Yes, Beth, you mentioned don't baby! Kathy P.











At 06:33 AM 1/25/2005, you wrote:
>Hi Debra,
>I'm Beth an occupational therapist, I hang here for the good jokes.  I don't
>have CP but, I've been working with people with disabilities (mostly
>children) for 10 years now, been an OT for 6 years.
>1.  Don't baby.
>2.  Create experiences for the child to do work as independently as
>possible.
>3.  Get them out of the wheelchairs and down near their peers.  Children w/
>CP should have a new position every 20 minutes to prevent contractures.
>They should be in gait trainers, mobile prones, standers, rifton chairs etc.
>Let the other kids play in the equipment when the child with cp isn't in it.
>Good experience, bonding happens.
>4.  Don't baby.  Unless there are strict doctors orders to do so.
>5.  Adapt, adapt, adapt.  Whether it's communications, books, activities
>whatever.
>6.  Assume the child knows more than what you think and start there.  While
>old statistics state that the majority of children with CP are mentally
>retarded.  Honestly, most of them have never have good learning experiences,
>the right set-ups or a chance.
>7.  Don't baby.
>8.  Do know that many children with CP have processing delays.  It takes
>them awhile to respond.  This can affect hearing, visual, touch, balance,
>etc.  These kids should be screened for visual motor deficits, central
>auditory processing problems, etc.  If gentle insisting won't get this
>testing done.  Just assume it's a problem and adapt from there.
>9.  Adapting the curriculum is an on-going process.  I've seen too many
>times that a child was evaluated, set-up accured and then that was it.  What
>about putting worksheets on computers?  The company the teachers got the
>worksheets from are required by law (ADA) to provide alternative methods of
>accessing there work.  You have to know to ask.
>10.  Did I mention don't baby these kids.
>
>
>Beth t the OT
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dufour, Deb RQHR (by way
>of Deri James <[log in to unmask]>)
>Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 9:09 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: School Inservice
>
>Hi there,
>I am an occupational therapist doing an inservice next week for school staff
>(teachers and assistants) on working with children with Cerebral Palsy.  One
>of the discussion points will be myths or misconceptions about children with
>Cerebral Palsy.  I have heard of a few from co-workers that school staff
>have had about children with CP (ie. they can't go outside because the cold
>air will make them more 'spastic').
>
>I was wondering if you have ever experienced difficulties with school staff
>having misconceptions about your child (ren) with Cerebral Palsy?  Could you
>share?  I would love some more ideas to go with for the inservice, without
>having to pull teeth to get them to admit what they believe or think about
>the children I work with.
>
>Thanks for any and all information shared!
>DEb
>Debra Dufour
>Occupational Therapist
>WRC - Children's Program