Back to School Series: RE-ESTABLISHING ROUTINE

It's here! School is back and everyone is excited, even parents, therapists, and educators! But, the transition back is not always so sweet. So, here are some simple tips to keep your kiddos moving and grooving back into the school routine. 

• Set expectations. Let your kids know what will change now that summer is over and school is back in session. 
• Set a bed time and don't budge! Gradually adjust to the new time 10 minutes at a time. 
• Make a visual schedule chart. Laminate the schedule or make it on a white board or chalk board so that your  kids can check off each task as they are completed. 
• Get things ready for the next day, the night before. This will help decrease the amount of chaos in the morning. 
• Allow your kids to have a say (within reason) as to what is in their lunches and what they wear (if they don't have uniforms). 
• Schedule a homework routine for the same time each night so there are no surprises. 
• Allow your kids to have some free time at night to decompress from the day to prevent burn out early. 
• Practice the new routine a couple times so everyone is on the same page. 
• Cut off tags on the inside of clothing prior to wearing to decrease defensiveness against their clothes. 
• Talk about any changes ahead of time. Surprises are not always a good thing. 
• If your child has difficulty with transitions, contact the school to ask for a private visit to walk through the school and meet the teacher without the crowd. 
• COMMUNICATE! Be sure to start off with good communication between you and the teacher. Inform the teach with both written and verbal information that may be important throughout the transition and school year.  

Next on the 'Back to School Series: Homework Havoc'!

Coming to Fiesta: The Pod

Fiesta Pediatric Therapy is excited to announce that they will be collaborating with Arizona State University Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Northern Arizona University, and Alberto Frias (creator of the pod) in a research project involving the pod bed and children with Autism. 

What is the pod? 

This pod, similar to the design of  a Skittle or M&M, will provide a multi-sensory environment with a variety of purposes. This pod will provide as a rest area for kids who need a break from their day or therapy session. The pod can change colors, play music, and vibrate to simulate a calming environment. 


Fun fact: This is the same pod that was used in 'Men in Black'!



COMING SOON! Stay posted for m0re information and news regarding the pod bed!

Back to School Series: BACKPACK AWARENESS

Summer is coming to a close and the kids are going back to school. This means a lot of things: a new routine, homework, and back packs. As a first part of our ‘Back to School Series’ we would like to help you strap up your kiddos back packs each day in the safest way possible. What we don’t like about going back to school? Heavy back packs. Here are some simple tips from the American Occupational Therapy Association to keep your kids safe and wearing back packs correctly.

• A child’s backpack should not weigh more than 10% of his or her weight. For example, a child who weighs 100 pounds should not carry a back pack heavier than 10 pounds.
• Load the heaviest items closest to the child’s back.
• Encourage your children to only bring home what is necessary for that day’s homework.
• If your child’s back pack is consistently too heavy, consider a back pack with wheels if your child’s school allows.
• Arrange items in the back pack so they do not slide around.



Do NOT wear on the arms



Do NOT let the back pack sag low






DO have your child wear his/her back pack like this!



DO Secure straps high enough so it does no hang low.

How to wear a back pack correctly…

• Wear both straps evenly on both shoulders.
• Ensure that both straps are well padded.
• Secure the straps to make sure the back pack does not hang on the lower back. This can cause increased strain on the back. The back pack should rest on the curve of the lower back, no more than 4 inches below your child’s waistline.
• Choose a back pack that is not too big for your child.

(American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2014)

Refer to the American Occupational Therapy Association website for further information! www.aota.org

Stay tuned for more on our ‘Back to School Series’! Next: ‘Back to School: Reestablishing Routine’

The 4th of July: Overcoming sensory challenges

The 4^th of July is upon us…which means fireworks and celebrations. To a lot of us this means managing loud noises, crowds of people, different foods, and different environments. Basically, this holiday presents itself with many sensory challenges for children with special needs. Here are a few tips and tricks as well as fun crafty ideas to make the most of this loud, colorful, and sensory-loaded holiday.

1. Talk about it! Discuss fireworks and what to expect for the entire weekend. 
2. Allow your child to bring a comfort item.
3. Bring headphones! This can help to deafen the sounds. OR watch from indoors or from the car. 
4. Limit foods that your child may not normally eat. 

GET CRAFTY!

Be festive and get crafty. Try one of these fun ideas that also address fine motor skills and sensory play!

• Finger painting: red, white, and blue (of course)!
• Rip up tissue paper and crumple to form a flag. 
• Sidewalk chalk! Have the kids decorate the driveway or sidewalk. 
• Bead festive necklaces or bracelets. Follow a pattern to make it more challenging. 
• Beat the heat and get out the water! 
• Make your own fireworks and with paint, glitter, crayons, and glue!

India: Behind the scenes with Beth

 From Beth's perspective: 

"As a volunteer field educator for The SPOON Foundation, I went to India to teach orphanage caregivers the most optimal feeding practices to use with special needs children.. I was in two cities Pune and Bangalore. I conducted 2-3 day seminars with practicums at 4 sites. In general the information was received well and the lead caregivers were extremely optimistic about training those in the “trenches” on the new techniques and philosophy. The most challenging feature of the project was undoing the feeding practices that had been used for years. Typically special needs children are feed on the floor in a supine position, with the caregiver positioned behind the child’s head. The spoon that is generally used is larger than a tablespoon, and the consistency of the food is pureed. This feeding technique has resulted in  decreased intake, choking, aspiration, frequent pneumonia and even death in children living without permanent homes. The rate of malnutrition of children in institutions in India is also very high. The caregivers who feed these children are typically very well intended, however, due to the number of children and the schedule of meals, they are very rushed and mechanical in the task. It is common for one caregiver to be responsible for feeding up to 5-8 children within the one designated meal hour. The resources including input from trained therapists or the availability  of appropriate adaptive equipment and seating is very limited. Subsequently children are fed in a very unsafe, unengaged manner. Observing these feeding practices was heartbreaking and truly very hard to observe. I gently guided the caregivers to adjust their positions, utilize what little seating they have and engage in responsive feeding practices.  Besides getting the proper nutrition, meal times are typically happy interactive times with family, friends or coworkers. I thoroughly enjoy a long protracted meal at the table with my family, connecting and catching up with one another. These children never have this type of experience. How incredibly sad."

                                                                      -- Beth Williamson, Clinical Director

Beth hopes to return to India by the end of the year. Stay tuned for more updates and adventures as they come.

Beat the Heat with Water!

Summer is officially here. The temperature is high and the sun is always up.

Here are a few good ways to get the kids outside while staying cool.





 
Water is fun!

Bring out the spray bottle, eye droppers, turkey baster, and squirt guns!

Set up a car wash with toy cars, or the real thing.

Draw all over the pavement with chalk, then wash it off with one of your favorite water toys.

Freeze washable paint and water together in ice cube trays to create ice cube paint. Use it to draw on paper or the pavement.
 
Find or make a water table for buckets of splashing fun!

All of these activities incorporate fine motor strengthening and coordination, and visual motor integration components. 

Play alone or bring a friend, these fun activities can encourage cooperative social play skills. 


ALWAYS remember to stay safe with....

• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat to cover the head and face
• Lots and lots of water for hydration

Beth goes to India!

We are proud to announce that our very own Clinical Director and occupational therapist, Beth Williamson, has officially embarked on her journey to India to assist the SPOON Foundation. If you recall, one of our speech language pathologists and co-founders of SPOON Foundation, Michelle Rudzinski, shared a blog (http://fiestapediatrictherapy.blogspot.com/2014/03/fiesta-shares-feeding-knowledge-overseas.html) about the purpose of SPOON in collaboration with Fiesta overseas.

 So far, Beth has been hard at work presenting lectures to caregivers in orphanages on nutrition, feeding, and positioning. The focus of her time in India is to provide training, equipment, care, and advocacy for children in the orphanages who have special needs.

She has just completed a week in Pune, India and will be moving on to an orphanage in Bangalore, India today. Stay tuned for more pictures and stories about Beth's time in India.