Switch use is all in the placement.  I usually tell parents of kids with cp
we are going to work on a skilled activity such as fine motor work or switch
use or we are going to work on trunk stability or limb strengthening.  A lot
of kids with fluctuating tone have pretty good distal control if hold their
arm.  How are they testing him for color recognition?

Beth T. the OT

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Kimberlee Ames
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 8:37 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fibromyalgia now diagnosing with dystonia


Thank you, Beth.  That was a great explanation.  I think you hit the nail on
the head regarding the explanation of the dyskinesia.  I'm going to print it
out so I can relate it to new therapists who just can't seem to understand
why Stefan's arms don't do what he wants them to do.  They will tell me that
they've treated kids with CP before, then they have no clue what to do with
the symptoms that Stefan presents with.  ("he's not consistent with his
responses on the switches, we don't think he knows his colors yet...." -
when
he's known his colors since he was two - they just don't know how to work
with him)  I'm referring to the school therapists, here, not his private
therapists.

Kimberlee, mom to Stefan (4, CP) and Alex (9)