Family Speech & Therapy Services is proud to have initiated employer-sponsored, group conference attendance to the Richter Air Symposium.  

At Family Speech & Therapy Services, investment in our therapists is one of our top priorities.  That is why we have partnered with the Richter Air Symposium to develop employer-sponsored, group conference attendance.  As part of our commitment to professional growth and development and our focus on group learning experiences, we will now be offering group conference attendance to all benefit-eligible therapists. Because of our efforts, other employers can choose to offer the same benefits for their staff - benefiting our entire, professional community!

Family Speech & Therapy Services recognizes the Richter Air Symposium as the premier pediatric conference in our area.  We believe that this symposium offers our therapists a unique opportunity to advance their knowledge, improve their clinical skills and gain exciting new treatment ideas alongside their colleagues.

Family Speech & Therapy Services offers outpatient, pediatric, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy and feeding therapy at our 3 clinic locations in Andover, Otsego and Edina. Additionally, we provide contracted services to schools throughout the metro area for both short and long term placements.  You can learn more about our clinic by visiting our website and blog at http://familyspeech.com or by visiting our exhibit table at the RAIR Symposium.

This blog was contributed by Nancy Lawton-Shirley, OTR/L who will be teaching the two-day Session H. CranioSacral Applications in Pediatrics. Nancy owns Points of Stillness, which offers occupational therapy at Healing Waters Health Center in Hudson, WI.

1. Be sure your child has physical activity after school. Time outside is ideal. Free time to just play can really recharge a child's brain from a day of structure. Self-directed play is a great way to work the creativity parts of the brain!
2. Have snacks available during study time. Things to chew, suck and crunch actually help the brain to pay attention, focus and learn.
3. Do memory tasks while a child does rhythmic movement, i.e. sitting on a ball and bouncing or jumping up and down while they spell a word or learn math. Rhythm lays down memory faster!
4. Try watching the MeMoves DVD! Have the family do one set of the exercises on the DVD. It very quickly calms everyone down, and gets the brain ready to learn. This is good for preschool- through high school-aged children!
5. Some children need absolute quiet to concentrate. Other children really benefit from playing music with a consistent beat. Ideas:Baroque for Modulation, Sacred Earth Drums, Calming Rhythms.

And remember your child has been working hard all day!

Patricia Wilbarger, MEd, OT, FAOTA will be assisting Tracy Murnan Stackhouse in Session D: The Power of the Sensory Diet Concept as well as hosting her own special Roundtable Thursday, February 20, 2014 from 6-7pm. To sign up for any of the speakers' roundtables, please email us with your first and second choices.

This week we also made the difficult decision to cancel Session J: My 25+ Favorite Oral Motor Techniques due to lack of interest. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to have Judy Jelm with us next year.

Also, January 29th is last day to reserve your sleeping room at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott at the RAIR Symposium rate of $108/night including internet in your room. Staying at the Marriott enables you to miss all the traffic when getting to your session in the morning and the hotel provides a shuttle to the Mall of America for evening fun, or stay in and enjoy the hotel's restaurant. Either way, you'll get a good night's sleep and be ready for the next day's sessions.

The RAIR Symposium is the answer!

It’s been cold and snowy for a long time – and there’s more to come. What can you do to get back enough stimulation and excitement to make it through to spring? Why not take a Mid-Winter get-away, earn your continuing education hours, and take your treatment skills to a new level all at one time?

The RAIR Symposium offers all of that and even more! Participate in valuable professional education while taking a break from work and winter. The venue of the Symposium offers comfortable, affordable rooms at the Bloomington Marriott to relax in the evening. It puts you a short shuttle ride from the airport, the Mall of American, IKEA, an indoor water park, and much more. You may want to bring the family to enjoy some indoor winter fun at the amusement park at the Mall, shopping, movies, swimming, etc. It’s a great cure for “cabin fever.”

Meanwhile you can learn new assessment and treatment strategies, interact with nationally renowned speakers at Roundtables, exchange ideas and experiences with colleagues and further your professional goals.

There is still time to register, but time is running out. Reserve your hotel rooms by  January 29 and register for you session choices by February 7 to avoid the late fee. Don’t forget that there are group discounts, too.

Sensory Fun in the Snow!

• Shoveling snow gives your child heavy muscle work activity that can be very calming and organizing.
• Go sledding for a burst of movement and muscle activity.
• Make angels in the snow, roll snowballs, and build snow forts to improve motor planning.
• Throw snowballs at targets to increase visual motor skills.
• Snow shoeing is another way to get some heavy muscle work.
• Hide toys in snow for your child to find to improve tactile and visual discrimination.
• Bring a cookie sheet of snow inside to practice drawing designs and letters.

Stay warm and have fun!

*Reposted with permission from WeeCare Therapy's blog. Susan Swindeman is one of the presenters for Session L. Tools for Tots.

Tomorrow, December 31st is the last day to register for the early tuition rate*.

*Payment must accompany registration to be eligible for the early tuition rate; registrations sent by mail should be postmarked by December 31, 2013.

The RAIR Symposium offers a plethora of terrific sessions from which to choose, so the question becomes, "Which session/s should I take?" Here are some suggestions to help you make your choice/s:

1. Read the descriptions on the website or brochure carefully to see if one or more of the sessions resonates with your particular interests. If you're not sure, check our archives to see if the speaker for the session you might like to take has posted a blog that gives more details or insights than the description.

2. Consider your learning style. If you learn best by demonstration and actively participating, you might want to take one of the sessions that has a strong practicum/lab component (sessions E, F, H, I, K, and L; sessions C and J also include some lab activity). If you feel the need to have more theory and research at your fingertips, consider sessions A, B, and G. All sessions will include practical application of information to take away and put into practice.

3. Divide and conquer! One of the best ways to take advantage of what the Symposium has to offer is to gather your teammates and colleagues and split up. With everyone taking a different session, you can bring back tons of information to share. Of course, it is sometimes helpful to have more than one of your teammates at the same season because there can be a lot of information to take in and "two heads are better than one."

However you chose, know that if you arrive to your session at the RAIR Symposium and realize it’s not for you, you don’t have to stay there. Just come to the registration table and we may be able to switch you to another session. We want you to get the most out your time with us.

How do you choose your sessions? Tell us in the comments.

This is the time of year when we all agonize over the best, quality, meaningful gifts for our special some ones. Here are some suggestions:

There is a delightful new book from a local grandfather. It is a 20 page illustrated book about a clever little boy named Ridley who lives at the zoo and gets away from his keepers one fun filled day. He makes mischief all over the zoo until the keepers come up with a perfect plan to get him back. The book began as a verse on a visit to the zoo with his grandson, the verse became a song, the song became the story. Sheet music for the song is included. The main character is a four year old, but the story is easily approachable to a wide age range. The rhyme and the song are unforgettable. Available from www.pileatedpress.com for $8.95 + S/H.

A little known treasure that would make a wonderful family gift is the MeMoves program from www.thinkingmoves.com. This wonderful DVD engages everyone, children and adults alike, and takes them to a calm, alert state within minutes. It’s makes a terrific daily activity for state regulation and interhemispheric communication.

Other options that take advantage of fine musical production include a series of classical music CDs: Mozart for Modulation, Baroque for Modulation and More Mozart for Modulation. (Remember, these titles refer to the music’s modulating effect on the nervous system, not the modulation in musical terms.) These CDs help to organize behavior for better attention, respiration, and learning. These productions have been around for a long time and are favorites among therapists. Also available from Pileated Press, LLC.

For a CD that moves from high energy instrumental rhythms to lullabies with familiar tunes, try out The Musical Playground.

For completely different music, try the CDs by Gen Jereb, the popular Australian singer of children’s music. Her music offers many moods and invites children to join in rhythms for breathing, sleeping, moving and just plain singing. There are several options available at www.sensorytools.net.

Sensamart Sensachews would make great stocking stuffers for those children who love to bite on something. They come in many sizes, shapes and include options for wearing.

Also available from Sensamart are unique weighted blankets that are filled with gel packs for even weight distribution and can be heated or cooled. These blankets are very popular with children (and adults) who sleep better under weight.

If a family wants to invest in some gross motor equipment, I recommend the RAIR inflatables, durable enough and appealing enough for multiple children to play on.  The Baby Boundex is a unique unit that provides babies and young children with delightful and intense sensory motor experience. Perfect for developing core strength and typical mobility with stability. Available from www.sensamart.com.

What are some great products you recommend for families or the clinic?

*Some products suggested are made or developed by speakers at the Richter AIR Symposium and they do receive royalties or licensing fee

The following is an excerpt from Sensory Diet Concept for use with Individuals with Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) and Use of the Sensory Diet Template, by Tracy Murnan Stackhouse (speaker for Session D: The Power of the Sensory Diet Concept). The article in its entirety can be found here.

What Is a Sensory Diet?

A sensory diet is a treatment strategy used within the framework of occupational therapy to address two particular problems: sensory defensiveness and difficulties maintaining appropriate states of arousal. Sensory defensiveness is the tendency to respond in a negative or avoidant manner to sensory input; even normal sensations such as the feeling of clothing on the skin, water at bathtime or lights in a gymnasium can be sources of negative overstimulation. When this presents in a pattern of over-responsivity coupled with behavioral response of avoidance or agitation, it is called sensory defensiveness.

Arousal difficulties refer to the tendency of a person’s nervous system to maintain an optimum level of activation for the context/task at hand; if it is time to sleep, optimal arousal is low to match the sleep state.  Alternatively, if the task is a college lecture, then arousal should be alert and focused without a lot of body activity, in contrast to the alert, focused and active body used during a sporting activity. Because individuals with SMS often struggle with meeting their sensory needs and with poor arousal modulation, the sensory diet approach is ideally suited to address these particular needs.

The concept of the sensory diet was originated by Patricia Wilbarger, MA, OTR. It is an occupational therapy intervention strategy which consists of a carefully planned program of specific sensory-motor activities that is scheduled according to each child's individual needs (Wilbarger & Wilbarger, 2002). It also takes into consideration each family’s schedule, preferences, and resources.

A sensory diet can help maintain an age-appropriate level of attention for optimal function as well as be used to reduce sensory defensiveness. Like a diet designed to meet an individual's nutritional needs, a sensory diet consists of specific elements designed to meet the child's sensory integration needs. The sensory diet is based on the notion that controlled sensory input can affect one's functional abilities. Martin (1991) states in Principles of Neuroscience:

 “Sensory systems are not only our means for perceiving the external world, but are also essential to maintaining arousal, forming our body image and regulating movement.” 

A Sensory Diet can be used in 2 primary ways:

–  To Decrease/Treat Sensory Defensiveness

–  To Maintain an Optimal State of Arousal across Time

The OT devising the sensory diet should be certain to focus or parse the focus of the sensory diet to meet the individual goals. 

Wilbarger & Wilbarger's (2000) comprehensive approach to treating sensory defensiveness includes education and awareness, a sensory diet, and other professional treatment techniques. One such technique is called either the “Wilbarger Protocol” or “Therapressure” technique, which uses deep pressure to certain parts of the body, followed a series of joint compressions that provide the sensory input of proprioception. Proprioception refers to sensory input that activates muscle and joint receptors, providing information to the brain about those muscles and joints (what are they doing, how are they moving). Most important from an arousal standpoint, proprioceptive input releases chemicals in the brain that foster organized modulation or arousal functions.

The Wilbargers also suggest a specific protocol, called the Wilbarger Oral Tactile Technique, which addresses oral sensory defensiveness. Oral sensory defensiveness manifests in aversive, negative responses to oral sensations and is usually seen in feeding and speech-related behavioral concerns. Either Therapressure or the Oral Tactile Technique are used in combination with an overall sensory diet. The sensory diet provides the structure which coordinates sensory motor activity into the life routine of the individual for whom it is designed. It is critical that these protocols not be used in isolation and that the overall program be initiated and monitored by an appropriately trained occupational therapist.

A sensory diet is best designed by the family and therapist together. The therapist utilizes direct treatment time to learn the individual child’s “formula” for attaining and maintaining appropriate sensory reactivity and arousal modulation. The therapist takes this information, and together with what she or he knows about the family’s schedule and resources, designs a schedule of sensory supports that comprises the sensory diet.

Note: The complete article includes such topics as:

Creating Powerful and Precise Sensory Diets

• Typical elements of a sensory diet
• Sensory diet activities
• Individualizing a sensory diet
• How to structure a sensory diet
• Suggested routines for SMS
• Sensory diet data sheets and templates

Imagine how you feel when you shop in a hot, loud, over-crowded, not so nice smelling mall, while wearing an itchy wool coat at the end of preparing for and hosting a busy holiday party. That is how day to day activities for some children with sensory processing disorder feel. So when they are exposed to the same stimuli that would overload just about anyone, the effects are compounded. This can be lead to ‘sensory overload.’ It is no wonder that temper tantrums, emotional outbursts, difficulty with self calming, destructibility, and an inability to stand in lines are common scenes with many children at malls.

When the question is asked, is it sensory or is it behavior? Reframe the question by asking are there sensory issues driving the behavior? However, use caution, because some behaviors may be learned as a way to avoid or get something, or communicate wants and needs. It is important to learn how to be proactive when offering calming strategies (e.g. giving bear hugs when when your child begins to look disregulated) as opposed to reinforcing negative behavior (e.g. offering a bear hug after he or she hits you).

Keep these strategies in mind when shopping this holiday season, but use them only as tolerated by your child:

1. Find spots in the mall where you and your child can regroup (e.g. quiet hallways without a lot of decorations).
2. Incorporate some deep pressure hugs throughout your shopping day.
3. Have some calming ‘mouth tools’ available (e.g. grab a snack or meal, sip on a water bottlle, bring a child safe chew toy)
4. Take time to smell the flowers…I mean candles in the quiet candle stores with soft music.
5. Give your child some closely supervised movement breaks out of the shopping cart. Even when you are in a hurry and don’t feel you have the time, you may save time in the long run by preventing an outburst later.
6. Give your child some safe ‘hand fidgets’ to fiddle with while riding in a cart or waiting. If they are old enough and able to do so, or allow your child to help you push the cart or carry bags.
7. Put on some snug fitting under garments that offer firm, maintained touch pressure and ‘breathe’ with your child.
8. Shop at less crowded times of the day or season as you are able, and take several short shopping trips over several days, rather than trying to squeeze it all into a couple of long trips.
9. Allow your child to choose and where his or her favorite comfortable clothes and socks.
10. If you are fortunate enough to have some help, bring along an extra hand. Your child may be held by grandma or walk around with her while looking at some pretty decorations, while you stand in the long check out line.

Happy Holidays!
Susan Swindeman, OTR

Adapted from Tools for Tots: Sensory Strategies for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Henry, Kane-Wineland, Swindeman, 2009

This post appeared originally on Susan Swindeman's blog. Susan is co-presenting Session L: Tools for Tots.