March 2023 Newsletter
If you didn’t get the email for our March Newsletter you can view it here! Visit www.amaryllistherapy.net to sign up!
If you didn’t get the email for our March Newsletter you can view it here! Visit www.amaryllistherapy.net to sign up!
The year 2020 was a significant year for many reasons. It was also the year that Governor Polis passed a law stating that telehealth could be used to help families get occupational, physical, and speech therapy services from many different insurance companies. The idea of trying telehealth can be scary. It is hard to imagine how a child can sit at a computer for 30-60 minutes and still gain important skills from their session. However, telehealth can be a great substitute for in person services when travel, quarantine requirements, or other unexpected events prevent your child from being seen within the clinic environment.
How do telehealth sessions work?
Telehealth sessions are conducted using an online platform (most commonly Zoom via phone or computer). Sessions last anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes depending on the usual length of your in-person session. The telehealth session takes place at the same time as your usual appointment time that you would come for in person services. However, a telehealth session does not necessarily have to be the entire length of your child’s in-clinic session, and can be designed to fit your child’s specific needs and attention span. Some children may need more frequent breaks during the session than others, and that is okay! During times when your child needs a break from the session, that can be a very important time for the therapist to provide 1:1 parent education on how you are able to work on your child’s skills within your own home. It is also a wonderful time for you to ask any questions you may have for your therapist.
Your therapist will let you know what materials are required for your teletherapy session ahead of the session. It is important that in order to gain the most benefit out of the teletherapy session that a parent or guardian is present for the session. It is helpful that parents work with the child on activities during the session in most instances. Children ages 10 and older may be able to participate without a parent based on therapist discretion.
Sample Telehealth Session Outline (OT):
Benefits of Telehealth:
Some of the benefits of telehealth include:
Telehealth Session Topics:
Relevant Research:
The idea of telehealth can be hard to picture. Sometimes it only takes one time to try telehealth with your child to see how successful it can be for your child’s progress when they are unable to come into the clinic. We hope now that you have a clearer picture of what telehealth may look like for your child. If you have any further questions about teletherapy services specifically at Amaryllis Therapy Network, please consult your therapist, and we are happy to help!
Written by Erin Bachler, OTR/L, MSOT
Our very own physical therapists, Lily and Emily would like to tell you more about their work here at Amaryllis Therapy Network. Check it out by clicking on the video above!
It’s spring in Denver and finally safe to put all of those starters and veggie and flower seeds in the soil. This is a wonderful opportunity for a fun, stress-free, joyful time with your kids. No matter their age, they can get involved.
“Messy play” provides much needed touch sensory input. As your child plays in the dirt, they can improve their ability to tolerate other textures, from the food they eat to the textures of their clothing. A picky eater can become more interested in the food they see in the refrigerator when they get to watch it grow from the ground and pick it fresh from the garden. If they are wary of getting their hands in the soil, you can provide them with some “heavy work” prior to working in the soil. Heavy work can be anything from carrying pots or bags of soil, to pushing a wheelbarrow, to even doing animal walks.
Watching a plant grow from a seed is very magical for children. In addition, if you plant some flowers that birds love you can entice more birds to your yard, which is such a benefit for you, your kids, and the birds!
You don’t need a lot of space, but you do need sun. If you have space outside, think of setting aside a small area just for your child. Containers are a great option if your space or sunlight are limited. If you use containers, you can increase the fun and your child’s ownership by letting them decorate their pots. Most of all, let them get dirty and don’t get worried about cleaning them up right afterward. Their immune system will thank you — the benefits of getting dirty are immense!
You might want to plant some vegetables or flowers that respond quickly, including sugar snap peas, lettuce, kale, and sunflowers. If you have room, pumpkins can be very rewarding to watch grow. There are some great ideas for gardening with children on Planet Natural.
Written By: Robin Hoffman OTR/L
Breastfeeding can be a beautiful and bonding experience for both you and your baby. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always reach a level of ease for the mother-baby dyad immediately. From slow weight gain and low milk supply, to sore nipples and mastitis, we are here to support you. If you need help with any step along the way, need a weight/feeding transfer weight or just need to know that there are other mothers out there experiencing the same things you are, please join Katie, our in-house International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), for our breastfeeding support groups or a one-on-one consultation.
The Dirt on Dirt!
It’s summer and time for fun with dirt! It turns out that playing in dirt is actually important for all of us. We reap many benefits! These include a stronger immune system, fewer allergies, better digestion, less heart disease, better stress management and contact with soil is a natural anti-depressant agent according to a 2018 article in Family Time and research by the National Wildlife Federation. Contact with dirt has been found to improve mood, facilitate learning, and reduce anxiety! Check out this article from Gardening Know How and learn more about how dirt makes us happy! https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil- fertilizers/antidepressant-microbes-soil.htm
So, get out there and get in the dirt with your kids! Some ideas include:
A Family Garden – Benefits here are reaped multifold as you get your kids involved in planting the food they eat – great for all kids, but also really great for the picky eaters we know. There is nothing like watching something you have planted from a seed emerge. Kids of all ages can dig and water and pull weeds.
Mud Kitchen – Use rocks, twigs, and of course dirt and mud to make culinary delights for pretend play extraordinaire!
Mud Art – Make sculpture or paint on sidewalks!
Written By: Robin Hoffman OTR/L
A key part of every BODY’s regulation is breath. While it may seem inherent to remember to breathe, stress to the body can easily stifle the natural breath pattern, causing us to hold our breath or shorten our breath as a reaction to feeling anxious. This can happen to our kids when entering an unfamiliar environment, when a change in schedule occurs, or during times of sensory overload. Here’s the kicker…when this happens telling our kids to “just take a breath” is about as helpful as feeding a thirsty puppy peanut butter.
So, what can we do? Let’s make breathing fun and exciting! Here are a few ideas to reload the steam in your kid’s engine through the power of good ol’ O2.
• Have a cotton ball race: blow cotton balls or other small items across a table through a straw and across a finish line
• Blow up balloons and play keep it up
• Blow bubbles and use your breath to keep them up in the air
• Make some music! Play harmonicas, whistles or small flutes
• Breathe like your favorite animals
o Lion’s breath – inhale deeply and on your exhale stick out your tongue and let out a roar!
o Snake breath – inhale deeply and on your exhale push the air through closed teeth to make a hissing noise.
o Bumble bee breath – inhale deeply and on your exhale cover your ears and hum with your lips closed, feeling a buzz with your breath.
• Check out the free Breathe, Think, Do phone app from Sesame Street. Help the monster calm down by taking deep belly breaths!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/breathe-think-do-with-sesame/id721853597?mt=8
May is better speech and hearing month! Here are some ideas to help your child practice his/her articulation and language skills over the summer.
Nikki Kirchoff, MA, CCC-SLP
Tags: articulation, speechFamilies want the holidays to be a happy time for everyone, especially their children. It is important to take a few moments and recognize that what adults view as the “hustle and bustle” of the season can be overwhelming and over-stimulating sensory input for children, especially those with Sensory Processing Disorder or other neurological challenges. Here are a few suggestions to help children and adults stay healthy and happy over the holiday season.
Laugh!
Laughter is the best medicine! It’s the quickest way to change everyone’s mood from bad to good. Tell silly “knock-knock” jokes with your kids or watch funny movies together.
Breathe
That’s right, take a deep breath in and let your belly gently expand out. This sends a signal to your brain that it’s okay to relax and unclench those tight shoulders and jaw. Just like a yawn, belly breathing is contagious and your kids will start to copy your deep breath.
Remember Routines
Many routines are disrupted during the holidays and this can be very upsetting for children, causing them to be cranky and complaining. Try to keep naps and meals at the same time every day. It’s okay to say “no” to invitations when your kids (and you!) are on sensory overload. Offer to get together in the New Year, instead. Try using calendars or picture schedules to help your child know what to expect. Predictability helps everyone stay calm.
Enjoy your holiday traditions with your families!
Cindy Clark, MS, OTR/L, BCP, CIMI/L