MoveAbout

Author: Aremi Blik, Paediatric Occupational Therapist
2 min read

Having legible handwriting is not always as easy as it seems. It’s not just about forming the letters and writing on the line. There are many parts of our body that we need to work together in order for our handwriting to be neat and legible. Keep reading to discover more about how our core strength is related to how we write.

One important factor in handwriting

There are many aspects involved in handwriting, but one of the most important areas is your core! While handwriting involves the use of the small muscles in our hands, wrists, and fingers, we also depend on other muscle groups in our body, like our shoulder girdle and core. These muscles help set us up to have good precision, motor control, fluency, and endurance for writing.

In order to write, you need a stable base of support from your core muscles. Did you know that your core muscles go from your pelvis all the way up to your mouth? Activities such as crawling, sit-ups, or animal walks can help strengthen your core. You can add blowing bubbles, whistles, or balloons to help activate these muscles even further. Frequently engaging in these activities will help build a stable base for your arm to move efficiently for handwriting.

Your shoulder stability and strength are also important. Activities such as pushing, pulling, and weight-bearing through your arms will help build the stability and strength required to make fine and precise movements for handwriting. These activities might include tug-of-war, wrestling with a friend or caregiver, or wheelbarrow walks.

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If you feel like your child is struggling with their handwriting, talk to an occupational therapist for further guidance. Contact MoveAbout today. Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more tips and tricks on how to improve handwriting.

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Author: Nisha Nair, Paediatric Occupational Therapist
3 min read

Has your therapist offered you a telehealth session, but you’re not exactly sure how it will benefit you? Here is the what, why, and how MoveAbout engage with telehealth sessions to create consistency of therapy, and provide you with the best service possible.

Here at MoveAbout we take a 3-pronged approach when we work with our families: direct treatment, consultation, and education. 

It is an approach that we love and families have really enjoyed as well! While Covid-19 has had its negative impacts, the benefits of telehealth have come to light. It has provided a platform to do our consultation, education, and even direct treatment sessions with our families. While telehealth is something that is emerging in the medical field, there is value for both the therapist and families. Here are just some of the options we can do during a telehealth session:

Communication between parents and therapists

It can be hard to find the time to discuss any challenges or successes that have occurred through the week. While handovers after sessions can be helpful to give a brief overview of the week, some topics require more time to discuss. Even during our handover after sessions, we are super mindful about what we discuss in front of children. Therefore, telehealth sessions have been a great platform to provide a safe space for parents to share any relevant updates regarding their children. This can also be really helpful for therapists to ensure they are able to give you their undivided attention to help problem solve or develop strategies. 

Strategy sessions

Telehealth sessions can also be used as a way to problem-solve and develop strategies. If a challenge arises with your child, telehealth can be a great way to discuss what is happening. It can be an amazing tool to discuss potential strategies, such as developing a sensory diet or ways to adjust challenging aspects of daily life. 

Meeting with other professionals and service providers

A multidisciplinary approach to therapy is very powerful, whether it is meetings with other practitioners or meetings between school teachers and learning support staff. Not only has telehealth been extremely successful with facilitating communication between all services and professions, but it has also been helpful to allow for consistency within therapies and supports.

Direct treatment

If your child has a sniffle but is still super keen for OT, telehealth can most definitely be used as a session! Through the craziness of Covid-19, we as therapists have found ways to be super creative and use the home environment as a therapeutic tool. Telehealth sessions have been great to also assist in developing home programs for families to ensure there can be continuity of therapeutic activities at home!

There are so many ways telehealth can be helpful for families. It is a therapeutic and beneficial option that we encourage at MoveAbout for continual holistic care. Whether it is through the screen or face to face, we will always strive to support the people who support the kids. 

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Are you needing occupational therapy services for your child? If so, contact MoveAbout today and chat with our wonderful admin teams about your needs. Also, check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information about what we offer at MoveAbout.

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Author: Sophie Robertson, Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Clinical Manager
4 min read

Do you often find that your child shuts off or has a meltdown when you say the word “no”? Do you notice that they keep going with their task when you ask them to “stop”? Words such as these can have a feeling of finality associated with them, and a developing brain can have difficulties processing the words or instructions that follow.”

Simply changing the words “no”, “stop” and “but”, to “yes”, “pause” and “and”, can have a big impact on how your child perceives and processes instructions. This change may make these often challenging times easier and calmer. Keep on reading to find out why.

Begin with “YES”, avoid “NO”

Saying “yes” first tells your child that you hear what they are saying and acknowledging their request or want. Saying “no” as your first word in your response may make it feel like they will never get what they are asking for. You may be saying “No, not yet, we can have ice cream after dinner” however they may only hear “no” and not process the rest of the sentence. They will only hear “No, blah blah blah”. Instead, try shifting the way in which you respond by saying “yes” first… “Yes, I love ice cream too. We can have some together when we finish eating dinner”. Your boundary hasn’t changed as both responses are allowing the child to have ice cream after dinner, however one is likely to cause your child to shut off and potentially meltdown, the other is allowing their minds to remain open and more likely to have a positive outcome.

Use “PAUSE”, avoid “STOP”

Use “AND”, avoid “BUT”

Has anyone ever said to you “You worked hard on this project, but…”? You hear the word and immediately feel negative about what you’ve achieved. What happens if we take the word ‘but’ out? “You worked really hard on this project, and I think we need to spend a bit more time figuring out this section tomorrow”. The shift between “and” and “but” creates a more positive spin on challenging situations. Your child is more likely to remember and associate positive memories to similar situations. Using “but” tends to negate all that came before it, and anything before it becomes unimportant and forgotten. A phrase we use a lot in sessions with our clients is “It is tricky AND you can do it”. Why don’t you try it the next time your child is having difficulty completing a task.

So, here is a challenge for you. Try saying “YES” instead of “NO” over the next week and see what comes of it. Is your child more receptive to what you say? Will you notice less meltdowns? For more information on ways to manage meltdowns, visit MoveAbout’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

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If you feel like your child is struggling to with regulation, communication, or social skills, talk to your paediatrician or an occupational therapist for further guidance. Contact MoveAbout today.

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