Therapy

"To make a difference for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities, early intervention and preschool special education must be built on respect for families and their primary role in the growth and development of children. Our mission and focus is to ensure that every child has a place in the community and the best possible chance to succeed."

Maryland State Department of Education

Disclaimer:  There is no scientific basis or evidence to support this post.  This is my opinion based on our experiences thus far.  We have had great experiences with both of our county appointed PT and OT.

Most Physicians, Therapists, and Educators agree that early intervention is crucial for the development of children with special needs. 

 From birth to age 3 the most rapid and developmentally significant changes occur in basic physical, cognitive, language, social and self-help skills that lay the foundation for future progress. Children with Down syndrome typically face delays in certain areas of development which is why Early Intervention is so highly recommended.  downsyndromealabama.org

Bridgie was evaluated by Anne Arundel County Infants and Toddlers at 8 weeks of age and began therapy shortly thereafter. In January she will 'graduate' and be placed in a county preschool setting based on her needs.  We will no longer receive in home services the day she turns three.

Therapy is a big word for what actually happens.  Through infant and toddlers a physical and or occupational therapist comes to the house and 'plays' with your child.  In the early months it is more or less a re-training of the parents mind.  Breaking down the how's and why's of your child's delays.  The PT and OT are teachers. They are not really telling you anything you don't already know but they are showing you new ways, different ways to do the same things you did with your other newborns.

As we begin our transition from Infants and Toddlers into the big and scary world of preschool for Bridgie, I have been reflecting on the value and purpose of  therapy.  

First and foremost, Love is the greatest therapy for any child.  Without love there is no real purpose or benefit of said therapy's.  In this department we were doubly blessed as both our OT and PT adore Bridgie.

Second, the parent must be a willing participant in learning about their child.  The therapist comes a couple times a month, the rest of the therapy is up to you.  Therapy sessions are as much for the child as they are for the parent to have a sounding board for the interventions they are making on a daily basis.  For me the therapists provided someone to talk to about my own ideas and interventions.

Third, therapy is purposeful play and making adjustments to the daily living and routine of the child.  Anyone with children knows you cannot force a child under three to do anything.  Therefore, therapy needs to be creative.  It's as simple as moving favorite objects for your child to chase to as complicated as teaching your child to use a straw, by cutting the straw, taping it to the cup, or manually adjusting the flow with your fingers.  Drinking from a straw is a great oral motor activity used to strengthen muscles typically used for speech and also for children who have tongue protrusion.  Tongue protrusion can interfere with drinking, eating, and speech.  Use of a straw requires retraction of the tongue which is a great exercise for those with protrusion.

We've come a long way over a long time.

These are my favorite straw cups as they are very rigid and she cannot pull the straw out of the top.

YET.

In addition to finding the right cup and straw, the right technique, and lots of practice we had to find the right consistency.  We have used a smoothie and are slowly making it thinner and thinner so that she has to work harder to keep it in her mouth and swallow.  The faster the flow (i.e. the thinner the liquid) the less control Miss Bridgie has.

Our favorite smoothie ingredients.

For more information of oral motor exercises and straw therapy check out the Speech Mama link below:

http://www.thespeechmama.com/2012/04/04/how-to-teach-straw-drinking-to-children-with-down-syndrome/

As an aside, constipation seems to be prevalent in many children with Down syndrome, perhaps due to low muscle tone in the digestive tract.  At any rate it is a battle for us and we have tried many things.  Miralax being the go to plan of action from our doctor, I wanted to find something more natural and came across fruit-eze.  Only available online, to my knowledge, it is ground prunes, dates, raisins, and prune juice.  We use it in smoothies and oatmeal on a daily basis.  It helps tremendously but if we miss a dose or doses things get bad quickly.

Back to Therapy.

Fourth, there is no substitute for examples of how to do things like walking, talking, playing, and dancing.

Meet Bridgie's best therapists:

Dancing on the sloped driveway!

Perfect for balance, depth perception, and stability control.

Genius.

Crazy Hot Rodder Racing.

Running on a hard surface, in a zig-zag pattern.

Way to raise the bar, Eoin!

Making mud pies.

Digging, pouring, filling, and scooping.

Fun fine motor and creativity.

Fun on the farm!

Fun textures, uneven walking surfaces, climbing, and squatting.

Not to mention all of the things and animals and people to talk about and to. 

Erin and Eoin's constant chatter are great examples of speech.

Incessant, but great none the less.

In conclusion, therapy and early  intervention are great resources and tools and I have loved our therapists and experiences but there is  no substitute for a safe and loving family environment.

And if you see us at the park, I am probably doing 'therapy' there too. 

Great kid size steps for learning.

Happy Fall Y'all.