Sensory stuff to encourage use of left side... Any ideas?

[CocoDeBearisCocoDeBear]

My DD2 is coming up to 12 months. She has a left-sided weakness (CP), and I'm not sure how much sensation she has in her left arm. She's not seen OT yet, but our physio has said to massage her arm/leg to help give her the opportunity to restore function, if that is at all possible.

Christmas and her birthday are coming up. Does anyone have any ideas of sensory/tactile-type toys that might help her hand/arm to develop?

Hi Coco - my dd is 18 months and has Hemiplegia, CP affecting her right-side - I assume your dd has hemiplegia too? Anyway, you could be right about not knowing how much sensation she has in that arm - I have read that older children sometimes describe it as having pins and needles. I know my dd often forgets it's even there so we kind of wake it up - I say 'where are your hands?' and she holds up just her left one so I then say 'where is the other hand?' and she looks at me as if to say 'what other hand mum?!' - So I pick up her hand and shake it and say 'hello hand, hello hand'. Seems to work!

It's hard to find toys and stuff that they will choose to use with their weaker hand - if something requires only one hand then they will automatically use the stronger one. The best things therefore are toys that need two hands - big balls to push with two hands whilst sitting on the floor (not that exciting I know). Something else but might be a bit old for your dd is play food but not the normal type - this stuff comes in two halves and they velcro together (designed for toddlers to practice cutting) - my dd spends ages putting together the vegetables then pulling them apart and she has to use two hands.

Other than that we did a lot of touchy textury books and stuff, gently brushing her hand over the surface, also pressing her hand into soft playdough and stuff, making handprints with paint - and don't forget the two handed wave! we've got the whole family to wave using two hands to encourage her to use both.

Sorry, not many present ideas but I hope this helps.

Jenny

Thanks Jekyllwoo. Where do you get these velcro vegetables from? Also, when did you start the books/paints etc. and have you noticed any improvement? Two-handed wave is an excellent idea! I've been doing a bit of that this morning .

I've found some "putty" at hawkins bizarre that makes a funny noise when pressed, so that's my latest idea.

I suppose what I'm asking for is a miracle cure, and that's not going to happen [sob].

And, yes, I didn't make it clear, but my DD2 does have hemi.

Ah yes, the miracle cure, I want that too! I've been making a conscious effort to include DD's hand since her diagnosis at 13 months. How is your dd affected generally? Is she sitting up ok? My dd is sitting and can walk with support round her waist but can't sit up from lying, crawl or pull to standing. She's now starting to really notice what she can't do if you see what I mean, and often gets really frustrated. But her hemiplegia is mild so we're lucky really. Have you discovered the Hemi-help website? it's really good.

Veggies here: www.sensetoys.com/2NEMMM13AK

plastic ones might be a bit lighter and easier to handle:
www.elc.co.uk/toy-33556

Jekyllywoo, thanks for that fab site!

My DD can sit, and get from lying to sitting on her unaffected side. She likes standing propped up against chairs or the bath, but her foot is starting to turn in quite badly already.

She NEVER reaches for things with her left arm, though she uses it as a supporting arm.

Can your DD weight bear well on her affected side? Does she mind tummy time? My physio has said we have to really persist in the crawling exercises, but we don't seem to be getting very far.

And it's so hard to fit it all in, with my other girl and the housework and just trying to have a relatively normal life. Returning to work part time soonish too .

I sometimes get really down about it all. Just can't believe I am living this life !

(And I thought I was up late last night!)

It sounds as if your little girl is doing really well with already being up on her feet. My dd is mainly suffering from a rubbish physio who has only wanted her to get on her feet at the expense of her developing trunk strength and being able to crawl so we're going right back to basics now and getting on her tummy more (she's not keen). We went here today:www.rainbowcentre.org/rainbowcentre.asp
It's an amazing place, we're going to go once a week from now on and I'm certain it will make a massive difference to dd. It's a 100 mile round trip but I really want to do it for her.

How old is your other dd? my older daughter is 3 and bit and very hard work at the moment.. Sometimes I feel like I just can't handle the Hemiplegia and all it entails because quite frankly I can't handle parenting full-stop! It's hard, hard work and I know what you mean about not believing you are living this life, sometimes I sit around and daydream of what dd would be like without hemiplegia and then I feel guilty. I haven't yet got to the stage when I accept it and all that comes with it, I would still wish it away tomorrow if I had the chance .

So.. just to bombard you with more stuff!
have you applied for DLA? Great info here:
www.cerebra.org.uk/Parent+Support/DLA_guide.htm

Also cerebra have a free postal lending library and have lots of sensory stuff you can borrow :www.cerebra.org.uk/Parent+Support/Library/

Another late night for me... by the time we've got the little people off to sleep and then picked up all the toys it's always late!

Have you thought of seeing of there is any conductive education classes near you, they are fab,

Mobiles - we're starting conductive education next week at the rainbow centre in Fareham - I'm really excited but quite nervous about the amount of work it will be.

Conductive Education is worth every effort. it is fab.

Hi again, Jekylly and Mobiles.

I've just phoned the conductive education centre nearest to us, and we're now going to see them in a couple of weeks time. Feel strangely excited about that!

My DD1 is also 3, and I feel guilty often because she wants attention when I'm trying to do physio etc. with DD2, and I also feel guilty that she has a sister with SN... I've tried explaining that DD2 arm doesn't work very well, but then she just gets cross and mumbles MY arm doesn't work very well EIVER!

DD2 is not pulling up, but she likes to be propped against things. Can't imagine her ever crawling tbh!

Thanks for library link - that is so helpful. We do get DLA, though not many people know we do - I think people don't really see DD2's disability yet.

Hi Coco, I'm glad you've got DLA sorted, like you I haven't told anyone really as I know very people see dd's disibility and would probably think we were faking it or something. I hope you get on well with the conductive education, it will surprise you because it seems to be everything physio should be!

I often feel guilty too that my 3 year old has a sister with SN, I worry that she is old before her time and I'm often asking her to do stuff for me like watch dd2 and make sure she doesn't fall out of her chair etc. I also get upset when I see my friend whose little girl is the same age as my dd2 so is running around the garden playing with my 3 year old and I get glimpes of what could have been. But.. I try to not to think like too often, my two are such great friends and I know the day will come they can chase each other round the garden!

Guys - sorry to hijack but DD1 has hemiplegia (mild, might call it hemiparesis, really) as one of her minor diagnoses. She can more or less walk (dragging one leg and falling over a bit) and currently uses the hemi arm, although only to fiddle unconsciously with her hair - can't get her to do anything intentional with it at all.

However - recent progress has come from me forcing her to use it to climb stairs - I hold her good hand but pull her forward slightly off balance and she puts her hemi hand down to save herself, which is a start. Quite a corking start, actually, I'm very pleased with myself. .

Do you think CE would work/be useful in this case? She has fairly severe learning disability as well and I'm not sure what the "right" profile would be.

Thanks!

Hi R3dh3d - I think it would be worth looking at conductive education for your dd. In the little group my dd is going to attend there is another girl with mild hemiplegia and a girl with more severe quadriplegia and learning difficulties. Have a look at this video here it gives you an idea of what CE is about:www.uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xf0_AmUY2_4 - I hope the link works, if not here it is again. uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xf0_AmUY2_4

r3dh3d, I hope that I have got the wrong end of the stick, and I do know where you are coming from, but do you not think that some OT or Conductive Education along side Physio might be more helpful to your daughter than pulling her of balance?

My Ds is 8 now, he has Spastic Diplegia, but his fine motor skills are shot to pieces. He has had a lot of help, he has a combination of Con Ed and Hydro along with 'tools' from the OT and endless Physio as well as a session every week with Riding for the Disabled. link here to look up one near you. RDA is good in fact one lad that goes to ours has no control over the lower half of his body at all.
We also take him rock climbing at our local centre, he is tied to dh's front and they sort of co climb (for want of a better word. It sounds as if I am bragging, and I don't mean to, what I am trying to say is toys and OT 'tools' are not the be all and end all, try activities too.
What about Portage do you get any? here www.portage.org.uk/ DS had that it is also good, even if it just gives you an hour to do the ironing whilst your child is learning through reps and play.
You should also look into Young carers for your other children when they are old enough; its really good. here My daughter goes because, as YC told us, even if your child just keeps a eye out for their sib, they are young carers because their life isn't so care free.
Well my post is dijointed, but ... I hope it's helpful.

My post might be disjointed, but my spelling is awful. Humble apologies!

Hi I work in a school for children with PMLD and SLD, we have a fab department for children with autistic spectrum conditions also. I did a fab sensory activitiy with cooked speghetti the other day..... encouraging them to explore it..... i also do lots of hand massages etc whch they love. Lots of action somgs and songs which encourage signing encourage use of both hands!Could someone explain what conductive education is please..... i havent heard of that. The bulk of my work at moment centres around communication before speech which is fascinating.

During the 2nd world war, a Jewish Doctor was hiding with a family who had a child with CP, during the span of the war the Doc took it upon himself to regiment this childs life. Basically, his idea was to do the same thing the same way every day to retrain the brain paths so that the child learns to for example (a very large example) walk, by following a set path of instructions and daily routine. it's good but its not THAT good.

The first line of wiki says. --here
It is an educational system that has been specifically developed for children and adults who have motor disorders of neurological origin such as cerebral palsy. It is based on the premise that a person who has a motor disorder does not only have a medical condition requiring treatment, but very importantly a problem in learning that requires education.

Ahhh I see.... We follow that principle with many of our children but didnt realise it had a name. I am working as an interviener and follow a rigid programme each morning with a child, same activities, same place, same time, same signs and symbols, it is having results. He is learnign about what comes next and anticipates things. We call it intensive interaction.... its more today with entering the world of a deaf blind child and helping the world to deal woith him aswell as him with the world. I make his world 'safe' and accessible for him.

my links didn't work:
con ed here
portage
I hope that is better.

Well, I'm glad to say I have deleted my initial and instinctive reply. I really, really can't find the words.

R3dh3d- don't worry my response would probably have been the same as yours hence why I chose to ignore it. I'm REALLY cruel to my dd - have been known to put a mitten on her good hand to force her to use her hemi hand! Drives her nuts but it works.It sounds like you're doing great with your dd.

I sometimes try holding down my DD2's good arm, and she is furious! But I have had a small success, in that the other day she definitely reached for something with her hemi arm, and she's NEVER done that before.