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!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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2 comments:
Weighted Walking vests: I worked as a SPED Paraprofessional for two years with students with autism. We had a student with a weighted walking vest that I suppose worked at one time but had fallen apart so much that it was in back pack. This placed all the weight at the bottom and a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The teacher tended to use it more on his lap as we were concerned about body mechanics.
Check the website Etsy.com for weighted blankets. I randomly came across a woman's site that was selling handmade blankets.
Hi, I really love your blog, so this is hard for me to write without feeling like I will offend you. I am thinking about the way an un-trained lay-person might interpret your blog when I decided to respond to this post.
I was a little worried when I saw that you wrote:
"I am going to try a TENS unit on the forearm in the acupuncture points of Li3 and Li10 I think it is??"
I don't know about TENS or acupuncture, so I'm not telling you what is right or wrong. What I thought when I read this was "what evidence is this based on? What knowledge and skills does this OT have here?" etc. This was because the way you wrote this left me with the impression that you might simply try it and see without having done any research to know if it would be appropriate for a person with post-burns pain.
Of course this wouldn't be the case at all, I just worry that a lay person might read this and think "wow, I could do what an OT does, it sounds very eclectic, and really quite simple".
My main concern is that this approach to blogging when you are a practitioner does not reinforce for the general pubic that you are using clear evidence for your practice decisions, and at worst it sounds like you could be "simply giving things a shot" to see if they might work. Maybe if you wrote clearly what evidence you had found and asked for direct input from other therapists about the topic it would demonstrate a more professional method to applying new treatment approaches.
As you mention in the title of your blog, you are in transition from student to practitioner, so it will be difficult not to sound like a student on your blog if you use it to "learn out loud", so to speak.
So, maybe it is time to research then share new knowledge and ask specific questions on your blog. A good example of this in an OT Blog is http://healthskills.wordpress.com/ This was developed by a very skilled practitioner Bronnie Thompson in NZ.
I understand if you don't let my comment through to your blog BTW... I just want the best for you, for our profession and of course our clients, no matter where we are in the world.
Cheers Anita.
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