Handwriting Help: DIY Adapted Pencil

Many children have difficulty holding a pencil correctly. This may be because they were never instructed how to hold a pencil properly or because they were exposed to writing too early, and their little hands weren’t ready to grasp and manipulate a writing utensil. No matter what the cause, if a child has a poor pencil grip, it can lead to problems down the road, especially if the poor grasp is causing stress on certain joints or if there is fatigue or pain during writing tasks.

Here is a DIY adapted pencil that can be used to promote a better grasp. All that you need are a pencil and a short piece of clear vinyl tubing. The piece of tubing should be approximately 1 to 1 ½ inches long, depending on the size of the child’s hand. Cut a hole in one end of the tubing that is just large enough for a pencil to fit through and slide the pencil in. (I use wire cutters to cut the tubing.) 

When holding the pencil, the tubing should be just long enough to wrap the ring and pinkie fingers around it.

This promotes the use of the thumb, index, and middle fingers when writing, and allows for better control of the pencil. It may feel unusual at first, but it gets more comfortable with use!

Thanks to Thaddeus Meyer for coming up with this wonderful idea and allowing me to share it!

How to Help Baby Crawl!

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I'm often asked about the importance of crawling.  I have to say that I'm convinced that there is a relationship between crawling and the development of a number of important skills. For example, the physical act of crawling strengthens a baby's hand, arm, should, and core muscles, and research suggests that crawling influences the development of visual-spatial skills and social-emotional development. I've written about this topic quite a bit! (For more information, see the links below.)

Because I'm such a proponent of early exploration and crawling, I was super excited to learn about a product called the CrawlAhead! This is a portable device used to assist a baby with crawling on all fours by supporting the child's trunk while he or she is in the hands and knees position. When a baby has muscle weakness or other challenges, the CrawlAhead can be used to lift the trunk off of the support surface, allowing the baby to assume and maintain a quadruped position. This provides opportunities for weight bearing and strengthening, which we therapists know is very important! Additionally, a parent or therapist can guide the child's arms and legs "through the motions" of crawling while the support by the device, which will help with motor planning! With practice and time, strength and coordination improves, and the need for the device is reduced, and hopefully, baby will eventually crawl independently! An added bonus of the CrawlAhead is that it is collapsible and fits into a sturdy bag for transporting, which is important for parents and therapists who are "on the go!"

For information about this wonderful product, click on the following link and visit the website. https://litegait.com/products/CrawlAhead

Photos used with permission.
 
Related articles:
"Why is Crawling Developmentally Important?" https://www.babble.com/baby/crawling-is-crucial/
The Benefits of Tummy Time- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/18/well/the-benefits-of-tummy-time.html 
Crawling Styles- https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Crawling-Styles.aspx

References

Bai, DL & Bertenthal, BI (1992). Locomotor status and the development of spatial search skills. Child Development, 63, 215-226. 
Benson, J. B. (1990). The development and significance of crawling in infancy. In J. E. Clark, & J. H. Humphrey (Eds.),    Advances in motor development research. New York: AMS Press.  
Benson, JB, & Uzgiris, I C (1985). Effect of self-initiated locomotion on infant search activity. Developmental Psychology, 21(6), 923-931.  
Campos, J. J., Bertenthal, B. I., & Kermoian, R. (1992). Early experience and emotional development: The emergence of wariness of heights. Psychological Science, 3, 61-64

Tummy Time Tips!

When your baby is positioned on the stomach to play while supervised, this is considered tummy time.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies get supervised tummy time on a daily basis to promote development and prevent flat spots from forming on baby's head.

Here are a few tips on how to introduce tummy time and increase an infant’s tolerance while having fun!

 

Entertain Baby. If you little one dislike being on her stomach, try entertaining her! Do your best to get baby's mind off of the position. Make eye contact, talk, and sing to baby. Also, play music, read books, or place a mirror in front of her, and the seconds will stretch into minutes!

Face to Face time with Siblings. Have big brother or big sister lie down on the floor close to baby during tummy time. Encourage them to stay at baby's eye level and talk to him or read to him. Siblings love to be helpful!

Have a Schedule. Having a schedule helps you remember tummy time, and baby will likely start to anticipate the routine. Incorporate tummy time into the daily routines, such as towel drying after bath time, after a diaper change, or when applying lotion.  Just remember to never leave your baby’s side during tummy time!

Taken from:

http://drannezachry.com/tummy-time-tips/

Art by Children with Special Needs!!!

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) Rachel Kay Stevens Therapy Center is a student-run, pro bono pediatric occupational therapy clinic serving underinsured and uninsured children from birth to 18 years of age.  Last spring, an amazing art show and auction was held in which artwork submitted by children with special needs was donated, displayed, and auctioned to raise money for the center. The children were so proud to showcase their artistic talents! Attendees were healthcare professionals, artists, family members of UTHSC students, and the families of the children who contributed artwork. The event brought together this  diverse group of people  and showcased the talents and creative expression of children who receive occupational therapy services!  Check out some of the artwork below.

 

UTHSC Occupational Therapy Rap

Check out this UTHSC Occupational Therapy Rap Video that our amazing MOT students created!!!

      Click HERE to watch it!

 

This rap was created by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center MOT Class of 2020 in order to promote their occupational therapy program to incoming students and advocate for the field of occupational therapy. Enjoy!

Free Webinar!!! Tummy Time: The Why’s and How’s

 Does you baby resist tummy time?  If so, you may want to click on the link below and check out the free webinar.  You will gain information about how important tummy time is, along with a variety of fun tummy time positions, and tips for a baby who fusses during tummy time.  Remember, tummy time is important for gross motor, fine motor, and sensory processing skills!
To access the webinar, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/2ICIOwy

Teaching Counting Creatively!

Do you know a child who struggles with learning numbers and counting?  Well, here is a simple and creative way to teach counting! You will need four or five different colored cups and pom poms with corresponding colors.  Glue or tape each number and it's appropriate number of "dots" on the cup. 

Begin the activity with the pom poms mixed together on a surface in front of the cups.  Having the child place the correct number of pom poms in front of each cup pointing and using one-to-one correspondence and the dots as a guide.  Once the child has placed the correct number of pom poms in front of each cup, he can place them inside the cup. Make this task more challenging and address fine motor skills by having the child use tongs to sort and place the pom poms.

Gravitational Insecurity Activities

Children with gravitational insecurity typically respond to movement activities by overreacting emotionally.  Why?  Their vestibular system is not functioning properly. These kids are extremely afraid of heights, falling, and they resist having their feet leave the ground. For this reason, children with gravitational insecurity children prefer to stay low to the ground.  They are typically lying down or sitting and doing their best to avoid movement.

How can I help my gravitationally insecure child?

1. It may be helpful to physically guide your child during play activities such as climbing, sliding and swinging. You can swing with your child in your lap, and this might provide just enough security to prevent a fearful response.
2. Encourage your child to participate in climbing, crawling, and jumping activities that are within his comfort zone.
3.  Demonstrate movement activities such as this for your child, “watch me to this, or do it just it the way I do this.”
4. Introduce new movement activities gradually and a little bit at a time.
5. Encourage water play in the pool that includes movements such as twirling, jumping, and flipping.  The water might make your child feel more secure.
6. If your child has extreme responses to movement, I recommend pursuing occupational or physical therapy. 

 freedigitalphotos.net by dvrcan

BOOK GIVE-A-WAY: The Centipede Who Couldn’t Tie His Shoes

We have a winner!  Congratulations to Sue R! 

Attention all teachers and therapists!  Have you ever known a child who struggled with learning to tie her shoes?  This is an important task that seems basic, but it is actually very complex, and for a child with special needs, shoe-tying can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Karen Dobyns, OTD, OTR/L has written a very special book on shoe-tying that every professional who works with young children needs to have on their bookshelf! 

“The Centipede Who Couldn’t Tie His Shoes” tells the story of Ben, a kind and sensitive second grader with visual challenges who is having difficulty learning how to tie his shoes. Obviously, this is a big problem, because Ben is a centipede with 100 feet!  What to do?  I’m not going to tell you what happens, because I want you to purchase the book, but rest assured the problem is solved when a school occupational therapist enters the picture.

This lovely book includes sections that explain shoe-tying, and it will help young children without special needs see the perspective of a child who might need special services and support.  To top it off, the delightful illustrations bring Ben’s world to life!

Click HERE to purchase the book on Amazon. Please click HERE to like my Facebook page.

Karen Dobyns, OTD, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist who has spent her career working with children with special needs in schools, clinics, and homes.  She has a clinical doctorate and master’s in occupational therapy.  Special note: Karen is a graduate of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Occupational Therapy, which is where I teach! Everyone at UTHSC is extremely proud of her accomplishments!

Developmental Milestone Chart: 30 to 36-Months

It’s a busy time for your toddler!  She is putting sentences together of 4 to 5 words, and she is now able to follow simple instructions which is nice.  She is also probably engaging in pretend play and enjoys playing with a playground ball. The developmental milestone chart below lists many of the different skills that typically emerge between 30 and 36-months of age.

The project above was completed by Master of Occupational Therapy students at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and posted with permission.