Sensory Camp 2016 Day 1

What a fun and exciting first day of Sensory Camp! These little explorers were vibrant, energetic, sweet, funny and enthusiastic, and we couldn't have asked for a better group of campers! Thank you to Abigail Schmidt, Ilana Kanovsky, OTR, and Eva Morrow for all of your help. I truly could not be doing this without you! I can't wait for my mother-in-law, Donna Bonang, a retired teacher of 37 years, and one of the best, and Niki Olesky, Little School teacher & overall wonderful person, to help out too! 

Let's unveil our day for all of you parents and readers! All activities are things that you can do at home with your kiddos as well. We started off camp with some play set fun. The kids found their niche quickly; whether it is was hanging on the trapeze bar improving upper extremity and core strength, climbing the climbing the wall, sliding down the slide for some vestibular input, or balancing on the skateboard swing. Some children veered off to hop over logs that were placed on the ground or swing on the tire swing as well. It's incredible to watch the children explore and find out what they enjoy. 

After we sat in a circle getting to know one another, we dove into our play dough activity. I used this recipe to have the gluten free play dough ready for the kids. They then got to use their little fingers and hands to knead, pinch, and roll their dough building up fine motor strength and coordination, intrinsic hand strength, thumb opposition and bilateral coordination (using 2 hands together in a coordination manner). Play dough is a great activity for imaginative and social play as well! The kids added purple sprinkles to their playdough and then had the choice of adding 1 of 4 essential oils to their dough. Each child really smelled the oils and chose what smelled good to them. These were the options and a few eliciting responses of each oil.


Lavender - relaxing & calming

Eucalyptus - germ killer (in play dough a 
great hand sanitizer ;) & congestion aid

Peppermint - energy booster 

Lemon - mood booster & natural disinfectant

Essential oils have endless benefits & uses, and I highly recommend them. I'm happy to help if you have any questions!

Next, OBSTACLE COURSE! I am an OT who has set-up, gone through and worked with kids on a million and one obstacle courses throughout my career. My own kids love them too! They work on initiation, follow through, sequencing & organization, to name a few. Obstacle course can also be very calming for some children, especially kids with motor coordination disorders, sensory processing challenges, and autism. Here is the camp obstacle course! 

1. Balance Bike down the hill - this bike is amazing and has taught both of my boys to ride bikes at 3. It is great for balance, proprioceptive awareness, body in space & coordination. 

2. Tunnel - tunnels are a wonderful activity to have kids feel safe in a calming space. They also build strength and endurance as the children crawl on their hands and knees.

3. Tires - The kids had to climb in, up and over tires that were stacked. Great for motor planning, balance and incorporating upper and lower extremities

4. Slide - what kids don't love to slide?! 

5. There was a pool set up and some kids took the option to go in and some did not want to get their feet wet! 

By this point, the kids were STARVING!! Each of them had their own special made mason jar cup (using glass is much safer to drink out of then plastic!). I've already gotten a few texts and emails about the RECIPES, so here they are!

HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK - once you are in the habit, this is so so easy, so don't be overwhelmed at the name! 

1. Soak 1c Almonds & 4 dates overnight, in separate bowls. (I usually double this recipe)
2. Save the date water
3. Rinse soaked almonds
4. Place almonds, dates, date water, approximately 1 tbsp. maple syrup or vanilla extract, plus enough water to make 4 cups in the blender. Blend for a few minutes. Pour into a cheese cloth or nut bag
5. Strain

Easy, right? 

My kids LOVE this milk and it tastes like vanilla ice cream. Going one step further. I let the almond pulp sit in my fridge in a cloth napkin or paper towel overnight to rid of any excess water. Then, I dehydrate the pulp in the oven at 180 degrees for about 4-6 hours. If you have a dehydrator, even better! Once dry, grind into a fine powder and you just made your own Almond Flour! This is what I used for this delicous BANANA BREAD RECIPE! I added dairy, nut & soy free chocolate chunks to the bread to make it extra yummy as well. Gluten and refined sugar free baking is so amazing, nutritious & much more nutrient based then using wheat based flours and refined sugar and just as easy! The kids loved snack! 

After snack we engaged in a few deeps breaths, lion breaths, and a few yoga poses too! Then, it was off to the woods to find our nature instrument sticks. The kids had a great time exploring in the woods and were so motivated to find the most perfectly imperfect stick for next week's activity! 

Thank you for sharing your children with us for Sensory Camp 2016! We are so excited for next Monday!

Engage your child's senses through Nature Activities - Sensory Camp 2016

Here are some more fun activities that we will be doing this summer at Sensory Camp in Weston!

We will make some homemade instruments using water, rocks, pebbles and anything else that we can find in nature! If your child is sensitive to noise, we will make calming, regulating instruments.

The kids will have their own garden bed to wheelbarrow soil (a great bilateral and heavy work activity working on balance as well) and their own organic seeds to plant!

More obstacle courses navigating on stones, through tunnels and more! A sandbox for tactile, pretend & social play.

We will always end with yoga getting our bare hands and bare feet in touch with the grass and dirt!

There are a few spots left, so contact me if your are interested! I am also playing with the idea of adding another camp in August for 1 week Monday-Thursday after I complete a 20-hour Radiant Child Yoga Level I-II training. If you are interested let me know! If there is enough interest, it is ON :)

pediatricplay@gmail.com
802.289.2930
https://www.facebook.com/PediatricPlayOccupationalTherapy/

Namaste!

SENSORY CAMP - day 1

Here is a little sneak peak into what your little ones will endure their first day of sensory camp. Don't forgot, early bird registration ends June 1st, so contact me to get you a registration form soon! Space is filling up!

• Meet and Greet and play set play to begin - a great way to get some vestibular (movement) input going, oxygen to the brain and any nervousness out! 
• GF Playdough making fun - lets target the tactile and olfactory systems while also getting in some propriocpeptive work squishing, kneading and squeezing! Parents - you will also learn what essential oils you can add to play dough at home to combat colds, promote calming and/or energizing and more. 
• Obstacle Course - vestibular, organization, sequencing, balance and motor planning will be incorporated into this activity with as much of natural terrain as allows. Bring your swim suits because we may slide into a pool as part of the course ;)
• Some music for modulation - auditory love
• Yoga will end each camp session  - propriocepetive and movement based input, tactile senses get some attention feeling the earth under little hands and feet! Breathing, calming and mindfulness to settle everyone back down before heading home.
• The snack this week with be Almond Flour Blueberry Mini-Muffins and homemade Almond Milk with recipes and tips! 

I am so excited to share summer mornings and sensory experiences with your kiddos, so hurry and sign up fast! It will be here in the blink of an eye - but let's not rush it, it all goes too too fast ;)

Don't forget to check out the About Me section on the right to learn a little about my career path and philosophies.

Going Against the Grain – Incorporating Holistic Techniques in a Conventional Setting

Planting seeds, it’s all that you can do at times, but eventually those seeds will grow into beautiful, long lasting plants, trees or flowers.

  

Having my own business in Vermont means seeing my own private clients and also contracting out to the school systems. In the schools, I am up against politics, a food system that isn’t working, and standards that the teachers need to adhere to daily. Many are stressed, overwhelmed, overworked and sometimes at a loss. Children are showing more behaviors, increased difficulties sitting still, limited play skills, and constant meltdowns. What is going on and how has this change happened?

I will give you my opinion in 4 letters – DIET. Children today are so nutrient deprived, eating processed foods/genetically modified foods, minimal fruits and veggies, and an absorbent amount of sugar. Then, they are expected to sit still and engage for hours when their bodies and brains go on highs and lows all day long, blood sugars rising and falling, energy levels with peaks and valleys, similar to a person addicted to drugs. Studies have actually shown that sugar is as addictive as heroine, so of course these kids are always hungry. They are seeking out their next high from sugar filled “foods” that provide absolutely no benefit to their growing brains - harsh, yes, honest, absolutely. I will admit that technology, screen time and lack of outdoor play limiting vitamin D are impacting this epidemic as well, but with a healthy diet, children will have more energy to run around and play outside and would willingly choose this activity over an ipad any day, guaranteed! With a healthy diet, we would also see less children being prescribed medication for ADHD at the young age of FIVE, less medication for anxiety and depression, and improved immune systems. This paradigm needs a shift, and soon, because our youth are suffering immensely and these medications are changing their brain biochemistry across their lifetime.

In every meeting that I attend, the team waits for my “spiel” on how to incorporate holistic techniques into their children’s and families lives, with a large focus on nutrition. Sometimes, there are eye rolls or “glazed over looks” as a colleague of mine once observed, but that’s okay. If I can help change one child’s life out of a multitude, the seed has grown! The constant education that I provide staff and families is worth it all, and a few of my colleagues have actually changed their lifestyles due to my plantings and consult with me on holistic living almost weekly! Let’s be honest, I choose my battles. A family dealing with homelessness needs love and support around finding a home for their family first. Emotionally, they are not ready to tackle other areas, but many families can tackle these areas with the right support in place. My husband hears my frustrations (constantly ;), and listens, while pushing me along to continue to be the change in a conventional, and in a sense, medical minded setting. He’s the warrior and fan behind the scenes!

Now that I have given you my “spiel”, let’s get down to the nitty gritty! How are we being the change as holistic occupational therapists in the school setting and what are we implementing where we can?

1.     Aromatherapy – There are immense benefits of using essential oils, and although I am not going to get into them here, I encourage you to do your own self-study or find a course to learn how to incorporate them into your life or your work as a practitioner! I have taken an Introduction to Aromatherapy course by Emmy Vadnais, OTR/L to enhance my knowledge on how to incorporate essential oils into my work as an OT, and also into our family’s lives. Essential oils are now a part of our daily routine at home. In the school setting, we have also placed an aromatherapy diffuser in the therapy room. We choose oils that are mostly calming, as this is what a large percentage of the children need. We also have oils that combat germs and boost the immune system, which is incredibly important when working with constantly ill children on a daily basis. A student also recently underwent a leg lengthening surgery with an external fixator, and the school nurse was willing to email the surgeon to discuss the possibility of daily essential oil massages at school to improve range of motion, assist with pain management, decrease inflammation and improve affect and mood as well. Stay tuned for the verdict on this, as I may need to call and educate the surgeon prior to getting clearance.

2.     YOGA – It began as a Kindergarten group this fall, and now we have incorporated weekly yoga sessions into almost every single classroom - woohoo! The teachers are begging for more and the kids love it. We are thrilled to have started providing yoga sessions this year! We work on understanding what yoga is, partner yoga making it fun, various types of breathing, yoga for calming, yoga for increasing core strength and overall, yoga to settle the mind and the body and prepare the children for learning. We always end each session in Shavasana, and the students are really learning to calm their nervous systems. From a sensory perspective, yoga is providing these students with self-regulation strategies to access anytime that they need. It also works on core strength, as mentioned above, which is often times weak in children with sensory processing challenges. Yoga also incorporates balance, bilateral coordination, working opposite sides of the brain, and oxygen flow throughout the body. All of this impacts a child’s sensory needs in positive ways reintegrating the sensory systems, again, preparing them for learning!

3.     MINDFULNESS – This year we have had a few kiddos that are really struggling to keep it together all day at school. Emotionally, they have a lot of needs, and they were not able to access any learning within their environment. With these children, we worked yoga into our OT routine, but we focused more on mindfulness, being present, and breathing. I began to use Sitting Still Like a Frog both the book and CD with positive impact.

4.     DIET & NUTRITION – This is where we are still struggling, and I am waiting for one parent to take hold of my recommendations 100% and more, so that I can have a case study of a real child with a real face and real name in the community and show the positive benefits of eating a healthy, nutrient dense diet. I guess you can stay tuned for that as well! A few favorite books of mine to recommend to parents are Cure Your Child with Food: The Hidden Connection Between Nutrition and Childhood Ailments by Kelly Dorfman and The N.D.D. Book: How Nutrition Deficit Disorder Affects Your Child's Learning, Behavior, and Health, and What You Can Do About It--Without Drugs (Sears Parenting Library) – both books can be found on Amazon. They are parent friendly, provide case studies, and are very informative. They are not overwhelming and are perfect for parents. Working with families privately, it is easier to get them on board with trialing a healthy gluten free diet to improve focus and attention, encourage them to avoid all processed foods and sugar, and limit casein and dairy, truly figuring out each individual child’s food triggers. This is important for all children, but especially children diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Asthma, etc. However, in the school setting, there are a lot of barriers. Many children eat school lunch, which is providing minimal nutrients to sustain attention and focus. The contact that I do have with parents is minimal, and it is a big change that many are just not willing to accept. Plant those seeds, nonetheless!

5.     MENU PLANNING COMMITTEE – About a month ago, there was a menu planning committee meeting of staff and students. Of course, I did not miss this! Here we go, planting seeds again J. Since the meeting, I have seen a few changes, such as fruit smoothies in the morning, but we sure have a long way to go. I have found a few studies that I have presented to principals on how a healthy diet impacted children’s behaviors in 2 separate schools (find studies here and here), simply providing education. I also am planning on speaking with one of the school districts superintendents to discuss applying for the Farm to School program, which you can find more about about here. I have also been asked to join my own son’s Farm to School Committee, which will help educate me more about the program, which I can then bring into the districts where I am working.

6.     SCHOOL NEWSLETTER – Educating through words can sometimes be a powerful tool, as families have time to think about what they have read, do research and come to you with questions. This year, occupational therapy has it’s own section in one of the school newsletters, which is another first. Initially, through our articles, I educated families on exactly what we do as OT’s, being sure to incorporate that we work on the whole child, which includes health and wellness and healthy meal planning, along with fine motor, visual motor, sensory motor, etc. During February, I took advantage of it being heart healthy month and put a spin on it teaching families how to crowd out the bad while crowding in the good. Encouraging families to cook whole food and leave packaged foods loaded with ingredients at the store. For many, it may be the first time that they were “hearing” this information. We’ve also delved into how we are incorporating yoga in the classroom and inspired families to do this at home as well. Coming up, we will give parents strategies for improving their child’s fine motor skills through home activities, and the more overall education we can provide about our field the better, so it’s an added bonus that we have become a part of the monthly newsletter.

7.     COLLEAGUE SUPPORT – As I mentioned earlier, many of the staff in the school come to me with questions, whether it’s about diet, vitamins, or a nontoxic mattress! I love the questions and providing education when I can. A few people now see my Naturopath on a regular basis, and one of them is going to now make her their family practitioner – awesome! Hopefully, the teachers are also learning mindfulness strategies, deep breathing and yoga techniques for themselves because being a teacher is a tough job to say the least, and they need these strategies too!

Thank you for reading how we are planting those seeds in a conventional setting, in hopes that in the following years we will see blossomed, radiant success stories!

SENSORY CAMP 2016

Don't miss out on sensory camp this summer where we will explore each of our 7 senses every camp session! 7, yes, 7 senses - auditory, tactile, olfactory, visual, taste, vestibular & proprioceptive. Space is limited so please sign up early. Contact Michelle @ 802.289.2930, pediatricplay@gmail.com, or on FB.

Check out my contributing quote in ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners!

If you follow my posts, you are most likely well aware of my thoughts on nutrition and health and it's impact on life, development, attention/focus, sensory processing and more. I am so happy to have been a contributor to this wonderful article written by an amazing, well respected Holistic Occupational Therapist, Emmy Vadnais. I would put my quote here, but then you wouldn't get the benefits of the full article. Follow the link and enjoy! 

http://occupational-therapy.advanceweb.com/Columns/Holistic-OT/Do-You-Eat-Well.aspx

Image credit: Alexander Dixon

Please contact Michelle at Pediatric Play Occupational Therapy for questions or consultations related to occupational therapy and nutrition needs. 

TAKE THE SUGAR FREE CHALLENGE

Happy Sunday!

In lieu of Pre-writing is FUN! this week (my son did not have school on Friday due to an inservice), let's talk nutrition! My colleagues at work hold their breaths in meetings waiting, just waiting, for me to make my spiel on the importance of nutrition, supplements and contemplating working with a Naturopathic Doctor and/or Nutritionist to help treat their child's diagnosis. I truly and whole heartedly believe that the lack of nutrient intake and eating too many foods grown in a lab are causing a huge number of the occupational therapy referrals that I receive each year. There has been a steady rise in ADHD, Autism, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), behavioral challenges in kids, and Sensory Integration Disorder (although, as I've mentioned before, is somehow still not recognized as a disorder in the DSM - we will get there!) that I receive referrals for both in the schools and from private clients. These diagnoses are often accompanied with Asthma, Obesity, and childhood Diabetes; sad, yes. I have had parents upset with me for recommending dietary changes, but that's okay, I'm here to advocate for the kids and I'm not questioning their parenting, yet educating them on nutrition choices. Believe me, it took me years to understand how to make all the necessary changes to be completely healthy. It takes time, dedication and a lot of reading! My dear friend Rebecca, whom I've spoken about in previous posts once said to me, "Read the ingredients in your peanut butter and then read mine." The ingredients on her peanut butter were peanuts and salt, I could pronounce them all - I was sold! Would these kids need me if their diet was different? For many of the kids with attentional, behavioral, emotional and sensory challenges, I'm going to go out on a limb and say, "absolutely not."

So, here's the challenge and please make it your own. I challenge you, for the next 3 weeks to knock out refined sugar from your families diets. Start tomorrow, if you can plan enough out today! For some reason, American's love getting healthy on Mondays, which is quite comical if you really think it through! Eliminating refined sugar, if nothing else, will get you reading ingredients, and you will be shocked at what you are going to start noticing is in your families' food, if you don't already. Now, this is where you can make it your own - if you want to do a complete sugar detox, which is not recommended for kids, follow the link for Against All Grain below. Danielle Walker, who started Against All Grain follows Diane Sanfilippo's method for a complete sugar detox. I also invite you to read Tapps' Tips for general information on sugar and watch the trailer on Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead's link (every American should see this documentary). If you have a child with Autism, The ASD puzzle link started by Elizabeth Strickland is a wonderful resource. The Mind Body Green blog is just a great read. I have also written a post on Nutrition, which you can read here.

Good luck and get going; your families health and wellness are in your hands!

http://tappstips.com/the-real-scoop-on-sugar/

http://againstallgrain.com/2013/12/26/21-day-sugar-detox-diane-sanfilippo/

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com

http://www.mindbodygreen.com

http://www.asdpuzzle.com/eating-for-autism/