Thomas the Therapy Engine

[Cbean]

You know it amazes me how having a child with DS has jump-started my brain - to a point of course. As I've mentioned before Emily is less than tolerant on her belly and has gotten better since she was just sick. So her PT really wants to see her become more tolerant and stay on it longer. Then Mom thought to put this in front of her and low and behold - 15 minutes, plus she was due for a bottle. I think it also helped that her #1 motivation was lying next to her, but those eyes followed that silly little train all around that track - never left it! Now if only she was smiling instead of the tongue hanging out this pic would have been perfect. A side shot of this shows Em trying to touch Thomas with that tongue! I'm really enjoying whatching items around the house becoming "therapy" tools!

i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/CbeantheOriginal/tomtherapy.jpg

[chrfath]

Awww, she is so lucky to have a big brother helper too. Very cute. I know Veronica has found the most benefit from household stuff. She was scooping and transfering dog food with her spoon last week. Her EI person just thought that was the best.

[meghans_mom]

oooh...so cute! She's doing so great, Christine!! One great thing MM loved for tummy time was a mirror - one of those unbreakable ones w/ the black and white colors on them. she'd stare at her own face or the patterns. you can find them in a triangle shape that stay propped on their own, or prop one of those car-baby-watching-mirrors.
thanks for sharing - laurie

[Jessie]

She is just too dang sweet - no wonder you gush about her all the time! And, those CHEEKS, she hasn't lost an ounce off of them has she?

Very cute . . . and big brother is very handsome!

Jessie

[Jenifer]

When Joy was five months old, my father-in-law bought her a train to go on the floor around our Christmas tree. We set it up and she would lay on her belly FOREVER watching that thing go round and round. She actually rolled over for the first time watching that train. She was on her back and she wanted to get closer, so she hiked her legs up in the air and kicked them toward the train, and let gravity get her on her belly. It was precious!

[wrblack]

Handsome and little sister pretty. Looks like Emily is doing great. Vaguely remember Charlie's PT suggesting rolled up towel under chest, about armpit level, to help with tummy time. Read a mom whose PT told her to get adult tube socks and fill with rice as homemade positioning aids. You might ask Emily's PT about positioning aids. Don't remember when Charlie moved on to getting bounced around on big therapy ball. That was fun. He'd probably still like that. But Thomas ain't bad. Whatever works and gets her there. -- Regards to all, Bob

p.s. Posting this just noticed Proboards now has a spellcheck, hadn't noticed that before. This gould be cood.

[Cbean]

Hey Bob - yup we've been told about the rolled up towel and such, but doesn't always give enough support. Newest tool is a pool noodle (cut it in half and you have two therapy tools) although we think it's a little uncomfortable so we were going to try it with a towel, but then all of a sudden she became tolerant of being on her tummy. Now she seems happier there than on her back. What can I say, world looks very different from there. As for the ball, we've been using a big blue ball that I won for Ryan at our church fair last year. She loves it! We started using that at 2 months on her belly. I used it in front of tv while watching Baby Mozart and she stayed there for almost the whole tape! Now when we sit her on it her compensation is great and when we bounce her on it she chuckles and smiles! Oh, pool noodles are also good for adjusting car seats when your seats are too slanty! I know some will think I'm out of my gourd, but I have to say I love therapy. Guess it's fun when there's a baby involved!

[MB]

C-bean, the kids are entirely too cute!!!!!

MB

[kellyds]

Adorable children! I love the pic, even with your daughter's tongue showing. I just took a pic of Joshua with his tongue sticking out, 'cuz I think his tongue is CUTE! ;D

Now, about those noodles and/or rice socks . . . do they go under the arms and across the chest? They wouldn't go OVER the arms, would them, because they need their arms to push up. Am I on the right track here?

[Valerie]

That is a great picture! Your kids are both so cute! And what a great way to get her on her tummy!

[Jodi]

I'm loving the avatar and Thomas pics. Too darn cute!

I wonder if she likes to watch things move... Ryan has always like to roll things. He frequently asks for a blanket and marbles or cars - he will make paths in the blanket for his toys. He'll do it for hours if I let him.

[Cbean]

Hey Kelly - you got it right, noodle under the armpits to give them support so they don't slouch while up on their elbows. Jodi, I like the idea of the blanket with the marbles and cars - really cool. Actually my Ryan loves to play with cars (I feel like we live in a Hot Wheels factory!) and he'll make roads and hills for them out of just about anything!!!

[alisonzmom]

Great picture Christine! Gorgeous kiddos you have there!

Another thing I found helpful for tummy time with Alison who absolutely HATED being on her tummy - and can't say that I blame her since until she was 7 months old she had a colostomy! - was those squishy pillows you find almost everyplace now, I think they're called Cooshie's or something like that. They mold really nicely to your body and for whatever reason whenever we propped Alison on it, she would play on her tummy for a long, long time ( over an hour sometimes!)

Barb