Let Me Introduce Myself Victoria
Hesed
October 07
Victoria, Mother, Tatyana
Observation: Victoria was observed sitting in the corner of the classroom pool of balls, while mother and observer talked about Victoria’s progress and her physical limitations. Victoria has upper body strength and normal muscle tone, but is limited by lower body weakness. This condition of dysplasia will respond, over time, to physical therapy and a vigorous schedule of home sensory integration games and activities.
It is the observer's recommendation that since she did not evaluate Victoria, that her family play games that are appropriate for 8-12 month olds. Most importantly, the observer suggests mother and father read to Victoria every day, and encourage her to do as much for herself as she can. The observer believes it will take work but this toddler needs to become active and able to move on a belly board and spend time every day on the floor playing.
Victoria’s smiling face and social interest in everything around her makes her a good learner, if teachers and parents tell her,” you can do it.” They must encourage every attempt Victoria makes to move or reach or grab on her own. Parents will be rewarded by helping her to be successful making stretching and bending movements with her legs and enjoying other children as well as her play toys!
Continue therapy as often as possible to even out the differences between muscle tone in her lower body and muscle tone in her upper body. They need to coordinate with each other, but her parents and teachers need to have patience. It will happen.
Even at one year of age, Victoria tries hard to show parents and teachers how she thinks and feels. Communicate and have conversations with her. She needs a good talking to! The more talk and speech practice she has, the better she will do! Sing to her! Dance with her! Enjoy her and remember she needs to start self-feeding and touching everything in sight, especially food she likes! Let her be messy!
Here are activities for Victoria:
Hesed classroom
Victoria “Vikka” 1 yr. 2 mo.
October 23, 2007
Observation: Mother was anxious to discuss her daughter’s condition with the observer and quickly removed Victoria from her lap and placed her in the large pool of colorful balls, where she was told by mother “to play.” Victoria preferred to watch and seemed comfortable, enjoying the other children at play on the floor nearby. She was unable to play with the balls although she touched and reached toward the balls. She did not cry or complain and seems to be passive and lethargic.
Suggestions for the family: Victoria and the observer played together; Victoria held onto toys briefly and dropped them. She seems to need to be positioned in the pool and on the floor in order to get Victoria to change movements. She does very little on her own without help from adults. Her eye movements seem fixated and scattered and affected by activity; that is, as she sits in the pool, she does not turn to sounds or engage in purposeful reaching or grasping. If toys are placed in her hands she dos not bring them to her mouth or look at them with interest.
She seems unaffected by the toys. Her eyes do not turn with her body, but wander aimlessly, as the mother asked questions: is she going to walk or talk? Is she mentally retarded? The observer explained that Victoria seems to need help “playing” and will need to have the mother structure play time on the floor and not in the pool of balls. The pool is good for balance and comfort. It seems Victoria may be low in tone in the lower extremities and normal in tone using her arms and hands. It was not possible to see what her skills are and how her lower body weakness may be exercised in order to provide her with more sensory stimulation; she was not afraid of strangers, did not look at the observer but stared outward with her pupils dilated. She did not smile or become energetic; she did not complain. Mother wants the observer to describe her condition; she has.
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