Starfish Therapies
Starfish Therapies Newsletter
Play Sports in September! September 2009
Volume 10
In This Issue
Starfish Updates
Just For Fun
Out and About
Sensory Processing
Silly for Sports!
Starfish Updates
starfish

San Mateo Clinic:  We have a new look and a new piece of equipment at the clinic.  Thanks to the skill's of Katie's brother we have a beautiful set of therapy stairs with both 4 and 6 inch steps and removable hand rails.  Its a great tool for teaching stair climbing skills!  For pictures of the new look in our waiting room and the stairs please visit our Facebook page.  Also we are changing the artwork on the walls to pictures of the kids we see.  If you want to see your child up on the walls please email stacy@starfishtherapies.com.
Blog:  Here are the most recent blog posts since our last newsletter.  I hope you enjoy them!
International Coverage:  We are also being featured on the Down Syndrome Centre of Ireland's website as part of their advisory panel!
Intensive Physical Therapy:
Starfish Therapies will be offering intensive physical therapy on a limited first come first serve basis at their San Mateo clinic.  To find out if your child would benefit from intensive physical therapy or to get more information please call 415-346-3853 to schedule a complementary consultation.
Quick Links...
Join Our Mailing List
Just For Fun
Hello Hanna

Hello Hanna
This delightful new company has its first kids product out on the market - Get Set Placemats.  These fun placemats will entertain and inspire your child's creativity while they eat.  There are three themes currently, Hello Me, Hello Jungle and Hello Robot.  What a great idea for children's parties, playdates, or just everyday meals!
Out and About
Exploratorium

Free SF Museums and Museum Days
The following museums are free the first Tuesday of each month:
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • De Young Museum
  • Museum of Legion of Honor
  • Cartoon Art Museum (pay what you wish)
The following museums are free the third Wednesday of each month:
  • Academy of Sciences
  • Exploratorium
The following museum is free the first Sunday of each month:
  • Asian Art Museum
The following museums are free every day they are opened:
  • Cable Car Museum
  • Wells Fargo History Museum
  • Randall Museum
  • San Francisco Fire Department Museum
Check out Travel is More Fun with Kids for Links to each of the museums for more information!

Also check out Tips for a Drama Free Visit to Any Museum.

Lastly, the Renaissance Fair in Hollister is free to kids under 12 and it runs through October 18.
Greetings!

Hello again! The fall season is just around the corner but that doesnt mean you can't get outside for some fun.  Read below to learn about Sensory Processing Disorder and to see how sports can promote your child's development.  Enjoy!
 
What is Sensory Processing Disorder?
 ball pit
 
"Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is the inability to use information received through the senses in order to function smoothly in daily life... it is an umbrella term to cover a variety of neurological disabilities."  SPD encompasses problems with modulating sensory responses (for example: over responding, under responding, or seeking a sensory experience), difficulty discriminating between sensory experiences, or even motor based sensory disorders like dyspraxia or postural disorders.
 
Sensory Modulation:
A child that is over responsive to a sensory experience will avoid certain sensations and have an exaggerated response when confronted with certain sensations.  For example, a child that is over responsive to touch may avoid certain texture clothes and foods, being dirty, or playing with things like sand or shaving cream.  This child may also avoid movements such as jumping or spinning because they provide strong vestibular (sense that provides the feeling of motion) input and may give the child anxiety about falling.  They generally keep both feet on the ground and their movement may appear rigid or uncoordinated. This child may cover their eyes in bright light, cover their ears or complain about load noises like the vacuum, and be sensitive to odors.
 
A child that is under responsive to a sensory experience may be unaware they are dirty and may not notice how things feel against their skin.  This child may lack interest in handling their toys. This child may not notice that they are falling and fail to use protective extension in order to prevent injury.  They usually require encouragement to initiate play. However, they will swing or spin for a long time without getting dizzy.  This child may also appear more alert and be able to focus better after an activity that provides increased sensory stimulation, such as jumping, spinning, or carrying a heavy object. This child may not react or notice unpleasant odors, bright lights, or loud noises and may tolerate eating very spicy foods.
 
A child that seeks sensory experiences will bump into things or purpose, rub against walls or furniture, walk on their tip toes or want bear hugs.  This child craves sensory experiences.  They will spin continuously and may not get dizzy. They are constantly moving or fidgeting.  This child tends to be a bit of a risk taker and will play more vigorously than their peers on a play ground.  This child is attracted to shinny objects and bright flickering lights, enjoys noise and loves crowded places They seek strong odors and prefer very hot and spicy foods.
 
Sensory Discrimination:
This child cannot tell where on their body they have been touched.  They tend to be awkward with fine motions of their hands and feet and have difficulty expressing changes in sensation like if something is hotter or colder or if pain is better or worse.  This child does not notice they are falling.  They may be clumsy or have difficulty positioning their body.  They have trouble grading forces for activities like writing with a pencil or kicking a ball.  This child may have difficulty judging where things are in space, have difficulty distinguishing a person speaking to them from background noise, or tell is a food is spicy, sweet, or sour.

Motor Based Sensory Processing:
A child with a postural disorder "does not want to" do it.  They may have difficulty maintaining a stable position.  They could have difficulty with weight shifting to crawl or walk, and may slouch when sitting.  They loose their balance easily and "trip on air." They have difficulty with tasks that require them to use both sides of their body symmetrically, such as, clapping, jumping, and catching a ball. They do not have a hand preference and have difficulty with tasks that require them to cross midline with a hand, foot, or even eye.  An example of this would be reading across a line on paper or using one hand to paint or write.
 
A child with dyspraxia tends to feel like they can't do the task.  They may have difficulty sequencing or ordering movements or completing multiple tasks.  They are awkward, clumsy and appear accident prone.  They tend to have a hard time motor planning tasks like skipping, marching, or rolling. Fine motor control for writing, opening packages or using utensils is also difficult.  They have difficulty tracking a moving object and drawing or copying from the black board.  They may also show signs of difficulty with oral motor skills like articulating words, holding their mouth closed, chewing, swallowing, or blowing bubbles.
 
Disclaimer:
While many children may demonstrate different sensory preference and avoidance, for children with SPD their sensory processing affects their motor function or activities of daily living.
 
For more information about Sensory Processing Disorder check out The Out-of-Sync Child.
Silly for Sports!
 kicking
Knowing the bay area, we will still have some pleasant weather ahead of us in the next couple of months.  So, get outside with your kids and enjoy it! Here are some activites to try that are easy, fun and will help promote your child's gross motor development.
 
Soccer:
Soccer is a great activity for kids.  We know that you will most likely not be able to simulate an entire soccer game so let's break it down to parts of the game you can recreate.  You can start as simple as just encouraging your child to kick a ball and have them chase after it.  It doesn't matter where the ball goes at first. Kicking promotes single leg balance, which is an important skill for more difficult tasks such as stair climbing and hopping.  Chasing the ball will get the cardiovascular system working as well.  If you want to make the task more challenging set up two objects (cones, rocks, anything you can find!) a few feet apart and encourage you child to kick the ball so it goes in between the two objects, thus simulating a goal.  You can progress the difficulty by moving the two objects closer together so the goal is smaller. Once your child is used to kicking towards a target, you can kick the ball back and forth with them.  For an older child, you can collect several cones/objects and form a line with a couple of feet in between in each cone.  Then show your child how to weave in and out of the cones while kicking the ball and keeping it close to them.  All of the above tasks are great for balance, coordination, motor planning, and overall fitness.
 
Baseball/Softball:
Similar to soccer, we can break down parts of baseball to make it easier to recreate at home or at the park.  You can start by simply playing throw/catch.  With a younger child you will probably use a medium-large sized ball and they will be using two hands to catch and throw.  This skill helps promote eye-hand coordination, visual-motor responses, and bilateral use of hands/arms.  For an older child who has already developed a hand preference, you can use a smaller ball to encourage one handed throwing and begin to introduce a glove for catching.  Batting is a more difficult skill to master.  However, it is a realistic task for kids as young as 2-3 years old.  To begin teaching this task to your child, a batting tee is very helpful.  Once they are making consistent contact with the ball on the tee, try taking it away and tossing them the ball softly and then WATCH OUT! You'll be surprised how quickly the ball comes back to you.  Tip: Begin with plastic bats and whiffle balls for you child's safety and your own.  The benfits of batting are similar to those of throwing and catching.
 
We've given you just a few examples, but any sport you can think of can most likely be broken down into smaller tasks that your child can master one by one.  For more ideas for indoor/outdoor activities and games check out Family Fun.
 
Also, don't hesitate to ask your therapist for ways to modify certain sports or activities to accomodate for any impairments your child may have or for how to make it more specific to your child's needs.
 
 
 
 
Thank you for checking in this month.  We appreciate your support!
 
Sincerely,
 
Your Friends at
Starfish Therapies