Children's Hospital Therapy Care, Broomfield: Mia has gotten much better about taking her shoes off when we get to therapy. Occasionally, I'll pat the red chair. A gesture for her to sit down. "Shoes off Mia". I showed her the little loop on the heel works well for pulling shoes on and off. The last time we were there, Liz made us a visual schedule to use at home. The schedule is laminated with velcro attached to pictures of activites and tasks. When you complete a task you move the picture to the right side indicating it has been completed. Truth be told I still have not used it at home. "How's the schedule working?" Liz asks. "Great!" I lied. The next few minutes I watched on pins and needles as Liz showed Mia the visual schedule expecting that she would be well practiced with it. Thankfully, Mia threw me a bone and moved shoes and socks pictures to the completed column.
We didn't waste much time before we moved into the large playroom that is also referred to as the gym. It's still a new area for Mia and I, consequentially Mia has a hard time paying attention to instruction as her eyes explore the different walls, ropes, slides and and swings. Liz immediately grabs the large "S" shaped plastic structure we worked on last time. A balance beam of sorts, with grooved canals carved into the plastic. The fact that it is four different fun colors doesn't pursuade Mia to want to step on it. The purpose of an activity like this is to improve Mia's vestibular system (vestibular being the part of the brain that controls the inner ear and balance). As a stall technique, Mia laid down hoping we would forget about the whole therapy thing. I walked over to her on my knees. "Mia you have to try" I said as I looped my hands under her armipits and lifted her onto the structure. Her legs refused to lock as her body melted into a heavy puddle. "Ahhh" she screamed as I hoisted her up again. "Mia, I want you to walk" I said. Her face scrunched in discomfort told me all I needed to know about the way the plastic grooves felt under her feet. To her credit, she locked her knees to stand and inched herself sideways across the beam.
We repeated this process four more times. I wish I could say she warmed up to it, I had to bribe her by tickling her under her chin everytime she completed the task. She squealed with joy everytime I approached her in a tickle like motion. I think the tickling might have been my reward too.
