The main focus of today was to begin "weaning" us off of Ms. Renee. Although she worked with Turbo, she really wanted me to understand that pretty much anything in our house could be used to help him with his therapy, just as long as I keep in mind what it is that I want him to work on, and for whatever reason.
This morning, he played on the zip line and landed into the ball pit. Although this in of itself offers a lot of strengthening in his hands, it also just provides him a way to get the "jitters" out. Before each "zip", they worked on "his brain".
She explained to him that everyone has "2 brains". There is a BIG brain and a little brain. The Big Brain is what helps him to think. The little brain is what helps him to feel.
Helping him with examples, she explained what happens during each situation. Take eating for instance. Many time, when he looks at the food on the plate, he will turn and run because his little brain says, "YOU WON'T LIKE THAT!" "THAT WILL TASTE YUCKY!" (tells him of his feelings). This has been habituated enough that he no longer listens to his BIG brain. His big brain will tell him, "Try it!" "It won't take long to eat." "It won't hurt you." Telling him reality, truth, or just plain direction/command.
The bubbles are his BIG brain telling him things that will help him get through a specific instance where it is hard for him to "gain control".
Take a look at his worksheet.
She also brought out Mr. Mouth and Pop-Up Pirate. These games, in of themselves aren't therapeutic by any means, but HOW she played with them were. For Mr. Mouth, he laid in the prone position (on his tummy) on a scooter board that forced him into extension which will strengthen his core, which will further his ability to sit still because he core muscles won't become fatigued as quickly. The same thing with Pop-Up Pirate. Only this time, he laid in prone in the square swing while she slowly swung him back and forth. He was to pick up the colored swords and extend out his arms after looking down, then UP to find the barrel to put the sword into the barrel to make the pirate pop up and out. She then did the wheelbarrow trick with the pirate game, having him walk back and forth on his hands and then inserting the swords into the barrel. She said that using an exercise ball would accomplish the same things, if I was busy with Tank. I thought to myself, "huh, lady, you haven't been in our home yet...an exercise has no business there." But, I will give it a try.
As we near the end of therapy, she is imparting wisdom tidbits that will help us down the road. Ultimately, it comes down to different parenting, mothering, and playing. No longer am I able to say, GO TO YOUR ROOM AND PLAY, I need to have a plan. No longer am I able to justify getting JUST a toy, because I should think through how that toy can be played with to further his therapy if I want, in anyway, this therapy to become a good investment. SHEESH! This mothering/teaching/therapist things is tough gig!
No comments:
Post a Comment