it does do something! :)

does it actually do something ? or is it just nothing!!

[anshuz]

Therapy in times of Corona

Therapy in times of Corona

In the times and on the terms of Corona, therapy had to adapt and how!

Tele-therapy has changed the mechanisms of providing therapy in the pediatric field. A practice much prevalent in our parts of the world was provision of regular therapies for long periods working on several goals at one time. This long time tested method has worked extremely well for us for times immemorial.

The present…

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[anshuz]

NIOS

NIOS - Currently an estimated 1.90 million students are enrolled in its secondary and senior secondary distance learning programmes supported by a large number of accredited institutions nationwide.

A common myth around National Institute for Open Schooling or NIOS is that it is for students who have not cleared the 9th or the 11th grade in a regular schooling program.

Or that the syllabus is sub par the regular CBSE or ICSE boards.

Or that it is not credited equal to the other national boards.

While all these myths can not be farther from the truth. Currently an estimated 1.90 million stude…

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[anshuz]

Neuro plasticity and Early Intervention

Neuro plasticity and Early Intervention

Neuroplasticity refers to the change that happens in the brain when we interact with the environment. From the time the brain begins to develop in utero until the day we die, the connections among the cells in our brains reorganize in response to our changing needs. This dynamic process allows us to learn from and adapt to different experiences.

Structural neuroplasticity, is where the strength…

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[anshuz]

Interoception

Interoception the 8th sensory system

Interoception is the eight sensory system, it lets us feel the insides of our bodies. It could be a feeling of lethargy or eyes drooping when sleepy or a feeling of a full bladder or feeling full while eating or feeling.  Most children with challenges in sensory processing challenges have  difficulties recognising their interoception.

For children to be understand and appropriately self regulate…

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[anshuz]

Foot positions

Foot positions - how majority of children irrespective of diagnosis have irregularities in the foot.

The foot is some days in basic NDT course and some bullet points in the Sensory course. The foot is easily one of the more universally affected in most children with special needs with changes ranging from all a pronated foot to toe walking. Since the feet form our base of support, bio mechanically they end up affecting everything above them in the  chain that forms while standing walking.

A…

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[anshuz]

Regulation Regulation!

  Joy: You remember how she used to stick her tongue out when she was colouring? I could listen to her stories, all day. I just wanted Riley to be happy…

Sadness: Wait Joy! You’ll get lost in there. Joy: Think positive! Sadness: Okay… I’m positive that you’ll get lost in there!

Fear: Maybe it was a bear? Disgust: There are no bears in San Francisco. Anger: I saw a really hairy guy, he…

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[anshuz]

Making the most of Netflix in the lockdown for special needs

In the month of Autism and Occupational Therapy – April and the year of the Corona – 2020, who better than Netflix to the rescue. Here’s compiling a list of my favorites for the special needs community and parenting on Netflix.

  Babies  ( a Series) – my absolute favorite! Radical thinking scientists and researchers force you to rethink normal development. Talking of everything from movement to…

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[anshuz]

Occupational Therapy Month

AOTA says,

Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.

Common…

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[anshuz]

Limitless

Limitless is the ability children are born with and limitless is their potential to amaze adults around them.

It was the summer of 2018 that we started working with this 8 year old kid on the spectrum. He was very sharp and very anxious. There was little he would forget. The parents sought help for life skills – buttoning and being able to self dress. He had a lot of challenges with gravitational insecurity.

He was always very high on the arousal graph. We were so certain of his potential, which was…

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[anshuz]

Seating

Seating in children with Cerebral Palsy

The way we sit effects our moods, how we interact with the environment and how we communicate. Being able to sit independent is a very important physical milestone which at many times forms the precursor for learning, speech and academics.

Because most children with Neuromotor challenges get spastic/ show tightness in response to movement against gravity, seating adaptations coupled with therapy…

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[anshuz]

using the two together

Bilateral coordination  (BLC) refers to the ability to coordinate both sides of the body at the same time in a controlled and organized manner; for example, stabilizing paper with one hand while holding the pencil to write with the other.  Good bilateral integration/ coordination is an indicator that both sides of the brain are communicating effectively and sharing information.

Developmentally…

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[anshuz]

The hamstring.

30 days is a very long time for children especially those with Neuro motor (NM) challenges like Cerebral Palsy to maintain function, both children and adults with abnormal motor patterns are very susceptible to developing tightness and contractures in certain joints.

We have two types of muscles in our body – fast acting and slow acting. The slow acting are the postural muscles like the core and…

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[anshuz]

In the service of therapy

In the service of therapy

All the while I was comfortably employed, I could hardly imagine the perils of self employed or the absolute highs or the unreserved lows. It takes courage from every fibre of the being to quit the shelters of a full time job and self belief bordering the limits of being delusional. Being the book worm that I am, I started reading stories of self made entrepreneurs much before I could ever fathom…

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[anshuz]

The Sense of Neuromotor challenges

The Sense of Neuromotor challenges

The Sloth is native to America and is the slowest animal in the world. On an average, it moves only up to 0.003 miles an hour meaning that it cannot move more than 100 feet a day. For all practical purposes, it lives in the same place all its life.

  In the sensory world, an Occupational Therapist would call this aversion to movement.

Both aversion to movement and gravitational insecurity are…

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[anshuz]

Weight Bearing in Cerebral Palsy

Weight Bearing in Cerebral Palsy

Standing has several physiological benefits. However, in turn again, these benefits can combine to improve an individual’s ability to carry out every day activities (function).

Several research articles have reported standing helped individuals with daily home activities and self-care activities. In addition, the review identifies research which indicates improved shoulder and arm positioning,…

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[anshuz]

Skills for the job of living...

Skills for the job of living…

I am an Occupational Therapist more by accident than design. Working with children was a natural decision for me. I could have never imagined a desk job with fixed hours and no play.

Very few would ever envisage what’s in store once we graduate from school. All my earworms the last 10 years have only been children’s songs and rhymes. A lot of YouTube suggestions are – new versions of – “incy…

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[anshuz]

  The first time that I had gone into the pool during my NDT certification, I had thought of all the fun that the children could have in pool while exercising. Water is vital, it’s life giving, snatching and it’s loads of fun.It facilitates muscle relaxation and increases peripheral circulation; stimulates body awareness, balance, and trunk stability.

  Water helps children with spasticity normalise tone and takes loads off their joints. Makes it easier to move and experience the muscle being recruited. For children with sensory processing challenges, water is extremely organizing – with plenty of constant tactile and proprioceptive input  

The benefits of working in the water are many..

VISCOSITY OF WATER: provides resistance for strength training

THE REDUCTION OF GRAVITATIONAL FORCES: in the pool allows to stand and begin gait training and strengthening exercises without causing further damage to healing structures

BUOYANCY: in warm water results in decreased pain sensitivity and supports the joints and one’s body weight. It reduces gravitational pull and lessens compressive forces overall.

Besides these, water as an exercise medium is attractive, fun and least ( worklike).

A frequent query that parents bring forth is – would they fall sick in water, would he not drink water? ……………

Breathing while partially submerged in water is resistive and thus strengthening for the lung. Mobility in the ribs also helps clear mucus from the lungs.

    Aquatic exercise is a great form of working out and therapy and is recommended by many professionals. I try to combine it with activities on land, or weight-bearing forms of strength training and exercise.

Paani, paani re…………… The first time that I had gone into the pool during my NDT certification, I had thought of all the fun that the children could have in pool while exercising.