Let Me Introduce Tayna
Hesed Classroom observation
October 2007
Tayna and her mother
Observation and suggestions: Tayna is a pretty blond toddler who has moderate spastic cerebral palsy. She is 13 months old, large-boned and physically developed though the chest, sacrum, head and neck. Her arms reach with mostly full range of motion; she follows 360 degrees and appears to have no cortical vision impairment. There is considerably more weakness and muscle and skin tone deficits in her lower body, which limit mobility, but not Tayna’s spirit and her enthusiastic nature. She appears eager to move around the room with help from teachers and her mother. She engages other children with ease.
Tayna enjoys toys that are within her grasp and she is attentive to voices, nods, waves her hands and arms and uses gestures to get adults’ attention. She interacts within the classroom in a comfortable way. Her demeanor suggests a clear interest in social play and making friends. Tayna has a way of smiling, reaching and moving that engages adults.
Tayna and her mother communicate with gestures and close contact; she will progress rapidly because of these attachments, but it is time for her mother and teachers to start aggressively reading to Tayna and the other children during class time. Reading to Tayna is the most important way to “lock in” language and increase communication and speech. Tayna needs to hear the words in books, touch books, listen to books and talk about books. Tayna plays along side others (parallel play); she watches everything around her and seems adjusted to the classroom setting.
The observer suggest that it is time to set a regular routine schedule of exercise and therapy at home and at school for Tayna that allows her to achieve better muscle tone, balance and self-control. She is capable but not motivated to do things by herself and to engage others in play. It is vital to engage Tayna in sensory-visual-motor games that are incorporated into her physical and occupational therapy training. She needs conditioning, primarily, stretching and lengthening exercises of legs and arms.
Most of Tayna’s play time should be spent in “floor play.” There is also a need to engage Tayna in listening, hearing and language teaching during play time. Because she seems very comfortable and secure in the classroom, her therapies and speech training should be conducted in the classroom as much s possible.; she smiles easily and often and exhibits a clear interest in social play and making friends.
The observer suggests the following routine each week for Tayna at Hesed
(1)When she and her mother arrive, spend ten minutes in the classroom, sitting on a chair or one of the red cubes, helping her, but letting her try to remove her own coat, hat and outer clothing.
(2) spend 20 minutes walking with support, paddling herself on a belly board or skate board or riding in a wagon, around the perimeter of the room. She will get a sense of the bigger picture this way and use her listening skills to learn from the teacher or mother about the location of toys and equipment. This is a routine every child should do so they can see all the choices and then play by making choices.
(3) spend 20 minutes freely roaming the room, selecting toys, putting toys into a container and going to the center of the room for floor play.
(4) spend 20 minutes of small muscle play with puzzles, crayons, large pieces of paper on the floor without help.
(5) spend exercise time lengthening and stretching; she may choose a snow sled, swing, play tunnel or any object she chooses. Thank you Susan Turben
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