Pediatric day/SI day for OT!

I was looking at how to make homemade weighted blankets and they were a lot of work. Really only worth it if you love to sew/have lots of patience, and also don't have a lot of money. Weighted blankets provide firm deep pressure that is very calming to most hyperactive children and really most people in general. Think about the lead apron they have you wear at the dentist office and how nice that feels – its for the shield and not the pressure, but when I am having dental procedures done I request they leave the lead apron on the entire time.

I was researching weighted vests today as someone inquired at the clinic about them and they are all so expensive from catalogs. I was looking at Abilitations, Southpaw, Fun and Function, Sammons and Preston, etc. It occurred to me that maybe a walking vest would work just as well – you know, the 10 pound or more vests that people wear while walking to enhance their workout. Anybody tried a walking vest for SI purposes?

Today I prepared a trampoline, tunnel, peanut ball, and host of other items in preparation for a child with ADHD and other similar problems (new phrase I learned today: severe axial hypotonicity, often associated with mitochondrial disorders). Of course the child didn't come – that's what happens when you prepare a lot. Oh well, I'll be ready next week. 🙂

I also pondered how to reduce severe pain after burn (meaning beyond the stage it should be hurting that badly anymore) – I am going to try a TENS unit on the forearm in the acupuncture points of Li3 and Li10 I think it is?? to see if that helps during the actual session. I wrote a burn therapist with some questions regarding severe pain, webspace contractures, etc. I also worked a lot on understanding the Peabody and think I'm pretty close to ready! I understand the basal and ceiling levels and how to calculate ages etc, entry points, now just need to study the instructions on what to say, etc.

I'm trying to think of what else I learned today. I did stare longingly at some “fish sticks” or long chopstick like devices that are great for kids to use like tweezers to pick up items. Speaking of which, my PT partner told me of something her son had to do as a pre-writing skill, which is to use large push pins and use them to trace outlines of objects on a buletin board….ie a simply shaped animal is outlined with many pushpins so the kid has to grab the pushpin and push it in, many times over. Great prewriting muscle work up.

Tme to go shower! Time flies!