Pre-scissors Skills

Fine motor skills secure an independent living. If we stop for one second and think: Why do I do without using my hands? We inmideatly know the answer. We do pretty much everything with our hands. Being proactive is the best way I have chosen to secure my son's independent living when he becomes an adult. Because of the Hypotonia (low muscle tone), we know he may struggle with some tasks for pre-schoolers such as, cutting with scissors. Therefore, we are currently working on Pre-scissors Skills to strengthen his fine muscles. We have set a new goal for Tommy, we would like him to cut with scissor by the age of three.

According to Karey Fleming, Occupational Therapist and founder of

Fine Motor Skills For Children, the Hand Skills Required to use Scissors are:

1. Open web space...
2. Hand separation (the right and left sides of the hand can function separately meaning they can do different things at the same time such as in writing, the left side of the hand and last 2 fingers are tucked away while the right side of the hand complete the task.
3. Bilateral hand use (use of 2 hands together)

We have classify some toys for our son, thinking in the pre-scissors skills based on Open Web, Hand Separation and Bilateral Hand Usage.

Toys for working on Open Web

• Light-Up Glitter Water Ball. This is a heavy ball that adds pressure to the joins.
• Different sizes balls
• Different tongs sizes
• Bulb crayons by Alex Toys
• Knob bushes by Chenille Kraft Company
• Magnetic Chalkboard/Dry-Erase Board by Melissa & Dog

Toys for hand Separation

• Rice sensory box (Home made toy)
• Sand toys
• Home made playdogh
• Hand paint (Use chocolate pudding or foam soap)

Toys for Bilateral Hand Usage

• Mommy and Baby Penguins Pull & Go toy by Tomy China
• Soft "peel-able" fruits and veggies by iPlay
• Wooden bottles by Melissa & Dog
• Saxoflute by Quercetti
• Catch the fish puzzle by Circo
• Bubble Tumbler by Little Kid
• Botton Nose cloth-book by Nina Laden
• Wooden Stringing Set by Alex Toys

We got already his first scissor just to be ready for the momemnt his muscle will be ready to snip a piece of paper for the first time.

To download a free handout about Pre-scissors Skills, go to www.finemotorskillsdevelopment.com.

It is very helpful website that offers online classes (webinars)

for parents, therapist, or any person interested in fine motor skills.

Tommy's Summer beverage

Tommy doesn't like to drink plain water,

it has to be mix with juice or have flavor.

It makes things harder when we eat out.

But we found the perfect summer beverage

when we eat out with Tommy, LEMONADE.

He drank the whole lemonade cup non-stop

in our way home yesterday.

Picture by a paparazzi on the side of the car

(His mommy)

Picture by a paparazzi on front of the car

(His daddy)

My little rascal

My little rascal was too quiet yesterday evening, so I went to check on him and he took the vent lid out, then he was trying to put it back. I love this little moments in his life because it is just him being a child.

A pretty Boy

When people meet Tommy for the first time, the first thing they say is: "What a beautiful hair!" It is true! It is in his genes, Trisomy 21 couldn't change that. My husband and I used to have a beautiful hair when we were kids. My hair was deep black and very shinny. My husband's hair was blond and very shinny, too. Tommy's hair is just incredible beautiful. It is a beautiful brown color, very shinny and smooth like the silk.

Tommy is so much focused on self-care skills since last May that we are giving him the opportunity to do it as he thinks: I can do it all by himself! Tommy is now showing interest for his physical appearance. He likes to brush his hair in front of the mirror. So, I bought his first hair brush to groom his hair all by himself and he doesn't have to use mine anymore. This is a good way to teach him good health habits, while he learns to keep his hair beautiful, clean and shinny.

"Especially designed for basic everyday brushing of fine or thin hair, the Wood Club Brush also helps give any style a professional finish. Its blend of natural boar bristles and nylon tufts evenly distributes the scalp's natural oils to enhance hair's own shine, and to control and lift hair for added volume. Wood Club Brush - For basic, everyday brushing of fine or thin hair."

Video of my pretty boy

"A good looking...boy, not necessarily built. Usually has a naturally

clean cut appearance, dresses well (mainly prep gear), and

is very aware of his hair, skin, etc. Constantly looks in the mirror

to look perfect from head to toe..."

~Urban Dictionary

"Let's pretend" (Part 2)

In my last post about Dress-up, I didn't have a video of Tommy playing dress-up. But during the weekend I could capture him with my video camera playing dress-up in front of the mirror. Dress-up has became part of his play time in a natural way without therapies, one more thing he has done on his own. When Tommy looks straight to my eyes I can hear his soul telling me "Mommy believe in me."

The art of blowing (Part 2)

In our last post about our Art of Blowing, I showed how my son learned to blow bubbles with mouthpiece bubble blowers at 16 month old, even although he has hypotonia (Low muscle tone). Currently, he has gotten the hang of blowing into those simple, circular bubble wands. He is able to blow more complex blowing objects at his 28 month. The blowing objects we added to our art of blowing are: saxoflute, Kazoos, bubble blower and bubble tumbler.

Saxoflute

My mom got this toy for Tommy's 2nd. Birthday. It is a great addition to our play therapy because it combines Eye-hand coordination, building and blowing. Tommy is able to connect up to 4 parts of the saxoflute; and after, he finishes it, he blows it.

"The Saxoflute Toy is the “building” set that comes with 15 unbreakable ABS pieces that kids can put together in many ways to make a totally tubular saxophone! This set includes a special mouthpiece, trumpet end piece, and twisting tubes to create an instrument as unique as the music."

Kazoo
The kazoo is a classic musical instrument that has been used in speech therapist for many years. The best way to teach how to blow a Kazoo is teaching the child the refreshing sound (remember the old Pepsi commercial Aaaahhhh) or the "H" sound for English (the "J" sound for Spanish). As soon the child masters one of these sounds, he or she is ready to blow the kazoo.

Bubble Monkeys Bath Toy by Munchkin

Tommy and I pretend blowing bubbles in the the bathtub. He has gotten the idea of blowing by putting the blower close to his mouth, but his lips muscles need to get stronger to get a complete rounded shape. The most his blows the stronger his lips get.

No-Spill® Bubble Tumbler Minis® by Little Kids

This bubble tumbler is small enough for little hands to hold the tumbler while the kids deep the wand in the soupy solution to make hundreds of bubbles. It is a great toy for eye-hand coordination while the kids have fun trying to make bubbles. Our OT put Tommy to blow through an small wand during her last visit and he was he was able to blow one tiny bubble through a small wand. So, we gave it a try this weekend and he blowed a few bubbles during the first try.

Our art of blowing has been fun! But the most important, it has been through play time without effort. Tommy will graduate from the art of blowing soon. He will graduate when he deeps the wand in the tumbler and blows hundreds of bubbles. I will be ready with my video camera to share it with you when it happens.

An True American Hero

When I think in the future of the United States of America, I think in the children including my son, who has a genetic disorder. As today we celebrate the Independence Day of this wonderful country, we also celebrate the Independence of our son, who with a genetic disorder has accomplished many milestones and it is doing many things as a toddler; even although, he doesn't walk yet. But the best of all, he is has a very independent personality as any other two year old.

He impresses people around him when they discover this little guy who has an extra chromosome is able to wash his hands, brush his teeth, help with dressing and undressing, match objects by picture, recognizing the primary colors, say the short sound for the alphabet, play with flash cards, do small chores at home and so on. He is a good learner regardless his genetic condition. He is a very healthy child regardless the syndrome. His growth chart is excellent regardless the hypothyroidism. A kid with a genetic disorder has to try harder than his typical peers, but our little boy doesn't give up even though he can not take his gross motor skills for granted. Even he has a genetic condition that affects his body, it doesn't affect his soul because he keeps amazing people around him for every accomplishment he has done. For this an more, he is a true American hero!

Even although I am not an American citizen yet, I love this country as mine. To show my respect and gratitude to this country, I inculcate to my son love for this country and respect for freedom regardless the syndrome.

"I have learned this, at least, from my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

~Herry David Thoreau, Walder, 1854

That American dream of a better, richer, and happier life for all our citizens of every rank, which is the greatest contribution we have made to the thought and welfare of the world. That dream or hope has been present from the start. Ever since we became an independent nation, each generation has seen an uprising of ordinary Americans to save that dream from the forces which appeared to be overwhelming it.

~James Truslow Adams

Video of Tommy's tribute to his motherland,

The United States of America.

My son is saving the American Dream in every

common hour of his life.

Happy Independence Day!

"Let's pretend"

"For those who played make-believe as a child,

consider yourself lucky. According to Laura Berk,

the visiting psychology lecturer from Illinois State University,

children who play make-believe are better

and more prepared for the academic and social world."

Click here to read the complete article.

"Pretend play also promotes abstract thinking.

The ability to use a prop (such as a block) as a symbol for

something else (such as a phone) is a high-level thinking skill.

Eventually it will enable your child to recognize that

numbers represent quantities of things, and that combinations

of letters represent the words she speaks, hears, and reads."

Click here to read the complete article.

When one think about dress-up play, one imagine toddlers jumping and running dressing funny outfits. Raising my child with T21 has let me be witness that dress-up play can be a fun time for a child who has gross motor difficulties because of a genetic condition. We are supporting every single aspect of our son's development by giving him the opportunity of enjoying life as any other child; therefore, make-believe play is important for his cognitive skills.

My 28 month old boy plays dress-up regardless his level of gross motor skills. He is in the first stage of dress-up play. We have created a little area for him for dress-up play. We put a mirror with a little box with two hats, party bead necklace, sunglasses, an old t-shirt, a doll and a dress-up bear. My son favorite dress-up items are the hats, party bead necklaces and sunglasses. He likes to see at him-self in the mirror when he is wearing the hats. He moves the hats around his head and look at both sides to make sure he looks good. He likes to wear the sunglasses and crawl around while he point at them, it is his way to show them to me. I love to look at his face when he is wearing his sunglasses because he looks at me like an older guy, as shown in the photo below.

He has invited his plush animal "El Tucán" to play dress-up with him.

He put the party bead neckless around the toucan.

Creating a dress-up box for girls it is easier than for boys. I am currently looking for new items and costumes, I can adjust to my child gross motor skills while he can continue strengthening his make-believe play skills. It is becoming a very fun project for me. I will post a second article talking about what Items one can include in a dress-up play box for boys.

Related articles: Tommy's pretend play skills and Tommy "The Boxer"