The art of blowing

How fun it is blowing bubbles or a whistle! This is a very fun activity for young toddlers. But for kids with hypotonia (decrease muscle tone) it is something that they cannot take for granted. When Tommy was 12 months old we introduced single straws and Tommy discovered how to blow through the straw.  I followed Tommy's lead and blowing bubbles through the straws became part of our fun oral motor therapy. This was also the beginning of Tommy enjoying blowing hundreds of bubbles and the melodic sounds of a whistle as any other toddler.

Tommy blowing bubbles through the straw

Tommy blows bubbles in the park (18 month)

Tommy blowing bubbles (22 month)

Blowing bubbles or whistles encourage breathing coordination and movements with the mouth and tongue muscles, allowing children to practice eye-hand coordination. To deep the blower and bring it close the mouth encourage bilateral hand coordination, which it's important for writing skills. While children blow the bubbles, they track the bubbles very fast allowing them to exercise their eye muscles. Blowing bubbles also assess language skills and promotes language development, according to MommySpeechTherapy.com

We have used different straws, bubbles blowers and whistles that I have chosen according to the difficulty of blowing each one. The best places to find them are the dollar stores and the party supply stores. You can also search online to find new innovative straws, bubble makers and whistles. We don't allow Tommy to hold them becasue the ones I have gotten are manufactured for older kids, which means they have small parts that can cause choking hazard. But for his birthday, we got a nice set of bubble blowers  that he will be allowed to deep and blow. I am looking for a flute or a trumpet as other gift for his birthday. 

Tommy blows his straw whistle

Tommy blows his wind star whistle

How proud we are of him! He is doing all kind of things. The fact he is not walking yet doesn't stop him to learn and doesn't discourage us to keep boosting his brain. Therefore, the next step in our art of blowing is from deep and blow to blowing bigger bubbles. After all, it is a fun activity. 

NOTE: Always chose bubbles blowers and whistles with round shape for the mouth area. Other shapes may promote tongue protrusion. 

Tommy washes his hands

Tommy learned to use the hand sanitizer when he was about 18 months. But teaching to watch his hands would be challenging because he cannot reach the sink. Last weekend, Tommy climbed my steep stool while he was exploring around. I realized if he could climbed my step stool, he could wash his hands and he would be able to improve his balance and his gross motor skills at the same time. Therefore, he is learning to watch his hands. After, we help him to watch his hands, he likes to dry his hands with paper towel. He truly enjoys it!

"The sky is the limit"

Tommy washes his hand for the first time

Taking this picture wasn't easy. I was so afraid 

he could fall.  I could not concentrate to take the photos 

of the process of him climbing; even although, my 

husband was watching him. I just took the beginning and the end.

Massages increase muscle awareness

During my pregnancy, I knew about the massage therapy to improve muscle tone. It was one of my first questions when I had the meeting with my EIP coordinator. She recommended to talk the physical therapist who will be able to provide the guidence for baby massages.

The study Children with Down syndrome improved in motor functioning and muscle tone following massage therapy describes massage therapy as "a passive treatment that requires little, if any, physical demands on the individual receiving the therapy."

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Massage therapy techniques can decrease swelling and impaired joint mobility, ease muscle spams and muscle tension, and increase circulation to promote healing. Massage also can reduce pain and improve muscle tone. Specialists at Mayo Clinic recognize that many complementary and alternative medicine treatments such as massage can promote physical, mental and spiritual wellness."

During our Physical Therapist's first visit we talked about massages for Tommy. She explained to me several techniques. She also said that the best and simple way to give massages in in firm circle motions. A year later, his PT suggested  to give massages with a vibrating hand massager because he could get more awarness and sensory input in his muscle. 

We gives massages to Tommy in the morning and before he goes to bed. We gives massages on all his body from head to toes. We have two vibrating massager, one is for me and the other one is for him. While I am giving massages around his body, Tommy plays with his purple massager. When is time to massage his hands we practice opposites (On and Off) by turning on and off the massager, therefore he has to isolate his index finger.  I also use this time for language development because I talk about the body parts.  I explain to him that we can blink our eyes, we can smell with our nose, we can smile with our mouth and we can hear with our ears.  I do facial expressions and he tries to copy me. In this way, it is easier for the child to understand the difference of each part of the face.  I also sing "head, Shoulders, Knee and Toes" and he like this song. He has fun with this silly games.

According to the book "Bright from the star" by Jill Stamm, PH. D., 'To a baby, touch is a physical requirement that she needs to both receive and to use every single day. "as critical a nutrient as a vitamin", says Bruce Perry, M. D., PH.D., a child psychiatrist who is leading expert on brain development and childhood trauma... Touch tells the brain, "you are wanted organism!" This stimulates the development of both physical and emotional systems.' Therefore, massage therapy provides the benefits of skin-to-skin contact. This book has a good guidance of how to give baby massages.

I am not good giving massages, but I try to do my best. I am thinking to take some classes to improve my massage techniques. 

Tommy, the explorer

As any other child, Tommy is an explorer. He likes to explorer everything around the house. I have a plant stand in the dining room and I had to remove all my plants because of him. Then, he takes the lower basket out of the stand and he uses as a top toy. He spins the basket around the house.

See the video, Tommy spins his basket top toy.

He doesn't have to use mommy's plant basket as a top toy anymore. He got a top toy for Christmas from his grandparents. It is a very cute Jay Jay Jet Plane mini top toy. He has currently learned how to spin the top toy. I think his therapist is right when she said Tommy is fine motor driven. While I was thinking it will take longer for him to discover how to use the toy, my little explorer was already doing it.  We also use the top toy to teach opposites (Up and Down) while he pull up and down the handle. 

See the video when Tommy learned to spin his new top toy. 

You may be unable to see the videos if you received this post in your email.

Please go to  www.asuperbaby.blogspot.com to see the videos.

Motivating Tommy to walk

Tommy major problem more than the Hypotonia, it is the lack of motivation and/or maybe self-confidence to get around by himself. Back in September, Tommy's motor skills improved in an unbelievable way. Our PT decided to do something unusual, after we tried everything, taking him out of the therapy for a little while. We did and we were astonished of the amazing progress he did. He accomplished in 7 weeks what he didn’t in 7 month. He suddenly went from sitting up on his own while he lays down on his back to creeping and suddenly he switched to army crawling; from occasionally creeping to pull up; from pulling up to occasionally climbing in and out the couch; from climbing to tall crawling; from standing up without support for a few seconds to cruising. This is the reason we think his muscle are not the major problem. It is his lack of motivation to get around, which makes things harder. We have to experiment with everything possible to get him motivated without knowing what will  truly work for him. He is getting so close to walk, but his lack of motivation is hitting him back again. 

One of his PT suggested a walking bike, the "Cheeky Chick" by Okiedog. Tommy rode the Cheeky Chick bike during one of his PT visits. He walked with a little support while he was riding the bike. Therefore, we got it for him, but he didn't want to ride on his bike the first weeks. He gave it a try on Monday by his own choice and it seems he enjoyed it. He rode it with little support, it is good sign! Before the bike, we got a shopping chart by Melissa & Dog in October. He pushed the shopping chart in short distances several times by himself, but he doesn’t want to do it any more. I will incorporate the shopping chart into his play time very slowly during the coming weeks.

Tommy started to walk with support since he was around 12 month, but know he is also giving us hard time because he doesn't want to be held. Well, I got what motives him, singing or counting his steps. We don't hold him by his arms anymore, we hold him by his torso because he gets control of his walking pattern. His PT suggested to put him to walk with daddy's shoes to help him to put more weight in his feet while he walks. Watching Tommy to walk with support while he was wearing daddy's shoes was very funny this evening. 

He is progressing very good every week during his Aqua therapy sessions. He stood up by himself in the water for about 10 minutes on Monday. His PT shook the platform several times while he was standing and he didn't fall, which means his balance is good, but he doesn't have the same confidence when he is out of the water. The goal of the Aqua therapy is to give the child the gross motor skills and confidence in the water because it is easier. Then, they will be able to transfer the skills into their normal routines. It seems, it is working for Tommy. He came to me and held my cloth to pull up on Monday evening; and then, he let his hands free and was standing by himself for a while and he did over and over again. It was a fun game for him. Now, he is doing it in the crib all the time. 

Tommy's two Physical Therapists are doing everything they can to help him to walk. I know he will, but it will be on his own terms as everything he does. We will keep helping him to strengh his muscle and motivating him to walk, and one day, I will send a post about Tommy's first independent steps.

Happy Birthday!

Today is my birthday. Instead feeling older, I feel younger, he, he, he. I feel in my soul and my heart a great peace and rewarding feeling because I am a successful woman. Because over the pass two years, I have learned to balance my carrier, motherhood and wife role in a very busy schedule to provide all the stimulation my son needs, which includes the EIP therapies and private pay therapies. It hasn't been that easy, but I finally feel I have learned to handle it. I am a super woman, he, he, he.

The great feeling every time our therapists give me a call, leave a note or talk to me about how great Tommy is doing is priceless. The best gift I could receive today is a call from his DT to say Tommy did absolutely great, he did everything she was teaching him and he even said a new word this morning while they were looking at a book. He said "APPLE" multiple times. Tommy has given me the best birthday gift. God chose me to see the wonders he can do through my son. Raising my child with T21 is priceless.

Happy Birthday!

Happy New Year!

One year has ended and One has started! Time is passing by very fast. From the bottom of our hearts, we wish you a Very Blessed and Happy New Year!

Tommy, the Musician

When we brought our son from the hospital, we put him to listen to music right away because of our pediatrician's advise. He listens to music every day since then. We  started Tommy's first collection of Musical CDs, which includes: American Indian, Celtic, English and Spanish nursery rhymes, contemporary English and Spanish music, Instrumental music, Christmas music, Opera and all the music that daddy's likes, too. Jazz is the next music gender we will try. To afford an extensive musical collection, we don't spend money. The dollar store close to my house has a good selections of CDs. We also listen the online radio www.pandora.com because we can chose the music gender we like. 

Musical instruments are good for helping kids to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Because of Tommy's Hypotonia (decrease muscle tone), we have a selection of musical instruments to help him to strength the little muscles of his hands. My mom gave the toy piano to Tommy for his first Christmas because her dream is that Tommy learns to play the piano. What I like of this piano is that it is is a real piano adapted for babies.  Learning to play the piano, and the study of music in general, engages both hemispheres of the brain. The benefits of this learned skill carry on through adulthood. Music education involves both art and math. The piano is an ideal first musical instrument for kids to learn because the keyboard is easier to master than other instruments.

The article "Music and Movement - Instrumental in Language Development" by Maryann Harman, M. A.  is the best explanation I have found about how the music affects or stimulates the brain. According to this article "Each component of music affects a different part of the brain, e.g. a familiar song activates the left frontal lobe, timbre the right frontal lobe, and pitch the left posterior. One side of the brain processes the word while the other processes the music – activating the whole brain ensures better retention. Short-term memory has the ability to hold only seven bits of information. If bits of information are bonded together, as in a song, it can be processed as one piece. By condensing the information, the brain is able to receive and process more." Click here to read the complete article.

Tommy loves music and it is amazing to watch him playing his musical instrument toys because he changes the rhythm and the tunes. I think he does it because of cause and effect as part of his learning experience. He maybe think: If I play the piano, What would it happen if I use all my fingers to touch different keys? If I move the maracas up and down, what happens? How would it sound? Enjoy the video of Tommy playing his instrument toys.

Tommy plays the maracas and shows how flirt he is

Tommy plays his football rattle. He impressed his OT because 

she thouhgt it would be difficult for him, but he knew what to do. 

Tommy plays his bell. I was actually looking for musical bells, 

but they are expensive. I found this desk bell that works just perfect and

 helps him to strength his index fingers (He was younger in this video).

Tommy plays the drum. Tommy still looks like a 

baby In this video, he was about 13 month.  He is a big boy now.

You may be unable to see the videos if you received this post in your email. Please click on www.asuperbaby.blogspot.com to see the videos.