The Heart of Touchstone!

 This is Ms. Amy. She loves touching the lives of children and their families.

 

1. What do you love most about being an OT?  My favorite thing about being an OT is making a difference in the life of a family. There is no greater reward than seeing the smile on a child or parents face when a goal has been achieved and because of that, lives have been touched.

2. What do you love most about your job in our pediatric setting? I love working in a pediatric setting because the kids are always so happy to see us! They work hard, but are having so much fun at the same time. Kids keep you on your toes, and young at heart.

3. What is your favorite memory as an OT? Currently, my favorite memory is when Riley (who just had her feeding tube removed) told me the other day that she is getting bigger because she eats by her mouth now!

4. What have learned working as a therapist that you didn't learn in college? In college, your learn many clinical treatment ideas, and you are taught the concept of therapeutice use of self. But, they didn't teach you how much each client touches your heart and the bonds and memories that will last a lifetime.

5. What advice do you most often give to parents? Let your child live. No matter what your child's struggles may be, treat them as a typical child and let him/her experience each day to the fullest.

 

Doesn't it sound like she's describing our logo?

 

Staying true to her desires to help children maximize their potential in a fun manner, Amy co-developed Fundanoodle, a fun and engaging handwriting development program.  Visit www.fundanoodle.com to learn more about Fundanoodle!

Happy OT Month, Amy!

 

 

Oh, the things kids say!

Ms. Dana enjoys being creative, and it shows

in her treatment sessions!

 

What do you love most about being an OT?  Having the ability to be creative!!!!!!!

 

What is your favorite memory as an OT?   All of the many graduation parties, there's not a more bittersweet moment than when you realize that a child doesn't need you anymore!

What have learned working as a therapist that you didn't learn in college?  Real life does not exist in a textbook. Yes, school is important to build the fundamentals but it is through practice that you learn to put it all together. Just because a diagnosis or impairment typically means you will experience a certain limitation, it doesn't mean that you will or that you can't overcome it. And just because a certain intervention or strategy is suppose to work, it doesn't mean it's going to. Being a therapist sometimes means thinking outside the box!

What advice do you most often give to parents?   Trust your instincts. If your gut is telling you a certain situation is or is not a good fit for your child, you're probably right!

What is the funniest thing you've heard a child say?  Ms Dana, are you a vampire? (guess I forgot my makeup that day!!!!)

You can learn more about Dana and follow her blog at www.embraceyourchaos.com

Happy OT Month, Dana!

Just What is a Gooster?

Meet Rachel... She's active and silly and that's why she loves her job!!!

What do you love most about being an OT? I love how physically active a job being an OT is and how silliness is part of the job when you work in pediatrics.

What advice do you most often give parents?  Become a regular at your local playgrounds.

Share one of the funniest moments you've had with a client.  I once had a child identify a puzzle piece of a barnyard bird as a "GOOSTER".  The term has stuck to this day and I can often be heard calling any fowl a Gooster.

Favorite quote?  "I DID IT!"...as said by any child who learns a new skill.

Community Recommendations?  I really love the NC Raptor Center, Inner Peaks rock climbing for older kids, Crowder's Mountain for hiking, and the US National Whitewater Center.  Anything that gets the whole family active and outside is a favorite of mine!

Thanks Rachel, and Happy OT Month!

Labels Are For Cans!

Years ago, I worked with a speech therapist, Eileen, who always reminded parents that labels are for cans.  Today, as I sat in John Barnes’ class on Myofascial Release, he again reminded us that we’re all more than a label.  So, remember, there is so much more to your child than his or her diagnosis.  He or she is more than the disability.  And, all children need us to feed them with love! Enjoy the gift your child has!

Michelle Yoder, OTR/L

Love is in the air!

This is a great excuse to eat some chocolate!  Empty that Valentine heart and make a shape sorter for your child!  It's a great visual perceptual task! I used two different colors of brown for dark and milk chocolate. You can make the shapes as simple or complex as you'd like depending on your child's age and skill!



Share the Love!

Michelle Yoder, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist

Let's Get Moving!

I am not a fan of cold weather.  This is one (of the few) areas that my husband and I do not see eye to eye.  He would love to move to Colorado but I would only go kicking and screaming.  But, we all know that staying inside all day and having kids is NOT a good combination!  While I may be happy lying around on the couch for the day, Clara would tolerate my laziness for, oh, about 30 minutes if I was lucky.  After about an hour or two in the morning, I am racking my brain about what I can do to entertain her.  When it's warm outside, it's not a problem.  We go for a walk, swing on the play set, go to the pool, play in the yard, or go to the park.

But when it's cold out, it's time to find some alternative solutions.  Yes, we could go to the mall but that would require her to spend most of her time in the stroller and that does not meet my goal of getting out some of her energy!  Also, as an OT, I know that our children's bodies need regular physical activity to stay healthy and to build the muscle strength they need to develop those fine motor and gross motor skills.  Physical activity also helps to calm their little bodies, making it easier for them to cope with frustration, deal with stressors, and soothe themselves, which, in turns, makes for a happier child and a happier mommy.

There are quite a few ways to get your child moving if you are stuck in the house.  Pushing, pulling, lifting, carrying, crawling, rolling, and jumping are great ways to help your child get out extra energy and get the sensory input their little body's need.

The tunnel is one of our favorites.  Clara loves to crawl back and forth through the tunnel, which is also great for continuing to strengthen her little arms now that she is walking.  You can place the tunnel over pillows for an extra challenge. 

She also loves to carry toys in containers with handles, which helps to improve her walking balance, makes her stronger, and is a great physical activity.

Pushing is another of her favorites.  We have a ton of big boxes left over from Christmas that Clara loves to push her toys around in. 

She also loves to figure out how to climb in the boxes herself, which is also a great physical activity AND is great for her problem-solving skills.

For older kids, tunnels are also great.  For extra fun, you can cover old phone books with fabric and have your children push them through the tunnel or carry them though the house to deliver the "presents" to family members and stuffed animals.  They (or you) can also create obstacle courses in the floor using large floor pillows, old comforters, and other items around the house that your child can crawl over, under, or through.  Make it fun by having your child carry puzzle pieces or stuffed animals from one side of the obstacle course to the other.  Other ideas to get out some energy and strengthen their little core and arms include having your child animal walk (lizard crawl, bear walk, frog jumps, bunny hops, crab walk) from one side of the room to the other to collect puzzle pieces, game pieces, building blocks during play or playing "Simon Says" using physical movements such as jumping, rolling, and child-friendly yoga poses!  

Trust me, getting your little one moving will make the day better for them and for you.  So, get creative and let the fun begin!

Dana Elliot, MS OTR/L

DIY Fine Motor Activities!

Forget about the expensive toys! 

Make your own fine motor activities at home!

Get a muffin tray, some tweezers or kitchen tongs and small objects that you have scattered around the house.  He can work on placing them in the cups or even sort them by color!

 

Straws make him successful with stringing a bead!  Once he has mastered that, move on to string!

Cut a hole in the top of a container for buttons, coins, popsicle sticks, etc. 

The neighbor kids had fun decorating these sticks!

A parmesan cheese container is great for working out those first three fingers needed to hold a pencil!  Straws, pipe cleaners and even little puff balls are fun to stick through the holes!  Paint around the holes in different colors to make it a sorting activity.

The squeezable mayonnaise containers are great for working on a pincer grasp.  Small buttons or pennies can be placed through the slot.  Also, have your child pick up three pennies, one after another, using only one hand, and then place them into the slot one at a time.

The possibilities are endless!  Take a look around your house to make other variations of finger fun!

Michelle Yoder, OTR/L