Busy Box for Developmental Therapy

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Heather just recently joined our Board and we are so happy to have her along in our journey. We have known Heather for over 10 years back when we lived in Indiana. Her son and Jacob were on Upwards basketball together and Heather was their coach.

Heather brings  years of experience as a Developmental Therapist, where she works with First Steps (Early Intervention System for infants and toddlers), and infact her mother was Jacob’s Developmental Therapist when he was in the early intervention system. Heather, her husband and two beautiful children live in Indiana where she is very busy as a Sports Mama.

We are so excited to have her on our team!

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What is a sensory break? A sensory break is essentially a break from concentrating that allows children to rest and recharge their brains. Sensory breaks are especially important for children with developmental delays, as they may have difficulty regulating the sensory that they are receiving. I am sure you have noticed by now if your child is doing any form of “remote learning” that their attention is very limited, and multiple sensory breaks throughout the day would be very beneficial to their overall wellbeing.

What activities can I do with my child as a sensory break at home? 

• • Jumping jacks
  • Passing a ball
  • Bouncing on a therapy or an exercise ball
  • Yoga moves
  • Dance!
  • Concentrated deep breathing 
  • Jog in place
  • Walk outdoors
  • Listen to music
  • Wiggle your body!
  • Touch your right hand to your left shoulder, and left hand to right shoulder
  • Squeeze a stress ball
  • Grab a milk jug, and practice putting a clothespin into the hole
  • Give yourself a hug 
  • Finger puppets
  • Blocks/Crafts
  • Play a game of Twister or Simon Says
  • Get streamers or ribbons
  • Balancing on one foot 
  • Twist at the waist with arms out to the side 
  • Play in the leaves
  • Animal walks (crab walk, bear)
  • Pour dry items (beans, rice) back and forth between two containers 
  • Play with playdough or kinetic sand
  • Rip pieces of paper or cardboard
  • Help with household chores!

How often should my child take a sensory break? 

• Typically, a sensory break happens every 1-2 hours, and each break lasts for about 10-15 minutes! 

What are the benefits of sensory breaks? 

• Improved attention and focus
• Improved emotional regulation
• Improved gross motor skills (kicking a ball, running)
• Increase in motivation and cooperation
• Reduced behavioral problems
• Helps improve reading the ability to track across a page
• Improves handwriting skills
• and helps a child be successful at self care skills

If your child is feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by his or her school work, we suggest any of the activities listed above as fun at-home sensory breaks! 

The post Importance of Sensory Breaks In Young Children With Down Syndrome appeared first on Special & Determined.

A great way to do this is in an “All About Me” document! Included in this blog post is a template for an “All About Me” document that you might use for your child. 

Breaking down the components of the “All About Me” 

Introduce your child

• You might add their name, a picture of them, their age, and include a brief introduction of your child.
• How would you describe your child? What is their personality like? What will help them be successful in the upcoming school year?

Include your child’s strengths (academic, social, emotional strengths), what works and does not work for your child (classroom strategies, classroom environment), and what your child is working on (academically, socially, emotionally).

• Include a more extensive list of the things / people / places / activities your child loves!

Include a vision statement for your child

• • This space could be used to speak of your vision for your child’s life. You might mention your goals for your child in the upcoming school year, or even more long-term goals you have for your child. 

You know your child better than anyone, and you are their primary advocate. Maintaining open communication with your child’s teacher can help ease your child’s transition into a new school year, and can help set them up for a successful year.

Click here to get your template of the All About Me page to share with your child’s teacher. Hope your child has a safe and happy year learning!

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For families that have a child with developmental or intellectual disabilities, the lifetime of expenses to care for that child is enormous. Children with special needs often have medical, therapeutic, pharmaceutical, respite, and caregiver expenses that go far beyond what families can afford.  Not to mention time off work to care for them or possibly not working at all. The costs of raising a child with special needs can vary dramatically depending on the disability and the severity of the disability.

The most recent study found that people affected by disabilities will spend around $10,000 annually in out-of pocket costs just for medical services. Many turn to second mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards, and even tap into their retirement funds to find the money wherever they can get it, so that they can provide their child with the services they need to live a “quality of life”.

Of course, every disability presents it’s own special circumstances, so the need for therapies may be different for every family. But when looking at these costs, know that parents may take their children at least once per week, and sometimes up to three times per week for therapies, for them to be effective. So here are costs annually for patients not covered by health insurance:

• Speech Therapy:  averages between $100-250 per session once a week ($13,000 annually based off $250 rate)
  * Speech is usually not covered by insurance companies for developmental delays
• Physical Therapy: about $50-350 per session once a week ($5,200 annually based off $100 rate)
• OccupationalTherapy: about $50-400 per hour once a week ($7,800 annually based off $150 rate)

For parents of children with Down syndrome, these costs could potentially last a lifetime or at least up until they transition out of the educational system. Like all parents, parents of children with Down syndrome want their children to reach their highest potential, live productive lives, and be happy!

So how do parents offset these costs? Some can go through government and state assistance programs, however, not all those who could use the benefits may qualify. Due to a child’s needs, he or she may qualify for Medicaid. Depending on their income, some families can apply for Social Security Insurance.

Beyond federal and state benefits, there are often national and community-based non-profits, like Special & Determined that can assist families of children with Down syndrome.

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