Martial Arts helps Woman with Autism

This story of a mom in her thirties who has autism is a truly incredible read! Jen Malia wasn’t diagnosed until after she began martial arts training, but found Tae Kwon Do to be a gift to her .  This martial art, in Korean, “the way of the fist” uses punches and kicks as well as traditional forms and movement patterns.  It is competitive in nature and involves also dancing around on the balls of your feet.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Jen struggled with identifiable problems of autism including balance, coordination, focus, depth perception, executive functioning (got a PhD but had a difficult time prioritizing), social anxiety, obsessive interests, repetitive routines, sensory issues and anxiety.

She says that long distance running along with the practice of tae kwon do helped her with all of these issues.  She spent 5 years earning a black belt and now teaches tae kwon do to kids.  She feels that the combination of these two sports calmed her mind and disrupted “chaotic thoughts.”  She also feels the Asian tradition of repetitive movements and concentrated performance (mindfulness) helped her to learn to make better decisions, focus her attention and organize information.

Any OT can tell you that heavy work will help with all of the above but the article really reinforces how essential these practices were to help her in her journey.  She also received counseling, but credits the martial arts the most with helping her learn new skills.  A great lesson in the importance of using your heavy work and mindful practices to not only help with balance and coordination but also training attention.  Pretty cool!

Getting a Handle on Screens

It’s so hard to manage.  Parents today may not have even had smartphones as kids and now, bam!  They are forced to reckon with those little glowy things that no kid ever wants to put down.

According to the American Heart Association, kids 8-18 spend an average of 7 hours per day in front of a screen.  7 hours!  This includes time in front of phones, laptops, tablets and televisions.  The AHA also recommends that parents actively limit screen time to 2 hours per day for older kids and 1 hour for kids age 2-5.

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

Why?  There is increasing evidence that kids are spending so much time in front of screens that their obesity rates are increasing, as well as other health indicators such as cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol.  Kids don’t spend nearly as much time outdoors, moving their bodies or in face to face interactions with peers as in generations past.  This is all very worrisome but…how do you do it?

First, start with a media plan for the family.  You can find a link to it provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics here. The newest IOS on Iphone also have screen time monitors on phones that tell you exactly how much screen time each user is racking up.

First of all, you have to model this!  I so often see parents who complain about how their kids are addicted to technology as the parent is texting while they are talking.  You are your child’s first teacher, remember?

Next, find out more about what kinds of apps and games your kids are playing.  Is it all up to your standards?  Educate yourself about ratings and violence.  Some tech companies do not make this easy for parents, but it’s worth the effort.

Do you have times in your family where you do a “digital detox“?  Do you have times where no one is allowed to be on their phones or on screens?

Talk to your kids about screen time.  Set up a family meeting where you can all discuss it together.  This means kids will have opinions which you must listen to, but you may have to override.  In any event, everyone gets a chance to express their opinions but also agree on solutions. Expect some eye rolling from teens, but be honest.  Let them know you will follow the same rules.

Set up an exchange.  So you want a little screen time?  First you have to do your chores, get some exercise or play with your sister.  Make sure the rules are clear.

Most of all parents, remember that sometimes things change (when kids are sick, when YOU are sick etc.).  Try to be flexible and understanding.  These things aren’t going away and we need to try to find a way to live with them in a healthy way.

What helps you set limits on screen time?

What Can you do to help your child to thrive?

Have you ever heard the term “Emotional Intelligence”?  It was a buzzword back in the ’90’s when the book by Daniel Goleman came out.  It continues forward into today on the website/movement Six Seconds.  As a global movement, it focuses on helping people to know themselves, exercise self awareness and self management and build others up in the process.  It is a natural tool for both teaching and parenting.

In a recent post on the website, Six Seconds describes what kids need to be able to thrive, and how you can support them in doing just that.

It basically breaks down three skills that kids need to flourish. The first is “engaging intrinsic motivation.”  In other words, doing something because they want to, not necessarily because you want them to! It’s inner motivation.  The second is “exercising optimism.”  This means the child has a sense of hope for the future.  And the third is “pursuing noble goals.”  This means they experience that it feels good to be part of a larger purpose.

Sounds like a tall order, eh?  Yes, but to help kids get there (and you, for that matter), they suggest a few simple steps for you to be aware of in your daily life with your little ones, on up to your teens.

1. Give kids the space and power to choose what they want.  Okay, within reason.  It means let them try that gymnastics class even if you think they are not coordinated enough.  It means letting them have more control in their lives at home and at school.  This is a building block of well being for all of us:  being able to choose what we think will work for us.

2. Model what it’s like to focus on these well being skills yourself.  What does that look like?  Try new things, follow your passions, get excited about doing something.  Let them see this in you.  For example, you don’t have to yell at the guy who cuts you off in traffic.  And if you do, you can point out that you maybe didn’t have to let that get you upset.  Find ways to take care of yourself.  Remember, they are ALWAYS WATCHING.

3.  Encourage your kids to have down time.  The lives of many kids, even preschoolers, can be very overscheduled.  Reexamine your family time and see if maybe just one activity at a time could be doable.  Model taking your own downtime.  Resist the pressure that can come from others.  Know what works for your family.

Finally, it should be noted that well being begins a downward trend from ages 7-18.  Practitioners of emotional intelligence want you to know that you can help your child develop these skills.  Their research and data appear on their website sixseconds.org.

 

 

Is Your Child Getting Enough Exercise?

A recent article in the Journal Pediatrics uncovered a growing problem among preschoolers that has already affected elementary and high school age kids.  Researchers studied the amount of active play that preschoolers engaged in during a typical day at a child care programs in Seattle.  The kids averaged 48 minutes per day, despite ongoing recommendations that kids engage in 2 hours per day of activity.  Pooja Tandon, a professor at the University of Washington and a researcher at Seattle Children’s Hospital cites the worrisome statistics.  Childhood obesity has increased to 18% in kids aged 6 to 11 from 7% in 1980.  Preschoolers have been studied less, but habits developed at this age are likely to follow them to elementary school and beyond.  Day care providers who are more in line with the 2 hour recommendations for active play report improved behavior and even improved sleep at nap time.

What can you do?  Talk to your day care center about how much physical activity is part of their daily schedule.  This includes outdoor time even if it’s raining!

For elementary aged kids, the statistics are daunting.

• 74% of families say that “family time” is spent in front of a television set
• 52% of parents say technology is getting in the way of physical activity.
• 58% of parents say their kids get outside less than 3 days a week.
• 38% of parents say there is not enough time in the day to achieve physical activity standards.
• 38% of parents say they can’t afford extracurricular activities to improve physical fitness
• 41% of families get less than 60 minutes of exercise one day per week.
• 50% of kids are spending a minimum of 3 hours a day in front of a screen.

With so many kids adopting such low expectations regarding physical activity, their chances for developing chronic diseases like diabetes are increasing.

Consider the following:

• Most parks and recreation programs have scholarships set up for families who can’t afford extracurricular activities.
• Kids do what they see:  make sure you have an activity program in place, even if it’s just walking the dog after dinner.
• Play games that are physical like charades, Twister or Wii.
• Go outside.  Even if it’s raining.  Kids love puddles!
• Consider using incentives and think outside the box.  Redefine what it means to “play.”

If you need help setting up an activity program with your child, please ask.  We can help figure out ways to work it into your routine.

Best,

Jeanne

 

 

 

Get Outside!

Every summer, I’m asked to compile a list of outdoor activities for families.  Our service model changes over the summer from weekly visits to intensives.  During that time, we encourage families to get outside to play and to MOVE!  There are so many fun games and activities to choose from.  Here is just a partial list:

For the little ones:

1.  Crawl around with your mason jar and find some cool bugs and leaves.
2. Dig in the dirt, use a shovel and get messy!
3. Play in the sandbox, making sure to have buckets and cups to lift the sand.
4. Water the plants with heavy buckets of water.
5. Use an old sprayer to mist the plants or “paint” a brick wall.
6. Dig up some rocks that you can then paint.
7. Put some rags in a bucket of water.  Make a chalkboard target on an outside wall.  Throw!!
8. Climb a tree.
9. Help Dad wash the car.
10. Take the dog for a walk, the more pulling the better!
11. Play tug o’ war.
12. Go on a nature scavenger hunt.
13. Jump rope.
14. Stack rocks and make a sculpture garden.
15. Make a mud pie.
16. Run through the sprinkler, then spin through the sprinkler, then jump through the sprinkler, get creative!
17. Blow bubbles outside and watch them fly away.

For older kids:

1. Set up a zip line in the back yard.
2. A slack line is also great for older kids.
3. Ride your bike around the neighborhood, try to balance on a chalkboard line in the street.
4. Go for a swim.
5. Power wash the back deck. Take some before and after photos.
6. Hang wet clothes outside on the line.  Or hang artwork, or photos. Host an art show.
7. Go skateboarding or scootering around the neighborhood.
8. Play bocce ball in the yard with friends.
9. Play hopscotch or foursquare in the driveway.
10. Bring fresh flowers or veggies to a friend.
11. Deliver newspapers.
12. With supervision, climb a ladder and wipe some windows.
13. Play some kickball!  Or volleyball!  Or tennis!
14. Set up a tent (by themselves) and sleep in it in the backyard.
15. Do a potato sack race.

Give us some of your own ideas!

Jeanne

Update:  If you have younger kids, check out these cool articles from PBS Kids on Sneaking in Learning over the summer and Best Free Apps to get kids outside.

OT Favorites you can DIY!

We often get requests from families for equipment that we use in the clinic.  When we refer them to equipment suppliers, they are often unable to afford the high price tag.  Here are some items we often use in the clinic that you can make at home (disclaimer: these have not been made by the therapists here, these are moms who are handy and want to share how they fabricated their own equipment).

THERAPY SWING:

This swing was fabricated by a mom who has a blog about her child with autism.  It looks pretty simple to make.  Let us know if you give it a try!  Find the link here.

CRASH PAD:

This mom explains how to make your own crash pad like we have in our gym.  I love her ideas for getting the kids involved.  Find the link here.

BODY SOCK:

How about this cool body sock?  We have a couple here but if you have seen them, they are a fun way to incorporate heavy work into playtime.  This mom shows you how to turn a piece of lycra into your child’s very own body sock!  Fun!  Find the link here.

PRESSURE VEST:

This mom made a pressure vest for her daughter.  If your therapist has recommended a pressure vest at any time, this may work for you.  We would like you to talk to your therapist before you make one so you know prescriptively exactly what your child would benefit from.  But if you can make it yourself, that would be great!  Find the link here.

STRETCHY RESISTANCE BANDS:

This mom made stretchy resistance bands for her kids to help with heavy work play for her kiddos.  This is something that would be really fun for siblings.  Find the link here.

WEIGHTED BLANKET:

This mom used polyfil to make a weighted blanket.  There are lots of links out there for making your own weighted blankets.  Etsy sells some too.  This seems like it would be good because of the individual pillows holding it all together.  Find the link here.

STRETCHY SHEET:

So many of our kids have trouble quieting their bodies to go to sleep at night.  Sometimes  a super stretchy sheet can help.  This mom made one using stretchy material.  Seems pretty easy!  Find the link here.

If you have made something you would like to share, please do so below in the comments section or share with your OT.  Also if you try any of these, let us know!

 

 

Advocate for Recess!

“RECESS!!”
I remember being in school and the teacher calling this out to us in the lunchroom or class.  It meant (hooray!) it was time to get outside and get all our wiggles out.  Recess means a break from having to sit in one place, use our brains intensely and not having to listen closely to a teacher.  It meant fun, movement and a sort of freedom from the monotony of the school day.  What we didn’t know at the time was that our brains and bodies needed a reset button.  Recess was not a reward, but rather a reserved time just like art, math or lunch.  In our current test-driven educational environment, not only is recess in jeopardy, but it’s value has been called into question.  Recess is not a privilege for kids who are well behaved or get good grades.  Research has shown it to be essential to your child’s development.

Recess in recent years has been limited and even cancelled.  Schools are feeling stress to improve kids’ grades and test scores and the more time spent in the classroom, in their opinion, the better.  Leading educators have been calling this into question more and more in recent years, citing many studies that say that by doing so, we are putting the health of kids at risk.

Research has yet to prove that removing recess with raise test scores, but the following benefits have been proven for kids.  Kids who have recess:

• Are less fidgety and more on task
• Have improved memory and more focused attention
• Develop more brain connections
• Learn negotiation skills
• Exercise leadership, teach games, take turns, and learn to resolve conflicts

The American Academy of Pediatrics put out a policy statement in 2013 advocating for the “Crucial Role of Recess” in the development of children.  It is required reading for parents and educators alike.  The paper discusses the cognitive, physical and social benefits of recess in great detail.  In addition, it states that the removal of recess should NEVER be used as punishment.

What can you as a parent do?  The excellent website Peaceful Playgrounds provides handouts, guides and presentations which are easy to download and offer lots of other resources too.  Together, we can take back recess!

Jeanne

from an article I wrote for kidsmoveandtalk.com.

Chore Ideas for the Summer

Ah summer!  Kids get to revel in their school free days.  They sleep late and play all day (depending on their age…your older kids may be more sedentary).  But kids should also be responsible for helping out around the house as well.  Developmentally, kids of different ages should be given appropriate tasks.  In previous posts, we’ve discussed the benefits of “heavy work” in growing a healthy body in terms of neuromuscular development.  Here’s an age by age guide to help you assign tasks that are doubly beneficial:  Both for your family and for the emotional/physical growth of your child.  For each age group, they can also do all earlier age group chores.

Ages two to three:

• Make your bed with heavy blankets
• Pick up and put away clothes
• Collect dirty clothes and bring them to the laundry room.  (Can use a bag and drag them)
• Wipe cabinets/tables/baseboards.

*Note to parents:  Please remember that your toddler, preschooler or school age child will not be doing these chores the way you do them (sometimes not even high schoolers!).  They will not be perfect. Don’t allow that to stop you.  It will always be easier to do it yourself.  But by allowing them to do these things themselves, you are showing them how to contribute, how to be part of a team and nurturing skills which will make them more independent in the future.

Ages four to five:

• Put dirty dishes in dishwasher
• Vaccuum or dust buster small carpets moving up to larger ones, then furniture cushions etc.
• Roll out recycling bin and trash bin
• Set and clear table
• Roll out dough
• Weeding the garden
• Water plants inside and out
• Carry their own books to the library

Ages six to eight:

•  Meal prep assistance
• Wipe down bathroom counters and tub
• Sweep
• Hang laundry on the line with clothespins
• Rake leaves

Ages nine to eleven:

• Fully clean tub and shower
• Plan and make a simple meal
• Clean out frig and freezer, wipe down and replace
• Wash, dry and fold clothes
• Clean toilets

Ages twelve and up:

• Mow the lawn (older kids can ask neighbors to do theirs if they’d like to earn extra money)
• Fully clean the bathroom
• Shovel snow
• Iron clothes
• Vaccuum all floors, mop all floors
• Straighten and organize closets

There are all kinds of chore charts and ways to keep track with a simple internet search.  Playtime is incredibly important, but so is being part of a family who all do things to help out.  Let us know if there are other chore ideas you have, the list is endless!

Jeanne

From my article in kidsmoveandtalk.com

The Amazing Vestibular System

​​Right now, as you as you are sitting there reading, your vestibular system is hard at work. It enables you to keep your head upright, in midline and to not sway so you are able to keep your eyes in front of you. Your vestibular system, while lesser known than more commonly referred to sensory systems such as vision and hearing, is really the anchor or all sensory awareness.  The vestibular system provides richness to the other systems by supporting them.  Located in your inner ear, and interpreted by the brain, the vestibular system continuously monitors balance and equilibrium. Put simply, it tells your body where it is in space.  Your vestibular system (VS) also helps provide spatial awareness (an organized knowledge of objects in relation to oneself). Let’s take an example to help fully explain this concept.  A five year old little girl is playing in the grass with her friends.  They are taking turns somersaulting down a small hill, giggling all the while.  As she is tumbling, this little girl is also using her vision to check for rocks and trees. She is using her auditory sense to listen for her friends voices so she doesn’t run into them.  She is also using her tactile sense to make sure she avoids any holes or other objects which might hurt to roll over.  Meanwhile, the VS is actively telling her which way is up and which way is down, whether her body is following her head on an accurate forward trajectory and is providing information about where her head is in space.  Her entire nervous system is giving feedback that this is fun and also safe for her, so she is able to experience the joy of the movement.  Kids naturally want to explore in this manner. A healthy vestibular system is the root at the bottom of all sensory exploration and play.  It gives the human body confidence to move in new ways that may seem scary at first.  Vestibular exploration begins in the womb as the baby flip-flops in their mama’s tummy.  As a baby grows, they are of course rocked and bounced, activating the VS every time they are moved.  Once they are able to fully move themselves, they know how different body positions feel and they gain confidence in gravity and their muscles to hold them upright.  Challenging the VS is a natural inclination which is required in order to set the groundwork for all movement.  A healthy VS thus gives a child a sense of safety so that they are able to move with self assurance through the world.  It allows kids to jump through hoops, bounce on trampolines, spin holding their parent’s hands and hang upside down on a tree branch. How to help develop your child’s vestibular skills Make use of your local playground!  Between visits to the grocery store and home, stop at that new playground and have your child give the spinner a try.  If they are scared about trying something, you get on a swing first and show them how much fun you’re having.  They will want to join you.  Going to new playgrounds helps develop new skills and will keep them from getting bored.   play “monkey” by hanging upside down on a small slide, go hands first with a parent at the bottom for safety tilt your head back while spinning for older kids, practice jumping from a swing instead of just stepping off bounce on the ladder crossing The only limit is your imagination! Explore kids yoga!  There are lots of great kid yoga videos available and it’s especially great for those rainy or cold snowy days.  Yoga incorporates many poses which rely on the head being in different positions and it’s a great way to learn balance, a byproduct of a healthy VS.  Yoga, as an added benefit, will also strengthen and provide flexibility to growing muscles. Home activities!  There are lots of ways to promote a healthy VS in your own home. blanket swinging:  you and a partner swing your child in a blanket. stair slide:  use an old cardboard box as a slide down a bank of steps jump on the beds sing songs such as ring around the rosy, or rock back and forth as you sing row your boat.  Wheels on the bus has lots of fun rounds which incorporate movement let them jump off the couch onto cushions your office chair is a super fun spin toy play “popcorn”… as you pop some in the microwave or stovetop, squat down on the ground and pop up into the air, just like the kernels Out and about!  For special outings, choose activities which get your kids outside and away from screens. water parks and amusement parks offer ample opportunities to get those bodies moving! hiking is just walking but spinning down a trail and hanging from a tree branch motivate kids to keep moving aerial parks are super challenging and fun swimming and jumping into water These are just a few ideas to develop a growing vestibular system, but along the way you may discover some new ones of your own.  Feel free to comment and share any ideas you may have!  It is very likely that you may also find that your own aging vestibular system is not as skilled as your child’s when it comes to being able to handle spinning or bouncing.  That’s okay!  Just make sure you provide a good example to your child when it comes to willingness, safety and fun. ​Jeanne From an article published in kidsmoveandtalk.com.

Hello from the APT book club!

We recently met at Tamar’s lovely home to discuss “The Whole Brain Child” by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.

The Whole Brain Child provides 12 strategies to “nurture” the child’s mind as they grow and mature.  It’s an extremely user-friendly book that makes the neurology easy to understand and the strategies easy to implement.  We have been using some in the clinic (and with our own kids!) since reading the book, many of us for the 2nd time.  We have been using the Wheel of Awareness, “What would you do?” questions, engage don’t enrage and S.I.F.T. most specifically.  Feel free to ask about the book or borrow one of our copies.  We’re here for you!