Does your child hate handwriting?

Does your child hate handwriting? Do they start whining or having a meltdown the second they have to start homework? If you notice any of these behaviors, they may be using these tactics to avoid one of the skills most important for success in a school setting. Handwriting is one of the most difficult tasks kids tackle. For starters, it requires a solid foundation in hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, visual perceptual skills, and bilateral coordination… the list goes on!

From birth, our brains are wired to help us learn spoken languages, but our brains have to learn how to combine the skills we use for handwriting from scratch. So many skills and systems have to work together to allow us to write even a single word!  You have to simultaneously use your knowledge of language, your visual system, your vestibular system (the ability to tell where your limbs are in space), the ability to cross the midline, fine motor ability, and your sense of touch and pressure with every letter you write.

When kids have difficulty performing a task they can’t avoid, they can form bad habits to help them compensate for weaker areas of development. For example, they might have an immature pencil grip, using only four fingers. While these compensatory strategies may help them in the short term, they don’t allow for proper growth and development. Your child may also put their head down on the table while they write. This helps them keep their head still so they concentrate on their hand movements, but it can also lead to poor handwriting, inconsistent letter size, and incorrect letter placement on the page.

Think about how difficult it is to write in a straight line when your head is at a slant. Or maybe you notice them moving their head as they move their hand across the page. This is likely a sign that they’re having difficulty tracking movements with just their eyes. They need the extra input provided by moving their head and hand simultaneously to get a better sense of where their hand and, by extension their pencil, is on the page. This difficulty with tracking will reappear when they play sports, read, and even when watching movies or TV shows.

Getting a handle on handwriting!

The good news? At Theraplay LA, our OTs have training in both sensory integration and Handwriting Without Tears, an internationally recognized and award-winning program! Our expertise in sensory processing and motor development allows us to help your child address the sensory differences keeping them from writing while helping improve their handwriting abilities through multisensory approaches. We’re determined to help set your child up for success, academically and beyond.

Dr. Marielly is a Los Angeles native and Loyola Marymount University, graduate whose insatiable curiosity with the mind-body connection since childhood led her to the field of occupational therapy. She graduated from the top-ranked University of Southern California in 2011 with a Master’s Degree and completed a Doctorate with a teacher’s aid scholarship in 2012. Her areas of expertise include Sensory processing and a “SIPT” certification, Training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME), Handwriting without Tears, Integrated Learning Systems (ILS)., Advanced practice in swallowing assessment, evaluation, or intervention, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, Cranial Nerve Integration. Dr. Marielly and her team started Theraplay LA as a pediatric OT practice dedicated to providing intentional and precise levels of care to those in Los Angeles and beyond. 

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Getting A Handle on Handwriting appeared first on One with the Water.

Sensory Integration: Get Those Motor Skills Moving!

Have you noticed that your child struggles to keep up with other kids? Do they have trouble navigating a new playground? Did your Mama Gut ever make you feel like they had delays learning to crawl or walk? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, they might have underlying sensory issues. At first, it might not make sense that sensory differences can impact your child’s ability to learn new skills, but every part of our body is interconnected. Sensory information is the foundation on which we build motor skills. Without our sense of touch and balance, we would struggle to navigate the world. The feedback in our feet tells you whether the floor is even, whether the ground is sturdy, and how to balance on the floor. If these senses are amplified or silenced too much, it can lead to discomfort and poor feedback from our surroundings.

Our sense of touch is also deeply linked to our sense of balance and our ability to tell where our limbs are without looking at them. If we can’t get a clear idea of our surroundings and how we’re interacting with them, it’s difficult to learn how to crawl in them, let alone walk, run, or climb. Sensory issues can also make it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. Occupational therapy acknowledges and embraces the connection between our senses and the rest of our body to ensure your child gets the most complete and effective care possible. We don’t want to put your child through years of therapy solely working on their motor symptoms when we could target the sensory causes behind those symptoms and help them improve within months!

If you’re looking for Los Angeles-based occupational therapy for sensory integration, then we can send you to the right place! At Theraplay LA we offer in-home, in-clinic, and telehealth sensory integration sessions. We know that watching your child struggle with everyday activities can be overwhelming, which is why we apply strategies specifically tailored to provide quick and lasting results. We’re here to support your child through every step towards sensory integration!

Dr. Marielly is a Los Angeles native and Loyola Marymount University, graduate whose insatiable curiosity with the mind-body connection since childhood led her to the field of occupational therapy. She graduated from the top-ranked University of Southern California in 2011 with a Master’s Degree and completed a Doctorate with a teacher’s aid scholarship in 2012. Her areas of expertise include Sensory processing and a “SIPT” certification, Training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT), Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME), Handwriting without Tears, Integrated Learning Systems (ILS)., Advanced practice in swallowing assessment, evaluation, or intervention, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, Cranial Nerve Integration. Dr. Marielly and her team started Theraplay LA as a pediatric OT practice dedicated to providing intentional and precise levels of care to those in Los Angeles and beyond. 

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Sensory Integration: Part Two appeared first on One with the Water.

Her areas of expertise include

• Sensory processing and a “SIPT” certification
• Training in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT)
• Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME)
• Handwriting without Tears
• Integrated Learning Systems (ILS).
• Advanced practice in swallowing assessment, evaluation, or intervention
• Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
• Cranial Nerve Integration

Dr. Marielly is joining us on the blog for the next few weeks to talk more about warning signs for parents and the whole body benefits of pediatric occupational therapy. Join us as we learn more about how we can continue to improve the mind-body connection of our children through pediatric occupational therapy.

Today we are discussing sensory integration and the behavioral benefit of this therapeutic intervention.

Sensory Integration: Behavioral Benefits

Does it seem like your child is constantly throwing tantrums? Do they unravel at the end of the day? Sensory dysregulation, whether from too much or too little input, can have direct and severe impacts on your child’s mood. It can also impact your child’s behavior, appearing in the form of meltdowns and poor impulse control. Think about how hard it is to concentrate when you’re itchy or how frustrating it can be when your foot falls asleep and you can’t walk across the room. Your child could be experiencing similar feelings 24/7.

Occupational therapy is designed to help regulate your child. Sometimes, in order to make progress, we focus on treating unlikely areas. Your first impulse might have been to visit a psychiatrist or psychologist. While they may be able to help treat the behavioral symptoms your child is showing, they can’t treat the root cause of your child’s emotional outbursts. They may gain skills used to deal with their increased stress, but they’ll still find themselves coping with daily discomfort. One of the great things about sensory integration is that you’ll see behavioral changes simply by working with a therapist to get your child more in tune with their sensory profile. Once they feel more comfortable in their own skin, you’ll be amazed at how quickly that frustration melts away and their emotions begin to stabilize!

Theraplay LA

If you’re looking for Los Angeles-based occupational therapy for sensory integration, then you’re in luck. Dr. Marielly and her team started Theraplay LA as a pediatric OT practice dedicated to providing intentional and precise levels of care to those in Los Angeles and beyond. Theraplay LA  offers in-home, in-clinic, and telehealth sensory integration sessions. They know that watching your child struggle can be heartbreaking, which is why they apply strategies specifically tailored to provide quick and lasting results. They will support your child, emotionally and otherwise, through every stage of sensory integration!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Sensory Integration: Behavorial Benefits appeared first on One with the Water.

At One with the Water, we regularly extoll the well-documented health benefits of swimming. Additionally, there are specific benefits for individuals with special needs. Water buoyancy allows previously restricted individuals to move freely and helps build muscle in low muscle tone individuals. Also, self-regulation, speech, oral motor control, strength, and coordination are just a few areas that can improve with therapy in the water.

According to the Disabled Sports USA, swimming not only offers flexibility within the joints and muscles but strengthens the cardiovascular system as well as the major muscle groups in the upper and lower body. And finally, because the heart works harder when the body is submerged, patients benefit from decreased swelling, reduced blood pressure and improved joint position. This, in turn, improves the swimmers’ proprioception or body awareness.

The buoyant nature of water provides persons with CP patients the opportunity to feel their body free from the constraints they experience on land. Source.

Aquatic therapy is an exceptional choice for children with Cerebral Palsy to increase their range of physical function. Besides the physical properties of water itself, a medium well known for its restorative effects, the aforementioned buoyancy makes both aerobic and anaerobic exercise easier to safely accomplish in the water. In fact, one recent study found that the gross motor function of children with Cerebral Palsy aged 5 to 14 years-old substantially improved in as few as six weeks.

Specific Benefits of Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic therapy creates unique opportunities to stretch, move, splash, and swim their way to the following benefits: (There are many). *Source

• Improved physical function
• Wider range of movement
• Reduced stress levels
• Alleviates pain and tension on the joints
• Improved cardiovascular function (as previously mentioned).
• Strengthening of weak muscles
• Reeducation of paralyzed muscles
• Improved balance, coordination and posture

Our special needs focused premium swim lessons use harmony, inclusion, and mastery to ensure your child becomes One with the Water. Register today for lessons with the only Level 5 certified disability coach in the area.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Aquatic Therapy for Cerebral Palsy appeared first on One with the Water.

Swimming Therapy for Stereotypical Autistic Behavior

It’s been common knowledge for some time that aquatic therapy has a myriad of positive outcomes for children with ASD. However, in 2004, some researchers set out to determine the specific effects of swimming on motor performance in children with ASD, with the following results. After ten weeks, not only did strength and flexibility increase, so did balance, agility, and power. Also, the number of stereotypic behaviors decreased by about half. These included spinning, swinging, delayed echolalia and no reaction or delayed reaction to a stimulus within 5 seconds. (2)

An additional study done of occupational therapists reported that while reducing stereotypic behaviors was a goal always addressed only half of the time, therapist-reported decrease in stereotypic behaviors reduced across all sessions over 50% of the time. (3)

The literature, while still sparse in this specific area even now, is clear. The natural repetitive motions used in swimming and therapeutic properties of the water can mimic the repetitive and self-soothing behaviors used by children with ASD.

Aquatic therapy for children and adults with an Autism Spectrum disorder offers a definitive decrease in stereotypical autistic behavior, along with the previously discussed benefits of increased cardiovascular health and better overall fitness levels, enhanced social skills, improved aquatic skills, and better adaptation to change.

At One with the Water, our founder, Coach Rippetoe Coach Kenneth has extensive knowledge of the principles used in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and the ethical considerations involved in working with children with autism. Additionally, Coach Rippetoe is a Level 4 Disability Swim Coach certified by the American Swimming Coaches Association.

Register today for our premium swim lessons.

*Sources:

(1) Dickie, V. A., Baranek, G. T., Schultz, B., Watson, L. R., & McComish, C. S. (2009). Parents’ reports of sensory experiences of preschool children with and without autism: A qualitative study. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63(2), 172-181.

(2) Yilmaz, I., Yanarda, M., Birkan, B., & Bumin, G. (2004). Effects of swimming training on physical fitness and water orientation in autism. Pediatrics International, 46, 624–626.

(3) Dubois, M. (2011). Aquatic Therapy for Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Occupational Therapists’ Perspectives.https://soundideas.pugetsound.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1021&context=ms_occ_therapy

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post The Effect of Swimming on Stereotypical Autistic Movement appeared first on One with the Water.

Take cerebral palsy for example. At a fundamental level, the buoyancy of the water reduces the effect of gravity and increases feelings of weightlessness. Without the full weight of gravity in effect, movement restricted individuals can utilize muscles and extend their joints in a way that isn’t possible on land. Additionally, the buoyancy allows for safe and effective performance of swimming exercises designed to ultimately improve their mobility and sense of freedom in and out of the water. In fact, one study saw improvement in as little as six weeks for individuals with cerebral palsy.

According to CerebralPalsy.org, here are a few more of the specific benefits of aquatic exercise and therapy for adults and children with cerebral palsy and other movement disorders:

• Provides resistance
• Encourages a wider range of movement and opposition
• Alleviates stress and tension
• Reduces pain and tension in muscles and joints
• Protects against injury
• Improves cardiovascular conditioning since the heart pumps more blood per beat when the body is submerged in water
• Decreases post-exercise discomfort 

At One with the Water, we offer superior swimming lessons with a level 4 ASCA disability coach and adaptive athlete specialists. With sensitivity and compassion, we begin with a discovery assessment of each student. Then we use mechanical engineering strategies to analyze body mechanics and form an approach based on exercise physiology. Trust us to create the perfect mental and emotional learning environment for you or your athlete. Register now for premium swim lessons!

At One with the Water, we are committed to serving our community. If you or your child has experienced the freedom that being one with the water brings, consider donating to help us do the same. We offer need-based scholarships to high risk, high need individuals who couldn’t otherwise afford life-saving swim lessons. Donate today and be a hero in your community.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post The Effects of Aquatic Therapy appeared first on One with the Water.

Benefits of swimming for children with autism? Yes, there is a swimming study for that.

Increased mental health from consistent swimming workouts? Yes, a study for that too.

Longer life-span for swimmers? There is even a swimming study for that.

The positive effects of swimming specifically on an aging population. Well, how about this study, published in 2016? Most of the commonsense benefits of swimming and exercise can be broadly applied to the elderly but there was a dearth of research measuring specific outcomes for the aging populations.

Arthritis and Swimming

One determined doctor set out to change that. Dr. Hirofumi Tanaka is the director of the College of Education’s Cardiovascular Aging Research Laboratory at The University of Texas at Austin. He has studied swimming and its benefits for going on 15 years, but his goal in this study was to provide evidence based research highlighting the positive effects of swimming on patients with osteoarthritis.

And he did.

“We’re finally getting data showing that swimming exercise reduces pain as well as improves functions in arthritis patients.”

The study, covering 45 patients over three months, was conclusive in determining that swimming accomplished significant reductions in joint pain, stiffness, and physical limitations accompanied by increases in quality of life.

Additionally, according to Dr. Tanaka in this interview for the University of Texas, beyond easing the pain of arthritis, the swimming is as effective as both cycling and moderate walking in lowering blood pressure and decreasing lower joint pain in obese or sedentary patients.

Bottom line – now we have a study for this too. Swimming can help save lives at all stages of life.

 Swim at any age!

Like Mr. Frost, who got back into the water for the first time in 60 years at the age of 91.

Help us help people take back their lives. From 2 to 20, 8 to 80, veterans, adaptive athletes, new swimmers, infants, toddlers and more. When you donate, your money goes toward teaching the lifesaving skill of swimming to ANYONE who needs it.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Creaky bones? Swimming helps that too! appeared first on One with the Water.

Inspiring, right? We watch and cry and applaud the courage, heart, and determination on display from these incredible athletes. So why is it that our children are still facing tremendous barriers to participating in sport as adaptive athletes?

There is good news and bad news.

Social Stigma in Sport

First the bad news. According to a recent report published by Variety, the children’s charity, the number one barrier to differently abled children participating in sport is the social stigma associated with their conditions. From the study:

• One in two (50%) parents surveyed with a child with disabilities aged 4 to 18 say their child doesn’t feel comfortable taking part in sports with other children.
• Over a third (36%) of parents reported that their child had experienced negative social attitudes to their health problem or disability, in relation to sport.

The consequences are far-reaching. Some children with special needs have increased risk of being overweight.  Their lack in participation in sport due to social stigma, associated costs, and fear of failure or injury places them at a higher risk. Additionally, children with disabilities who lack consistent therapy face increased isolation, increased care requirements, decreased mental health, increased fear and anxiety, and shortened lifespans.

It’s not just fact or statistics. The self-reporting bears out the science. According to the Variety study, “Over 70% of those schools and voluntary sector groups who expressed an opinion said that a lack of participation contributed to disabled children’s social isolation and lack of confidence or reduced their life experiences. Others reported a negative impact on emotional and physical wellbeing.”

But wait! I have good news.

Benefits of sports for adaptive athletes.

 The health benefits of swimming for individuals of all abilities have been well-documented, both here and elsewhere. And the research is clear on the mental and social benefits for the athlete. One study (among many) found that when participating in sports, adapted athletes believed they exceeded the expectations associated with their specific disability, specifically by the demonstration of a fit, muscular, and liberated body exhibiting physical skill.

“Participation in this setting is unexpected and emphasizes an alternative representation of a disabled body.”

How do we fight social stigma?

Perhaps the most revolutionary, important news in the aid to remove stigma, however, is what happens when average children and adults are paired with those who are differently abled. When the two groups engage with each other in a sport and adaptive sport setting, perceptions change for the better. And yes, I have a study for that too. We can change our own and others’ (often unconscious) negative expectations of children with disabilities by getting involved.

About that.

Want to know what the number two barrier is to adaptive athletes participating? Cost. Cost of facilities and equipment, of suitable transport, and of coaching and membership.

At One with the Water we are actively working to smash both of those barriers, but we can’t do it without you. We need you to engage, whether it be by participating in swim lessons, or helping to offset the cost. When you donate to One with the Water, you impact a child’s life on every plane – mentally, physically, and emotionally. For their lifetime.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Fight Social Stigma in Sport appeared first on One with the Water.

It is not all about the kids!

When we think about swim lessons, we automatically think about children. The truth is, many adults need and would benefit from swim lessons. According to a national survey done by the American Red Cross, “Overall, the survey finds that more than half of all Americans (54 percent) either can’t swim or don’t have all of the basic swimming skills” (American Red Cross, 2014, para. 6).

 There are varying reasons people may not have the basic swim safety skills.  Lack of access to a pool or body of water is a real concern for many who live in remote or low-income areas. For instance, my grandparents took swim lessons in their 70s. Crazy, right! They live in a rural part of Wyoming, but they took the initiative to drive an hour to town and take adult swim lessons. They always joked that they signed up for lessons so they would know how to swim in case they fell overboard on one of their cruises.

Other primary reasons include traumatic events and negative memories associated with the water. Several years back, I had a client who was terrified to put his face in the water. He used to be an avid surfer and scuba diver, until he suffered a traumatic event on a routine dive. He got caught in a rip tide off the shore of an area in Malaysia. He screamed for help, but it seemed like no one heard him. Scared he was going to drowned, he was finally rescued. From then on, he never got back into the water. At least until his daughter was born. He wanted to be able to get over his fear of the water so he could one day take her swimming. And he did it!

Adult Swim Lessons

If you are an adult interested in swim lessons, I want to empower you to sign up. Think of the reason(s) you have not taken swim lessons thus far in your life. Ask yourself, Why you want to take swim lessons?  Next, ask yourself, What are some fears you have with taking lessons? It doesn’t have to be a big reason, it could simply be that you feel uncomfortable and are scared of failing or looking foolish.

The truth is, we all have fears when doing something new.  In many studies, large portions of fear have been attributed to the unknown. As an adult, the unknown is paired with your ability to critically think through tasks. Our frontal lobes are fully developed now, allowing for executive function. Executive function is the ability to plan, problem solve, self-monitor, and have self-awareness, which, when applied to swimming, can create unfortunate but rational fears before lessons.

However, when we go many years without knowing and understanding something, it is easy to build upon these fears. It is a simple thing to let your fear continue to grow and become more elaborate. The most challenging part is to begin. Let me assure you that after starting your lessons you will find out your fears did not live up to their expectations.

So what are you waiting for? Stop thinking about the five year-old who might be swimming fearlessly next to you– we all have to start somewhere. Remember, you are not alone. You are not the first adult to take an adult swim lesson, nor will you be the last. The key is to recognize why you want to learn to swim and identify how it will add to your quality of life. Then go for it!

You can be a hero … through swim lessons!

Have you taken the first brave steps of beginning? Do you want to help empower others to overcome their fears and be confident, safe and successful in the water?Partner with us today to teach economically disadvantaged families, special needs children, and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! You can be a hero to those that lack traditional access to swimming and swimming lessons.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Do I really need adult swim lessons? appeared first on One with the Water.

It did not take time for our voyages to and from the pool to leave its mark.to my parent’s disgust, the grass became thin, and a clear walking path had formed in the middle of our yard. They asked us to please use the driveway, only 15 feet to the right when walking to the pool. These few feet seemed like a mile. It was nearly impossible to break our ingrained route.

The footpath we created in our yard is similar to the pathways in our brain. We are born with synaptic connections, which are paths our brain uses to communicate. So many in fact that we go through a phase of pruning. Connections that aren’t needed simply disappear. And those that are used often become well defined. The amazing thing about the brain is we continue to make new connections throughout our life.

Neuroplasticity

These new connections are part of a concept called neuroplasticity. Leaders in neuroscience, Michael Merzenich, Norman Doidge, and Jeffrey Schwartz, have looked at the role of the brain and its ability to rewire itself (Howard, 2014). It is found that “Three kinds of plasticity are in play: the capacity of neurons to take on new functions, the capacity of the brain to restructure itself, and the capacity of individuals to change their behavior” (Howard, 2014, p. 43).

Just like the footpath in our front yard, we can make new paths in the way our brain is wired. Over time, doing tasks that are new, or in a different way, forms a pathway in our brain. The more we do it, the thinner the grass gets, and the easier it is for our brain to follow the path.

Thus, it is important to remember neuroplasticity is continually occurring.

A condition often used to help understand neuroplasticity is a stroke. After a stroke individuals may have limitations with one side of their body, called hemi paresis. It is challenging for them to move their right arm and right leg. This is because the stroke acted like a storm that destroyed the clear footpath that existed before.

However, as individuals continue to work on skills that are challenging, the brain begins to find ways to communicate. It can find the old path and clear away the debris. If that is not possible, the brain can find a new undiscovered route that works. The possibilities are truly endless with the brain and neuroplasticity.

Pathways in the Pool

For kids who are just starting to swim, many  neuropathways needed for fundamentals skills have not been blazed. They need practice, so their brain can develop appropriate neuro-connections to help their brain communicate with their body. That is where we come in! Our coaches are knowledgeable and patient as they work with you and your children to build the necessary skills to make them confident, courageous, successful, and most of all, safe.

These paths form at different rates based on each person’s unique environment and anatomy of the brain. Be patient, find effective ways to praise their progress, and allow the brain to find its way!

Ready to help blaze a path for others? Did you know we are nonprofit, offering need based scholarships to teach economically disadvantaged children, special needs children and Service-Disabled Veterans to become One with the Water! When you donate now, you can help reduce the risk of drowning for children by up to 88%! Be a hero and help us save the life of a child.

References:

Howard, P. J. (2014). The owner’s manual for the brain: The ultimate guide to peak mental performance at all ages. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Your Brain in the Pool: Neuroplasticity appeared first on One with the Water.