance helps with the factors that impact gross motor. The spread position of the upper leg leads to an improved development of the hip joint socket. The rocking addresses vestibular stimulation to improve sensory integration, and the swinging movement provides spatial movement and balance awareness.
Frame of Reference: Sensory. Provides controlled sensory input to improve the child's ability to process sensory stimuli. (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011)
Method: Place your baby in the swing and notice that there is an increased acceptance of the tummy position which provides a position from which they can independently move their arms and legs and push off on the floor to swing.
Grading: Increase tummy time sessions in duration and frequency as the baby will tolerate this. Also, mom or dad can position themselves or a toy in front of the baby to encourage reaching and swinging (improving strength, motor and trunk control as well as providing sensory stimulation).
This can be purchased at: http://www.wingbousa.com/special.htm for $219.00
Tumble Forms Barrel
Deficit: Poor balance and low tone
Goal: Promote trunk equilibrium, muscle tone and strength to improve balance
Principle: Spacial awareness and trunk stability improves balance and muscle tone allows for posture to be maintained.
Frame of Reference: Neurodevelopmental (NDT). Children learn motor patterns when they feel normal. Handling techniques are used at the key points of control (hips, trunk, shoulders) to inhibit abnormal tone and facilitate normal movement patterns (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011).
Method: This barrel is 22" outside diameter with a 12" diameter opening. The Barrel Roll increases to 18" diameter inside, creating a varied spatial experience that stimulates body image development. Stand next to your child with your hands on him as he tries to balance. Gently rock the barrel, producing a rhythmic movement experience for him. This can illicit the protective extension reflex as you shift him toward the ground (slowly). In time, as he can learns to shift his weight and roll the barrel you can start to remove your hands (if he is safe). You can also position your child sitting on the barrel with you behind him holding onto his waist and rolling the barrel back and forth to stimulate balance reactions. For all of these activities start with the barrel diameter at 12" and work up to 18" diameter the more comfortable he gets.
This can be purchased at www.especialneeds.com for $333.95
Goal: Promote trunk equilibrium, muscle tone and strength to improve balance
Principle: Spacial awareness and trunk stability improves balance and muscle tone allows for posture to be maintained.
Frame of Reference: Neurodevelopmental (NDT). Children learn motor patterns when they feel normal. Handling techniques are used at the key points of control (hips, trunk, shoulders) to inhibit abnormal tone and facilitate normal movement patterns (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011).
Method: This barrel is 22" outside diameter with a 12" diameter opening. The Barrel Roll increases to 18" diameter inside, creating a varied spatial experience that stimulates body image development. Stand next to your child with your hands on him as he tries to balance. Gently rock the barrel, producing a rhythmic movement experience for him. This can illicit the protective extension reflex as you shift him toward the ground (slowly). In time, as he can learns to shift his weight and roll the barrel you can start to remove your hands (if he is safe). You can also position your child sitting on the barrel with you behind him holding onto his waist and rolling the barrel back and forth to stimulate balance reactions. For all of these activities start with the barrel diameter at 12" and work up to 18" diameter the more comfortable he gets.
This can be purchased at www.especialneeds.com for $333.95
Positioning for Play (CD and booklet)
Deficit: Developmental delays related to motor, sensory, cognitive, language, communication and social skills.
Goal: Positioning the child optimally for play in order to encourage interaction with the enviornment (Mom, Dad, toys) and enhance movement and sensory exploration.
Principle: Movement and play experiences for young children provide the foundation for motor, sensory, cognitive, communication and language skills.
Frame of Reference used: Developmental. Development occurs over time and between skills (i.e. gross and fine motor). This frame of reference works on identifying the current level of functioning and working on the next step to achieve the skill (O'Brien, J.C., Solomon, J.W, 2011).
Method: Young children learn best from engaging in regular movement and activities with family and friends in a supportive environment. This collection of practical activities are designed for use by caregivers and early interventionists for young children who are at rist for developmental delays. The activity sheets, grouped according to developmental position, are designed to illustrate ways that caregivers can hold, position, and play with a child while using toys, objects, materials, and family members that are available. The activity sheets demonstrate proper body mechanics for both child and caregiver.
For example: Set up two chairs facing one another. Sit in one chair and have the child stand and face away from you. Have the other adult sit in the other chair and the both of you can clasps hands and arms together to make parallel bars for the child to walk between. Encourage the child to hold onto your arms and walk to the other adult. Once the child
walks to the other adult, encourage the child to turn around and walk back to you.
This can be graded by having the adults stand farther and farther apart as the child progresses.
CD and booklet can be purchased at www.proedinc.com for $67.00.
Recommended for birth - 3 years