All About Autism

[Couragemom]

Double E:

Couragemom

Will a physio help with motor skills? I thought a physio is more for healing your posture or any motor development after injury. Maybe can let your OT know what concern u have and get him to work into the OT sessions?

Right now, I am training my son to be able to button his own shirt. My mum thought him to button up using a bigger button, and he had mastered that. Now I am trying to train him to button his school shirt which the buttons are very much smaller. I have also asked the OT to help me to work on this aspect. But I intend to let him practice once every other day till he can master it well, after button of shirt, have to train him to button his pants which will be more difficult. Doing all these to get him ready for P1 where he might have to change his clothes himself during PE lessons or even school camps.

Hi Double E,

Thanks for sharing!

Hmm... Both his sped teacher and his ST recommended me to look for a physiotherapist (but don't have 1 to recommend!) for my son's motor development issues.

Ok, like for example, I noticed long time ago that my son cannot nod on command or raise his head above a certain level and I told his OT and she recommended some exercise for me to do at home with him. Recently I asked my son to nod his head and he actually can do it although quite stiff his movement. (Coincidentally or not?) this is also the Eureka moment when he started to look up consistently at us while playing to show us his toys or when he does something right (like after completing a puzzle) and expect us to praise him. Before that, he just plays and hardly even look up.

That got me thinking about another of his motor development issues - standing still. Yes, standing still. Up to now my son cannot stand still on a spot for even 1 minute, he will sway or shuffle his feet to kind of stand still in a spot. Last time when he stands to watch tv, he will even move backwards! I spoken to my OT and she said it is a midline issue cum vestibular issue. She liked the idea of my son visiting a physiotherapist to work on his core muscles (especially his left side of the body) while she focuses on sensory integration and fine motor skills.

I went online just now and found one physiotherapy clinic. Have booked an appointment to do assessment. Will update all of you if such a service is different from an OT session and/or is at all useful.

[tyeogh]

I don’t know if this helps. At one stage, my son cannot hold a pencil to draw. A child psychiatrist recommended we work on his fine motor skills.


Now the trick to working on fine motor skills is not to ask the child to practice wriggling his fingers. It is to find an activity that requires him to enjoy using his fingers so that he can practice it often.

I introduced him to Chima, a Lego collection on a cartoon character. It is assembled using tiny Lego pieces. Soon, he was putting 2 or more pieces together. He played with it everyday. The bad part is every week, when we walk past that Lego shop, he will tantrum until I bought him one. It turned out to be a very expensive solution.

Half a year later, and after countless boxes of Chima (sigh!), he can now hold a pencil and write with it. His fingers are very strong.

Apart from poor coordination, your child could have weak fingers to do things like buttoning a shirt.

[sharonkhoo]

tyeogh:

I don't know if this helps. At one stage, my son cannot hold a pencil to draw. A child psychiatrist recommended we work on his fine motor skills.


Now the trick to working on fine motor skills is not to ask the child to practice wriggling his fingers. It is to find an activity that requires him to enjoy using his fingers so that he can practice it often.

I introduced him to Chima, a Lego collection on a cartoon character. It is assembled using tiny Lego pieces. Soon, he was putting 2 or more pieces together. He played with it everyday. The bad part is every week, when we walk past that Lego shop, he will tantrum until I bought him one. It turned out to be a very expensive solution.

Half a year later, and after countless boxes of Chima (sigh!), he can now hold a pencil and write with it. His fingers are very strong.

Apart from poor coordination, your child could have weak fingers to do things like buttoning a shirt.

We also gave my daughter toys like Duplo and Lego so she could practise picking them up, putting them together and pulling them apart. Other toys which require assembling will work too. Luckily we didn't walk by shops selling them regularly! Other things we did (picked up from books etc) were getting the child to clip clothes pegs to something, play with toys that require some finger strength like pushing mechanical buttons and catches, use fingers to switch on and off lights (she used her palm initially) etc. Play dough is supposed to be good too, but my daughter didn't like the feel of playdough. For things like buttons etc, we used to have practice sessions a couple of times a day for her to do a couple (not when rushing to go out) until she developed the strength and coordination to do it. When she mastered something, we would move on to another thing. It's long and slow compared to other kids, but they will get it in the end.

[Double E]

Yes we hv been doing lots of Lego with him. In fact he can individually complete some by following the instruction manual himself, n is the smaller pieces not duplo. So in a sense, we know he can handle small objects but button shirt himself still had difficulty which we really need to practice more often.

[Double E]

Actually my son can button the shirt if is placed infront of him, the difficulty is when he is wearing it.

[sharonkhoo]

Double E:

Actually my son can button the shirt if is placed infront of him, the difficulty is when he is wearing it.

My daughter had that problem too. She found it harder when she couldn't see it. Again, needs more practice.

[fluttershy]

Hi mommies & daddies,


Can I know at what age your son/daughter able to form complete sentences? My son is 2 years 7 months & I find him having a hard time combining words together.

He knows how to say, \"mama help (if he needs help)\" \"mama open (wants to open the door)\" \"mama pour (pour water into his cup)\" \"mama come (if he wants me to follow him)\", but he needs lots of prompting from me. Otherwise he'll just keep saying 1 word. I know every child is different, but I'm just curious to know

[tabgha]

Couragemom:

Hmm... Both his sped teacher and his ST recommended me to look for a physiotherapist (but don't have 1 to recommend!) for my son's motor development issues.

Ok, like for example, I noticed long time ago that my son cannot nod on command or raise his head above a certain level and I told his OT and she recommended some exercise for me to do at home with him. Recently I asked my son to nod his head and he actually can do it although quite stiff his movement. (Coincidentally or not?) this is also the Eureka moment when he started to look up consistently at us while playing to show us his toys or when he does something right (like after completing a puzzle) and expect us to praise him. Before that, he just plays and hardly even look up.

That got me thinking about another of his motor development issues - standing still. Yes, standing still. Up to now my son cannot stand still on a spot for even 1 minute, he will sway or shuffle his feet to kind of stand still in a spot. Last time when he stands to watch tv, he will even move backwards! I spoken to my OT and she said it is a midline issue cum vestibular issue. She liked the idea of my son visiting a physiotherapist to work on his core muscles (especially his left side of the body) while she focuses on sensory integration and fine motor skills.

I went online just now and found one physiotherapy clinic. Have booked an appointment to do assessment. Will update all of you if such a service is different from an OT session and/or is at all useful.

A good OT is able to work on the child's core muscles and vestibular system too. If fact, that is the OT's job as she should be trained for that. Not necessarily to go to a PT, otherwise, both you and the poor child will be running all over the place; and not to mention :moneyflies: :moneyflies:

[tabgha]

One of the best way to build core muscles is swimming!! If time and resources permit, good to send the child for swimming lessons when he is about 6 or 7 yo.


Builds core muscles, helps in coordination, body and spatial awareness, strength training and builds stamina. Picks up water survival skills too.

[tabgha]

To build fine motor skills and strengthen the fingers, let your child play with:


- putty or play doh
- (squeeze) stress balls
- five stones
- thread shoe lace for a reasonably clean school shoe
- bounce a tennis ball down and catch it as it comes up with palm facing down
- throw the tennis ball up and catch it as it comes down with palm facing up