Ways to improve focus...motor ideas

[Guest guest]

Okay guys...

Trying again to get a bit of this out to you; got poop all

over his carpet last night (that's TWICE this week...ick!) and I had

to sleep on the floor in front of the sofa (where I put him to keep

him warm) last night; he slept all of 4 hours (1:30am to 5:30am...and

still awake)...so if this doesn't make sense, forgive, please. ;-)

Table Time Helpers

When a child has trouble sitting and staying there, one thing to look

at is sensory organization...many times a brief movement break or

building movement into the seating arrangement helps.

Things to try:

Chair ball or big therapy ball placed inside a large innertube for

stability (ALWAYS spot a child on a ball...real potential for

injuries without supervision).

Place a beach ball with a tiny bit of air in it on the seat of the

child's chair (just enough air to create a little movement---ball

stays basically flat). Gives a sort of " floaty " feel that many kids

like.

Have the child stop periodically to do table or chair pushups, march

around the room to music, play a brief motor game...then return to

table work.

Give the child a " fidget " ...something to hold/squeeze, chew on, or

fiddle with. Common hand fidgets are pencil toppers, koosh balls,

squeeze (tension) balls, straws, paper clips, bracelets, or

theraputty. Common mouth fidgets are gum, taffy, jerky, bagels,

pretzels, hard candy, juice box, sports bottle, or plastic/rubber

tubing (be sure to get tubing that is certified safe for oral

use...many are not).

When choosing oral fidgets, keep in mind whether your child swallows

small/inedible objects and preferences for salt/sweet/sour and

crunchy/chewy items.

A good fidget will NOT be a distractor...perhaps at first, until it

stops being novel, that may be an issue, but a real organizing tool

IMPROVES function.

Raena