New Year's Resolutions

Does your family make a point to have New Year’s resolutions each year? The beginning of a year can be a great time to revisit old goals and create new goals that can help children to grow in various different ways; much like the goals that kiddos in therapy have. Here are some tips on how you and your child can create New Year’s resolutions that are kid friendly.

• Talk with your child and discuss what goals they might like to achieve. For some kids, they might want to improve their reading skills and would like to have a goal of reading one book or chapter a day or trying new foods, but for others their goals might be a physical accomplishment that they would like to achieve. Remember to start with small goals so children won’t be overwhelmed by the aspect of working towards achieving their goal.
• Have your child choose and write their goal down and post it somewhere that it is visible. Hang it on the fridge, or in another location where it will be looked at daily.
• Be supportive and encouraging of your child’s effort to accomplish their goal. If they miss a day or two, tell them that is alright and that they can still work towards accomplishing their goal. Tell them how great you think they are doing, and set up some sort of reward for when they reach their goal.
• Set resolutions for yourself and post them next to your child’s. This can be a conversation point by being able to discuss with your child what is working to achieve the goals and what isn't working, as well as how you and your child are feeling about the goals that have been set. By doing this you are also helping your child learn to keep someone else accountable.  

By setting New Year's resolutions with your children, not only will it give them something to work forward to, but it will also give them the opportunity to build valuable life skills. Are you unsure if the goals your child picked out are good goals for them to have, or are looking for some suggestions of goals? Talk with your child's therapist at PTP to see what they might recommend for your child. 

Christmas Gifts

It is that time of year again where we start searching for the perfect Christmas gift for our loved ones. Our therapists have put together lists of gifts that they recommend for children that will help them to grow through play. Most of these gifts you can find at area stores such as Target or Wal-Mart.

OT Fine Motor Gifts

• Coloring Books and Crafts
• Cootie Game
• Hi-Ho Cherrio
• Lacing Cards
• Mancala
• Pick-Up Sticks

Speech Gifts

• Barnyard Bingo
• Candyland - The shapes, colors and matching all provide talking points for your child to interact with.
• Guess Who?
• HeadBandz
• Rory's Story Cubes - www.storycubes.com
• Uno Moo
• Zingo

PT Gross Motor Gifts

• Animal Scramble
• Balance Board
• Hopscotch - mats or draw outside
• Hula Hoop
• Jump Rope
• Twister

These are just a few ideas on what you could get your child for Christmas. For an extended list visit our Fargo office where you can pick up a sheet or two and take them home with you. We also have lists that are broken into age groups as well. If you have any questions on gift ideas or would like an electronic list, our therapists will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!

Traditions

The holidays bring along with them the time of year where families come together and participate in traditions. These traditions help to define the memories that a child has throughout the years. From a meal that is prepared for the holidays to an activity that we participate in, when it comes to the holidays, these traditions are important. Especially to a child with special needs that struggles with change.

There are different traditions that you can put into place to help your child feel at ease during the holiday season. Here are some things that you can try to help your child recognize each holiday as they come and go every year.

• Give your child a section of your Christmas tree to decorate or ask them which ornaments are their favorites and place those on the front of the tree so your child can enjoy them.

• Find alternative decorations that your child can use to decorate their room or a space in your house. One option for alternative decorations is the holiday themed ones that are intended for bulletin boards. These can be attached to a wall and your child might have fun designing and decorating their own space.

• Include your child in the planning of events that are going to happen. By explaining what will happen will help them to understand what is going on at the event and will help keep them from being overwhelmed.

• Create a “safe space” room for your child with special needs where nothing in the room has changed. Explain to your child that if they need to get away for a break they can go to the room for one.

• Have a holiday calendar. The calendar outlines the events for the holidays and you and your child can decorate the calendar. By having the calendar handy, your child will have a better understanding of what will be different from their normal routine throughout the holidays.

By implementing traditions into your holiday routine that will help your child be at ease throughout everything going on, not only will they become great memories for you and your family, but they will help the entire holiday season go smoothly.

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Pediatric Therapy Partners!

Sheknows.com
FriendshipCircle.org
Care.com
Psychcentral.com

Bismarck Office Coming Soon

As residents of the Fargo-Moorhead area have seen, our Fargo facility is currently undergoing a major expansion.  This project should be completed in late fall and will better allow us to serve clients with expanded treatment areas.  Our sister company, Early Intervention Partners, will be moved on site as well. 

Along with the changes in Fargo, we are also excited to announce that we will be opening a facility in Bismarck in August, 2013.  Pediatric Therapy Partners will be located at 4501 Coleman Street North - Suite #103 Bismarck, North Dakota 58503.  The telephone number for this location is 701-751-6336. Our facility will provide Occupational, Physical, and Speech-Language Therapy for the pediatric population.  Services will be provided in our facility, home environments and daycares.  Therapy offered outside of a clinical setting is something that will be new to the Bismarck-Mandan area and we hope this will make therapy decisions much easier for families. 

Pediatric Therapy Partners has over 30 therapists in physical, occupational and speech therapy who work with infants and children through adolescents. We provide therapy services both in the home and in our pediatric therapy clinic located in south Fargo. Our therapists have experience in numerous areas of pediatric care, including inpatient/outpatient care, PICU, NICU, Early Intervention, and school settings.  Our therapists believe in providing services in the child’s most natural environment whenever possible.

Pediatric Therapy Partners was founded in 2005 to fill a need in the community for quality, coordinated, home-based therapy services for special needs children in the Fargo-Moorhead area. While keeping an emphasis on high quality care, Pediatric Therapy Partners has grown to become the largest provider of pediatric therapy services in the region. As well as providing outpatient therapy services, other programming is available to meet more specific needs that your child may have.

With these expansions, Pediatric Therapy Partners continues to reach further to help your child laugh, love, and live life to its fullest!

Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness Month

Join others this July in spreading the word about National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness Month.

 Children born with cleft lip, cleft palate or craniofacial disorders encounter health conditions that affect both structure and function of a their head and face (CDC). Each year, numerous infants are born with a cleft lip.  Many are born with a cleft palate as well. 

 According to the Cleft Palate Foundation, a cleft lip is a separation of the two sides of a lip, whereas a cleft palate is an opening in the roof of the mouth in which two sides did not fuse during development. These congenital defects occur very early in pregnancy, often due to genetics and environmental factors.

Treatments vary depending on the severity of the defect. Frequently, a team of medical, surgical, dental and other health professionals work to ensure all developmental and medical needs are met. Additional support services such as speech therapy may be beneficial.  Speech therapists at Pediatric Therapy Partners, for example, may practice oral-motor skills, feeding, language skills, and other rehabilitation services that can help support a child’s plan for short-term or long-term goals.  

 Janette Venaas-Gilbraith, Speech Coordinator and owner at Pediatric Therapy Partners, explains how therapy can improve skills throughout a child’s life.

 “It is essential for children with repaired clefts to initiate direct speech and language services to increase the child's sensation where the clefts have been repaired to increase blood flow, feeling, and movement. The earlier the child initiates therapy for the repaired cleft areas and for craniofacial anomalies the better the outcomes for the child has to improve his speech, language, and feeding skills,” Janette said.

The Speech-Language staff at Pediatric Therapy Partners has been trained in specific strategies to better the child's outcomes with clefts and craniofacial anomalies.  If you have concerns about your child, please call or visit our website at www.pediatrictherapypartners.com for more information.

RESOURCES:

http://www.acpa-cpf.org/

http://www.nccapm.org

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/features/craniofacialdefects.html

 

 

 

Aquatic Therapy

Hoping to take the family to the lake or pool this summer?  Water can be a great medium for therapy.

Aquatic or Pool Therapy can be a great alternative for children to perform activities that they may not be able to on land.  When the correct combination of land and water therapy is used, it can be incorporated into all therapy disciplines, including Occupational, Physical, and Speech-Language Therapy.  We are proud to offer an Aquatic Therapy Program here at PTP, led by Shannon Buckmier, PT.  According to Shannon, the potential benefits of aquatic therapy are many.

“Aquatic Therapy provides great sensory input as the water provides gentle movement and pressure.  It can provide a great supplement to traditional “land based” therapies.” Shannon also states that “children can gain strength and range of motion as children may be able to move in the pool in ways they could not on land.”  

The pool is a great place to work on language skills, social skills, behavior issues, play skills and cognitive skills.  Working in the water helps to improve endurance and respiratory function.  Plus it is just plain fun!

Children that have gross motor delays, Autism Spectrum Disorders, sensory processing disorders, Down Syndrome, Celebral Palsy, and any other phsyical, sensory, or developmental delays are great candidates for Aquatic Therapy.  Aquatic Therapy also provides a great environment for post-surgical rehabilitation as it can help increase range of motion and decrease pain associated with movement after surgical events.

If you feel Aquatic Therapy is right for your child, or if you have more questions, please visit our website or call today to set up an evaluation.  

RESOURCES:
http://angelfishtherapy.com/aquatic-therapy 
http://www.aquatictherapyinfo.com/
http://www.aquaticnet.com/index.htm
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org

National Safety Month

It may not feel like it but summer is here!

June is a great month to enjoy the outdoors and is a good time to encourage safe behaviors during National Safety Month.  Whether planning a vacation or playing in the front yard, it is important to stay safe. 

The National Safety Council (NSC) provides some valuable safety measures families can take to prevent injuries. 

If siblings or neighborhood kids are running around the house or in the yard, help prevent tripping or falling by moving obstacles or securing rugs. In the home, find storage for the hazardous materials and locate all danger zones to avoid poisoning, burns, and choking. Help encourage your family, friends and neighbors to get involved by setting examples in their own home.

Going for a dip in the swimming pool or spending a day at the lake? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers some tips on how to keep your family safe near water. To prevent sunburn, have lightweight pants & shirts as well as hats within reach to provide shade. Sunscreen should be applied throughout the day if exposed to the sun for long periods of time and reapplied if swimming. Avoid overexposure to the sun during the peak hours, approximately 10am-4pm.

Whether it’s swimming at a pool or in open water, always have an adult nearby.  Inform your family of water safety, including knowing where to find rescue equipment and practicing the buddy system. Taking the family boating? Test life jackets for the proper fit, based on the child’s weight.

Jumping on the trampoline? Although this can be a fun activity for the neighborhood, the AAP states that there is a great risk of head and neck injuries, sprains or strains, fractures, scrapes and bruises. To help ensure safety, designate an adult to supervise at all times. Check equipment often and repair or replace as needed.

If your child is exercising or spending long hours outdoors, be aware of the signs of heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps and know where to seek medical attention. These symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation, or staggering.

With these resources in mind, you can keep your kids safe while still enjoying the summer.

 

 

RESOURCES:

http://www.nsc.org/safety_home/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Pages/HomeandRecreationalSafety.aspx
http://www.healthychildren.org