No Child Left Behind

US Congress has yet to make updates to the NCLB put in place early in Bush's presidency. Here is a recap of the negatives and positives of it:

Foundations and Current Issues of Early Childhood Education/Chapter 6/6.1 - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

I hope that the replacement will improve services for infants/toddlers in early intervention (EI/ECI) programs as well as enhance the education of school-aged children. Until then some of the states are using a "quick fix" with waivers allowed by the present Obama administration.

I think it is important to write your congressman with any input that you may have on this very important topic...children are the future!

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

I love fruit & now that it's summer, I am eating lots more than usual. I've been trying to buy organic fruits especially the ones that tend to have many pesticides. I stumbled upon this website which lists the "worst" fruits & veggies in terms of pesticides and lists out the top "clean" fruits & veggies:

Executive Summary | EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org

I have a favorite from the "worst" list, and that's strawberries...guess I definitely need to buy the organic berries. I have a second favorite which is on the "clean" list, and that's onion, but I feel okay about buying regular onions since they are not loaded with pesticides.

So many of the children with special needs are even more sensitive to pesticides and other chemicals than the rest of us, so I think it is especially important for their diet to be "clean"!

Resources on Cerebral Palsy

Whether you are a therapist or parent of a child with cerebral palsy (CP), you know that you can never have too many resources! I stumbled upon a site recently, that I thought had good information and resources: About MyChild™ • MyChild™

Another good site on CP for therapists and parents  is: http://www.ndta.org/

Easter Seals & United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) are also good places to look for information. The UCP in my area even allows families to borrow adapted toys & equipment, which is great because adapted toys are not exactly cheap!

If you know of any great resources out there, let me know!

Individualizing Approaches to Daily Routines for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder

I love that there are so many books and websites that provide information on how to help children with sensory processing disorder (SPD, also known as sensory integration disorder-SID). It is a starting place for the parents, teachers, and therapists on how to better help each child. But the problem with generic advice, is that it only gets you so far. Some issues need to be resolved by individualizing the strategies for that particular child. I'm blessed to work with children in their homes for my two jobs (Early Intervention, Private Practice). This allows me to show up during the day at the time of the difficult routine. For example, if the child is having problems with dressing or feeding then I show up early in the morning. If the child is having problems at daycare at lunch or playtime then I show up mid-day. My schedule doesn't always work out perfect, but at least I am better able to help the parents and caregivers problem-solve the routine more thoroughly than when I worked at an out-patient therapy clinic. Recently, I helped a mother to adapt her toddler's dressing routine. Paying attention to the fabric of the clothing, background noise/distractions, and giving him some choice of shirts, socks, and pants helped reduce his tantrums.The suggestions were simple, but made a big difference! Mealtime is a particular routine that needs to be observed by the therapist. The height of the chair, fabric of the cushions, type of utensils and cups, and the sensory input of the environment can make a big difference in the quality of eating and the quantity of food eaten. If the child is disorganized due to things going on nearby (TV too loud, smells over-whelming, etc.), then he may throw a tantrum before the meal has even begun! I do work on oral-motor skills with my clients, yet it is amazing how working on the sensory qualities of the meal routine can impact the child too. If you have a child who goes to a clinic for therapy, I encourage you to look into having the therapist come for at least one home therapy visit or for you to video record the difficult routine. I enjoy analyzing video especially since I can go back to watch it repeatedly. I would love to hear of some of your ideas that have helped you to figure out solutions to difficult daily routines with your child with SPD.

ZERO TO THREE Podcast Series on Early Childhood Development

These days it seems like there isn't enough time to do all of the reading on a variety of topics that I want to do. So, I often listen to podcasts while en route to-from work or while on an airplane. If you are wanting to know more about early childhood development, try this link from "Zero to Three" that has podcasts and resources:

ZERO TO THREE: Little Kids, Big Questions: A ZERO TO THREE Podcast Series on Early Childhood Development

I thought the "Turning On or Tuning Out: The Influence of Media on Young Children’s Development" Featuring Ellen Wartella, Ph.D. had good information in it.

disAbility Sports Training and Athletic Competition

It's always nice to stay active in sports, but for parents of children with disabilities it's not as easy as signing up just anywhere! The following link provides a long list of various links for adapted sports:

disAbility Sports Training and Athletic Competition

Play ball!

Therapists Consulting with School & Daycare Staff

It seems this year has been extra crazy and busy, which means I haven't blogged near as much as I did the previous two years...oh well, if life even slows down a bit, then I'll get back to blogging more. Ironically, I don't watch television very often or do other things that you would think should take me away from my blogging, yet somehow the days and evenings fly by!

In addition to me working part-time for an early intervention program in which I work in homes, daycares, and in the community with children ages birth to three years with special needs, I also work part-time for myself. I see a few children on a weekly basis as well as conducting consultations and evaluations for a local school district (not the one I work for ECI or the one my daughter attends). So, this year I have learned a lot about billing insurance companies, facilities, and Medicaid...lots of lessons have been learned! But the biggest thing that I've enjoyed doing this year (besides being a Mom of two children and a wife) is providing consultative services.

Consultations are really important and that is why most school occupational therapists spend most of their time doing that versus direct services. Because the therapist is only around a child a small part of the week (or for some kids even less), and the parents, teachers, or daycare staff are around them for the majority of the time, then doesn't it make sense to teach them a few simple strategies that can make a difference in that child's life. Some of the suggestions can be as simple as putting the child at a table that faces a less "busy" area and therefore is less distracting so the child can remain seated and do his "work". Ideas may also be as simple as rewording requests, keeping instructions short and simple, using a picture schedule system, or making sure the table/chair is at the appropriate height which provides better support for handwriting and focusing.

Consultative services doesn't mean that the child doesn't also need direct therapy, it just means that there may be adaptations to the environment that could make a functional difference. It might also mean that teaching the adults to interact differently with the child could make a difference. For example, for a child who transitions poorly between activities at a daycare one suggestion may be to give him a one minute verbal update of what will be coming next. Predictability often lessens anxiety in children with developmental disabilities, especially the children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

I've learned through the years to not get all of my "therapy kicks" out of directly interacting or touching the child. When I was first out of college, I wouldn't have dreamed that I could help out a five month old with Down Syndrom so much unless I was literally touching the child helping him to roll over or helping with some other motor or feeding skill. Yet, now I know that if I show the parents a few strategies for "tummy time", positioning while holding/feeding the baby, and diapering that I'm making a big, maybe even bigger difference than I am by directly working with the child. It has been a change for me not to be the one to feed the client, but to be the one guiding the parent either verbally or physically. After all, it's not "all about me"!

So, if your child gets direct services only at a clinic, then ask the therapist if she/he is willing to do a home visit at least once. Insurance may or may not pay for it, so funding could be an issue. If you can't afford to pay for the home therapy visit privately, then videotape the surroundings of your home during the daily routines that are difficult such as toothbrushing or meal times; have the therapist view it and give any suggestions on how to help that routine go smoother. Maybe the therapist will also be fine with you participating in the therapy session at the clinic so you can learn some activities to do with your child in between sessions. At the very least, get a handout individualized to your child on activities or adaptations that would be beneficial.