Tummy Time Tips....For the Tummy Time Blog Hop!!!!

     I guess it's because I'm a therapist, but moms frequently ask me, “Is tummy time really that important?”  This is an important and valid question, and every parent needs to know the answer. Tummy time plays a critical role in infant development, as it provides a base for motor skills such as head control, rolling over, and pulling up.

     Tummy time is especially important now that that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all babies sleep on their backs. Prior to 1992, most babies in the United States slept on their stomachs, but years of scientific research revealed that infants were approximately 12 times more likely to be found on their stomachs than on their backs when they had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). So in 1992 the AAP formally recommended that all infants be placed to sleep on their backs or sides to reduce the risk of SIDS. Later, the side position was eliminated from the recommendation because infants could roll from their sides to their stomachs during sleep. Since this extremely successful marketing campaign, 50% fewer infants have died from SIDS. Putting babies to sleep on their backs turned out to be a simple and effective way to save the lives of infants.

     Eventually, pediatricians and therapists noticed a sudden rise in infants diagnosed with flat spots on the head, and they also noticed an increase in the number of infants with mild delays in gross motor skills, such as rolling over and pulling up. Evidently, many parents were not positioning their infants on the tummy for play out of a fear of SIDS, and this limited tummy time was having some negative consequences. In 1996, the AAP formally recommended that parents provide babies with supervised playtime on the stomach to promote growth and development and prevent flat spots from forming on the head.

     My research has revealed that many infants resist being placed on the belly. This is probably because they aren’t familiar with tummy time and haven’t gained the head control and upper body strength that is necessary to maintain the position comfortably. But rest assured, with time and a few basic and very beneficial techniques, any infant can learn to tolerate tummy time. There is a solution to the problem, and there are ways to introduce tummy time and increase tolerance without making a parents’ and baby’s life miserable. In fact, it can be the total opposite of miserable. Tummy time provides an opportunity to spend one on one time with baby and create a special bond that can last a lifetime!

     In the beginning you should set up a regular schedule for tummy time. You can plan to carry it out after naps or after diaper changes, just be sure to have a plan in place. A general guideline should be that half of the time that baby spends for play should be on the tummy, and remember, it is important to vary your baby’s position every 15 to 20 minutes during playtime. It is important to be aware that tummy time is any combination of positions in which your infant is NOT on the back and encourages baby to use the back, shoulder and neck muscles. This includes time spent in your arms and on your lap. Most importantly, don’t look upon tummy time as a chore, keep in mind that this special time is an important part of baby’s daily routine, which provides an opportunity to bond and develop the close relationship with your infant that you’ve always dreamed of. For more information on tummy time and some specific tips and suggestions on how to increase infant tolerance to the position, visit my website @ www.tummytimetips.com.

Also, for more information about tummy time as well as some wonderful brochures and handouts, visit http://www.pathwaysawareness.org/. 

Tummy Time Therapy Blogger Blog Hop

Below you will find all the posts in the Tummy Time therapy blogger blog hop. So many great ideas and thoughts on tummy time from Occupational Therapist and Physical Therapists.

The Importance of Tummy Time for Babies - Golden Reflections Blog

Tummy Time & Baby's First Year - The Recycling OT

How to Use a Therapy Ball to Make Tummy Time Easier and More Fun for Baby - Mama OT

5 Awesome Toys for Tummy Time! - The Inspired Treehouse

Terrific Tummy Time Positions - Your Kids OT

Tips For Tummy Time From A Physical Therapist - Pink Oatmeal

Tummy Time : The Basics - Therapy Fun Zone

Tummy Time: Developmental Consequences & Future Implications - Tools to Grow, Inc.

Tummy Time Tips - Pedatric OT Tips

Tummy Time Just Isn't For Babies - Your Therapy Source

Tummy Time - More Than Just A Buzz Word - Starfish Therapies

Tummy Time Never Gets Old - Playapy Platform

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#OTLifeHack

During the month of July, The American Occupational Therapy Association is encouraging therapists and students to share their #OTLifeHack ideas on social media. AOTA describes a life hack as:

"any trick, shortcut, skill, or new method that solves an everyday problem."

 July has been a crazy month, so I'm just now getting around to posting on this topic. What a great idea!!! Here are a 3 of my "go to" life hacks for therapy:

Rainy Day Indoor Game Tape

On a sunny day, I love to pull out my sidewalk chalk for all sorts or therapy games. However, rainy or cold weather means therapy is likely to occur indoors. No fear! I just pull the gym tape out of my therapy bag. You can use this tape to make a bean bag toss, a hop scotch space, or whatever else comes to mind! It's simple to place and peels up easily when your session is over.

Quick and Easy Foot Rest

If your budget is tight and you're in need of a foot rest, just recycle an old phone book or a stack of magazines! Keep stacking until the footrest is tall enough. Cover the books with colorful duct tape to make the foot rest fun and durable!

                       Easy Footrest

Do it yourself Bean Bags

Have you ever wondered what to do with those "single" socks or baby booties that turn up while you're folding clothes? Here's a tip...use them to make bean bags! Just fill the bootie or sock with beans/rice or both, tuck the open end in and stitch it together. Turn the socks inside out to add a bit of texture for an added sensory experience! There's no limit to bean bag activities, so make your own set now!

#OTLifeHack, #TherapyonaShoestringBudget

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Spelling and Strengthening!!!

Do you know of a student who has finger/hand weakness, poor eye-hand coordination and weak spelling skills? If so, you may want to try this "clothespin-spelling" activity.

You'll need:

Plastic clothespins (these require more strength than the wooden ones)
Sticker/Label Paper
Computer
Paint stick or ruler

 Print all of the letters needed for the spelling words using 26 - 28 font size on sticky-back label paper. Cut out each letter and stick it on a clothespin. I like to put the same letter on both sides of the clothespin.

Call out a spelling word and instruct the child to spell the word correctly by placing each letter/clothespin in order. Once she spells the word correctly, have her "sound out" the word.  This activity is good for visual scanning, spelling, finger strengthening and eye-hand coordination.

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Motor Planning Balloon Games: Have Some Fun!!!

Suspend a balloon from the ceiling or a doorframe using a long piece of string. Have your child hit the ball while having her say or sing the A-B-C’s or while counting. For example, A- hit the balloon, B- hit the balloon, etc. You can also make this more difficult by removing the string, and having her keep the balloon in the air as long a possible by hitting it while saying the A-B-C’s. Can she get all the way through the alphabet and keep the balloon in the air? This is also a fun activity for practicing spelling words!

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Building Blocks Make a Wonderful Therapy Tool!

Are you looking for inexpensive items to include in your therapy "bag of goodies?"  Are you a parent that is tired of spending the BIG bucks on therapy equipment and supplies for your child? Well, if you have $20.00 to spend, I have a recommendation for you!  This 100-piece wooden block set is available on Amazon for $18.95, and it is one of my favorite therapy "tools."

Basic building blocks are a dream come true to an occupational therapist! Here is a list of block activities and the skills each activity addresses:

• Copy the Design- Build a block design that is a "just right challenge" for your child to copy. This activity addresses grasp and release skills, eye-hand coordination, and visual perceptual skills. It's also a wonderful way to learn about colors and shapes.
• Build a Tower- Stacking block to make the tallest tower possible is a fun activity for all children. This task addresses eye-hand coordination, skilled release and placement, and visual motor skills.
• Count Down- When stacking the blocks, be sure to count each one as it's placed to work on those math skills!
• Race Time- Time your child while stacking the blocks or building a particular structure. He'll have fun racing to beat "his time." Working against the clock will address your child's motor planning skills and coordination.
• Tunnel Time- Make several tunnels using the blocks, then practice rolling a marble through the tunnels without "bumping" the blocks. This activity is also good for motor control and planning, and it's will challenge her spatial skills.

So click HERE to order your set of blocks and start having fun!!!

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Activity for Bilateral Skills and Visual Perception!

As a therapist, I frequently work with children on bilateral upper extremity skills. It’s important for a child to learn to stabilize an object or container while performing an activity with the opposite hand. This is a simple, inexpensive activity that addresses bilateral skills and visual perception. When the child is required to copy a pattern, this addresses design copy and color discrimination.

 

All that is needed for this activity are 2 dowels (found at a hardware or craft store) and mini-terry cloth covered ponytail holders (These can be purchased HERE on Amazon). For the child who has difficulty with the task, the activity can be adapted by using a paper towel or toilet paper roll and larger ponytail holders or scrunchies.

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Retro Baby Wins Award!!!!

My parenting book, "Retro Baby" wins a gold!!!!

"The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, which include fifty-five categories recognizing excellence in book editorial and design, are regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers.

The Awards are administered by IBPA, with help from over 160 book publishing professionals including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers, and editors. The Benjamin Franklin Awards are unique in that the entrants receive direct feedback on their titles. The actual judging forms are returned to all participating publishers.

Prestige as a publisher is one of the many benefits of being named as a winner of this distinguished award. In addition, Gold winners receive an engraved crystal trophy."
Source: http://ibpabenjaminfranklinawards.com