If your child is being seen by a physical therapist, speech therapist, or occupational therapist, chances are they have a home exercise program. Whether your child has a developmental delay or a specific diagnosis, one of the main key ingredients to home exercise programs is core strengthening activities.
Who remembers loving sit ups growing up? Yes, no hands go flying up on that one. A few easy ways to make doing sit ups more fun for your child are: timing them to see how many they can do in 30 seconds and comparing their scores day to day, grabbing a puzzle piece and placing it in the puzzle when they sit up, or giving high fives each time they sit up. Also, using an exercise or yoga ball can also make doing sit ups more fun- once they complete five you could bounce them on the ball. The ball also makes doing sit ups easier- you can control the ball and assist the child in completing one.
It only take 21 days to create a new habit- get started today! Maybe get in there with your child and do 30 sit ups every day... nothing is more motivating to your child than doing something along with their parent!
My favorite part of being a pediatric physical therapist is discharging patients who have met their goals. Recently, I discharged an 18 month old girl who I had been treating for 10 months. Her pediatrician referred her family to our clinic due to a developmental delay- she didn't start rolling until she was 8 months old-after starting physical therapy treatment at our clinic in Charlotte (rolling should start at 5-6 months).
Through the months that followed, her Mom kept sharing with me that she was nervous her child wouldn't walk or would never catch up, but we kept pushing the little girl's limits and she continued to progress. I remember telling the family the child would need a brace for her foot and how it effected the family. After wearing an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) for 3 months, her foot's alignment had improved giving her better balance and she started taking independent steps. The child's tone and strength improved from all of the "pre-walking" skills she had mastered like rolling, crawling, pulling to stand, and crusing on furniture leading this day. Her Mom called me the day she started walking between chairs in their house- her daughter was now officially a walker!! Our last appointment was last week and she was walking all over the room and through the hallways with no problem. We said our goodbyes and she walked out of the office all by herself.
Even though it is my job and I have experienced children walking for the first time more than one time, it is special with every single time. I find myself tearing up with the family when the children reach motor milestones. What a blessing!
Some interesting new findings concerning a link between genetics and autism. The cause of Autism is still considered a mystery, but this research may help with the search for a cure.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6584E520100609
The first Yoga Moves class at Child and Family Development was a success- a big thank you to everyone who participated! I always feel successful when parents report their children are doing yoga poses at home and showing off their new found skills!
I was really impressed with the way the children held each pose and pushed themselves throughout the entire hour. The format included doing about 4 static poses holding as long as they could and then breaking into a yoga game including soccer toss, windmill, skin the cat, or becoming volcanoes. There was a cool down each day that included stretches followed by envisioning ourselves on the beach making sand castles. :)
Sometimes I forget just how active imaginations are.. it was definitely refreshing for me to be a part of the class! Hope to see you in June for our next physical therapy-based Yoga Moves series! Please contact me if you are interested in reserving a spot.
lholmes@childandfamilydevelopment.com
704.332.4834 ext. 41
As a pediatric physical therapist at Child and Family Development, I am always thinking about kids in motion. Throughout the day, I help children achieve therapy goals related to balance, coordination, core strength, developmental gross motor skills and more.
Coincidentally, this is now my focus outside of the clinic too- but in a very different way! I am honored to be a member of the Junior League of Charlotte. The League is an organization for driven women who want to have an impact on the community of Charlotte. This Spring, the League is hosting the 5th annual event- Kids in Motion!
Kids is Motion is being held at the Symphony Park in Charlotte on Sunday, April 18th from 12-5pm. Admission is $5 and there will be all types of vehicles for children to explore, including a fire engine, ambulance, and police car to name a few. Food, crafts, games and entertainment will also be on hand for the entire family to enjoy.
Please make plans to come experience Kids in Motion! I look forward to seeing you there!
Special Yoga Moves classes being offered the week of Spring Break for just $20 per session!
Yoga Moves is a physical therapy based class that incorporates some basic principles of yoga and Pilates. The movements and positions are adapted to each person's capabilities and skill level.
Leslie Holmes, DPT is a full time physical therapist whose clinical work and holistic therapy approach encompass a variety of diagnoses. She has a special interest in and additional training in yoga and is actively purusing a certification.
Yoga Moves is designed to take premises from yoga and pilates, along with traditional physical therapy perspective of improving motor skills and body strength. It is to be considered adjunct to regular PT intervention.
Individual health and wellness goals may vary, but every person can have improvements in:
Balance
Coordination
Core strength
Flexibility
Modeling others (following directions, copying poses)
Social skills
Home carryover ideas and suggestions will be provided!!
The times for our special classes will be:
Monday, April 5 9-10 AM
Wednesday, April 7 11-12 AM
Thursday, April 8 10-11AM
*Join us for one or for all*
If interested, please contact Leslie Holmes, DPT at 704.332.4834 ext. 41 or lholmes@childandfamilydevelopment.com
February is not only heart month because of Valentine's Day, but it is also considered Heart Awareness Month. Getting plenty of rest, eating healthy, and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise per day will increase your heart health.
It is important for children to get started early with healthy habits for life. Encourage your children to play outdoors, join a recreational team in the community, or play games with the family like hot potato or throw/catch in the backyard.
A great FREE community event being held this month is called Keeping Kids in Motion. They will have some fun and healthy activities including yoga, dance funk, tumbling, relay races, flag football and more. There will also be tips on healthy menu ideas, injury prevention, and fitness. The event will be held February 20th and 27th from 9:30 am to 12 pm. It will be held at Naomi Drenan Recreation Center which is located at 750 Beal St. Charlotte, NC 28211. Should be a great event for families to attend!
The Junior League of Charlotte is a cosponsor of the event which I am a member. Keep those kids in Motion!! Happy Heart Month!
Yoga Moves is a class that will be offered each Thursday in February at 5pm at Child and Family Development- starting February 4th!
Yoga Moves is a physical therapy based class that incorporates some basic principles of yoga and pilates. The movements and poses are adapted to each person's skill level. The goals of the class are to improve control of movements, timing of breathing during exercise, and core strength. Yoga mats will be provided. Get your child signed up today!
For more information, please contact Leslie at Child and Family Development either by phone 704.332.4834 ext. 41 or by email at lholmes@childandfamilydevelopment.com
A new pediatric therapy group is in the works at Child and Family Development for the Spring/Summer 2010. Preparations are being made for a Yoga & Pilates class for children of all ages to gear up- the class will be 60 minutes long and include learning individual and group poses with an interactive staff.
After completing a yoga course over the summer, I got really excited about the idea of holding a class for children. Yoga & Pilates help strengthen the body, improve balance, increase coordination, and flexibility. It teaches children how to control movements, time breathing appropriately, and engage core mucles to optimize their performance in daily life.
Hatha yoga will be used during our classes and it is NOT a religion or based on any religion- this is a common misconception. It is a system of techniques used to reach personal goals specifically related to health and wellness. I have started using these poses and techniques in my regular physical therapy sessions and I find the children I serve begging to do yoga when they walk in my room. A crowd favorite is the cobra pose- lying on the tummy and pushing up with the arms- a nice precursor to doing push ups. There are so many poses that children remember and want to teach their siblings- not only are they gaining strength in weekly physical therapy sessions, but also at home which is the primary goal for any therapist!
In 2010 there will be more information about dates and times of the upcoming Yoga & Pilates class...Happy Holidays!
I have returned to Union Academy- Lower School to provide physical therapy services for the 2009-2010 school year! I am excited about this opportunity and had such a wonderful experience when I provided services there previously. The speech therapists, occupational therapists and resource teachers at Union Academy are extremely accomodating and helpful in finding a space for physical therapy to take place on the school grounds- which can sometimes be a challenge.
School physical therapy pushes creativity sometimes due to limited space, working around the classroom schedule and all the other children wanting to participate and "play" with the therapist. In order to qualify for school physical therapy the child must already be receiving speech therapy. The process to initiate physical therapy starts with a concern about gross motor development brought to the attention of the therapy team by the physical education teacher, classroom teacher or parent. Typically, a physical therapy evaluation follows with a weekly or monthly treatment plan recommended, if needed.
Sometimes getting a jump start with gross motor development can boost their self confidence which may improve performance in and outside the classroom!
Entering elementary school is an exciting time for children- there will be so many new experiences and opportunities in the next few weeks including getting a backpack, meeting new friends, possibly riding a school bus for the first time, and participating in organized physical education. Physical education is the most active part of the day where children run around, play games with peers, and interact with one another. It is important for your child to be prepared physically for this new adventure! Here is a checklist of six gross motor skills that most children entering elementary school can perform:
- Stand on one foot without losing balance for 5 seconds
- Walk on tiptoes 10-15 ft.
- Hop forward on 1 foot 4-6 ft.
- Skip with alternating feet
- Throw a ball overhand
- Use both hands to hold things and play
If you are interested in fine motor and language skills for your rising Kindergartner the full Development Chart is found under the Resources tab on our website: www.childandfamilydevelopment.com
Hi all! My name is Leslie Holmes- I recently returned to the Child and Family Development in July and I am so excited to be working with this experienced multidisciplinary team including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy as well as psychological and education therapies in Charlotte! Over the past three years I have worked in Charlotte as a pediatric physical therapist in school, home health, and outpatient settings. I look forward to serving you in the future!
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