Friday, October 29, 2010
It Only Takes One Good Teacher
It only takes one good (or bad) teacher to truly affect a child's development. Fortunately, Alex has connected with one of the teachers in his class. Today she told me that she and Alex have a secret hand shake, which she calls a hand hug. They lay their palms flat and (hers against his left hand) and curl their fingers around. Alex uses it when he needs to communicate something to her that he can't verbalize. She uses it when she needs to get his attention and address a behavior. I will try it, or something like it, at home. I was so impressed with this simple idea. She said was very effective this morning. We'll try it. Thank goodness for great teachers.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Charting New Waters: School and Emotional Health
Alex started school this year, and over the past month his behavior changed drastically. Our happy-go-lucky child slowly started pushing, hugging too tightly, taking toys from others and more recently, using two bad words, repeatedly. At first, we treated his behavior as a 3 year old change, but soon realized we needed to reexamine his actions and more importantly, our reaction to those actions and our efforts at boosting his self-esteem. When Alex went to school, he began to realize that he can't do what other children can do, and it was the first time he started to process this difficult realization. He is very frustrated. He is also 3. We have a tough combination. Over the past week, rather than put him in time out when he misbehaves, I ask him if he is angry. He says he is, but doesn't know why. I give him a big hug and tell him what a good boy he is, and his poor behavior stops immediately. He is good for several more hours, and then he trips up and we go through this loving routine again. His behavior has improved overnight and continues to get better. We also realize that he needs extra sleep, extra calories and extra time alone with his parents to help this sensitive and intelligent child process this change in his life.
We were initially disappointed with his school on many levels. That said, we have increased our communication with the director and teachers and believe we can all work together to address Alex's physical needs within the context of school and help him pursue more challenging work. A school that does not regularly teach children with disabilities needs help from the parents of the disabled children so that they are able to address each individual child's needs. No one wants to be guessing as to how they should treat a child with special needs. The school also needs excellent teachers, a solid director, and a philosophy of love and patience. When looking for a school for a special needs child, some of the questions that might be helpful to ask are whether the school has ever had a special needs child, how they have addressed the disabilities, how they push children intellectually, how they attempt to build self-esteem. If there is or has been a child with special needs at the school, it might be helpful for the families to communicate with each other as well.
And as with sending any child to school for the first time, parents truly need to be attentive to changes in the child's behavior, sympathetic on both sides, to the child and the school, and courageous to work through problems while showing their child extra love and support. If the school really doesn't seem right, then maybe a different school would be more suitable--but that decision must be made after a serious trial period, because transitions are extremely stressful on toddler. The fall, I have been completely consumed with the kids. All of the time and emotional energy I spent training last year is now spent with the kids, helping them adapt to all the changes they are facing. It is a very difficult job, and has challenged me to read even more literature on toddlers, emotional issues faced by children with CP, toddler school transitions, extraordinary memory in children with brain damage...a whole range of topics.
Base training starts Saturday. Ironman St. George, one of the (if not THE) hilliest Ironman in the series is the first weekend in May. Right now, I'm exhausted, have a terrible cold, and am completely out of shape. I always say there should be a special division for Ironman Mommies with toddlers. I wear my Life is good t-shirts frequently, and am reminded of our blessings. Alex may not be able to put on his shoes by himself at age 3, but I'm sure by the time he goes to college, he will have figured it out.
We were initially disappointed with his school on many levels. That said, we have increased our communication with the director and teachers and believe we can all work together to address Alex's physical needs within the context of school and help him pursue more challenging work. A school that does not regularly teach children with disabilities needs help from the parents of the disabled children so that they are able to address each individual child's needs. No one wants to be guessing as to how they should treat a child with special needs. The school also needs excellent teachers, a solid director, and a philosophy of love and patience. When looking for a school for a special needs child, some of the questions that might be helpful to ask are whether the school has ever had a special needs child, how they have addressed the disabilities, how they push children intellectually, how they attempt to build self-esteem. If there is or has been a child with special needs at the school, it might be helpful for the families to communicate with each other as well.
And as with sending any child to school for the first time, parents truly need to be attentive to changes in the child's behavior, sympathetic on both sides, to the child and the school, and courageous to work through problems while showing their child extra love and support. If the school really doesn't seem right, then maybe a different school would be more suitable--but that decision must be made after a serious trial period, because transitions are extremely stressful on toddler. The fall, I have been completely consumed with the kids. All of the time and emotional energy I spent training last year is now spent with the kids, helping them adapt to all the changes they are facing. It is a very difficult job, and has challenged me to read even more literature on toddlers, emotional issues faced by children with CP, toddler school transitions, extraordinary memory in children with brain damage...a whole range of topics.
Base training starts Saturday. Ironman St. George, one of the (if not THE) hilliest Ironman in the series is the first weekend in May. Right now, I'm exhausted, have a terrible cold, and am completely out of shape. I always say there should be a special division for Ironman Mommies with toddlers. I wear my Life is good t-shirts frequently, and am reminded of our blessings. Alex may not be able to put on his shoes by himself at age 3, but I'm sure by the time he goes to college, he will have figured it out.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Jeff Runs America
There is no euphoria like that which you feel from a long run. Your mind is at peace, your creativity is sparked and you are prepared for whatever kind of day is thrown at you, and you get to eat a couple of chocolate chip cookies without feeling guilty. You might even have had the simple pleasure of watching the sun rise. People often ask me if I ever have a bad run. I have slower than I would like runs, races that don't go as planned runs, but any run that you finish is a good run, and the longer the run, the better.
I was recently introduced to Jeff Grabosky, who will be doing some very long runs in the near future, traveling across country in running shoes, from CA to NY. Although I have never met Jeff in person, we connect, like most runners do, over the long run. I have always wanted to run across the country, and hope to do so some day. In the meantime, I will keep track of Jeff's progress and keep him present on our blog. I know Alex would be all for joining Jeff on this long run, so maybe we will track him down as he approaches the east coast to keep him company for a few miles and deliver pizza. Jeff will be wearing a Baby Alex Foundation t-shirt during parts of his run as an honorary member of our team. Thank you, Jeff. We'll post any pictures he sends to our website.
To view Jeff's progress, go to www.jeffrunsamerica.com.
I was recently introduced to Jeff Grabosky, who will be doing some very long runs in the near future, traveling across country in running shoes, from CA to NY. Although I have never met Jeff in person, we connect, like most runners do, over the long run. I have always wanted to run across the country, and hope to do so some day. In the meantime, I will keep track of Jeff's progress and keep him present on our blog. I know Alex would be all for joining Jeff on this long run, so maybe we will track him down as he approaches the east coast to keep him company for a few miles and deliver pizza. Jeff will be wearing a Baby Alex Foundation t-shirt during parts of his run as an honorary member of our team. Thank you, Jeff. We'll post any pictures he sends to our website.
To view Jeff's progress, go to www.jeffrunsamerica.com.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Karate Therapy
I have written several entries about Alex's experiences in karate, but as it continues to amaze me how therapeutic this sport has been to his left (disabled) side, I need to keep writing. This week, there were three instructors for three children in karate. So, the instructors were able to work individually to help the children improve the precision of their karate moves. In particular, they worked on punches and kicks (all done against a kick pad).
The punch is one of the best movements we have found to strengthen, lengthen and turn Alex's left arm. He has trouble extending this arm, which due to his CP is chronically bent. He also is virtually incapable of punching his arm out straight. Instead of going straight, it turns inward, forcing his hand into a twist. Because of this awkward movement, Alex can not feed himself with his left hand. He can't use it to pick things up off the floor or use crayons. This is a serious disability. The repeated movement of punching forward, against a target (the pad) which adds a level of focus to the movement, has helped Alex to begin to gain some control over that arm. He fights against the tendency to turn inward, but he succeeds to some degree to keep it straight. The instructors did fast punches last week, which meant that the children had to punch their right arm against the right pad when it was held up, and the left arm against the left pad when it was held up. The pads were held up at random, and the children had to react. It required great concentration and focus. After about 10 punches, the children had to take breaks, then regroup and go again. I was amazed at how much better Alex's left punch became over the course of the 7-8 minutes of this exercise.
Alex's balance is still poor. Two of the main objectives of this class are coordination and balance. One way to work on balance is to balance on one leg. The instructors allow the children to hold onto the instructors' shoulders to help the children gain a sense of the balance needed to perform a one legged stand. They work on raising knees. These knee raises and balance help with their kicks. Alex's grandma, Gigi, gave Alex a punching bad last week, which we hung from the ceiling. Over the course of the first part of the week, Alex tried to raise both legs up high enough to kick the bottom of the bag. He practice was noticeable in class on Wed. The instructors all commented that his kicks were much higher and more controlled. His left kick is finally turning into a real kick, as opposed to a slight movement of foot off the ground.
More importantly, Alex is gaining a sense of self-confidence over his body. The instructors are truly awesome and they praise when they see hard work and improvement. They emphasize "doing your best". For the rest of this week, Alex has been repeating what his beloved instructor, Ryan, said about his work in class, that he was improving through hard work. Alex is so proud of himself and for this reason, he loves karate and continues to practice and slowly push beyond his physical limitations.
The punch is one of the best movements we have found to strengthen, lengthen and turn Alex's left arm. He has trouble extending this arm, which due to his CP is chronically bent. He also is virtually incapable of punching his arm out straight. Instead of going straight, it turns inward, forcing his hand into a twist. Because of this awkward movement, Alex can not feed himself with his left hand. He can't use it to pick things up off the floor or use crayons. This is a serious disability. The repeated movement of punching forward, against a target (the pad) which adds a level of focus to the movement, has helped Alex to begin to gain some control over that arm. He fights against the tendency to turn inward, but he succeeds to some degree to keep it straight. The instructors did fast punches last week, which meant that the children had to punch their right arm against the right pad when it was held up, and the left arm against the left pad when it was held up. The pads were held up at random, and the children had to react. It required great concentration and focus. After about 10 punches, the children had to take breaks, then regroup and go again. I was amazed at how much better Alex's left punch became over the course of the 7-8 minutes of this exercise.
Alex's balance is still poor. Two of the main objectives of this class are coordination and balance. One way to work on balance is to balance on one leg. The instructors allow the children to hold onto the instructors' shoulders to help the children gain a sense of the balance needed to perform a one legged stand. They work on raising knees. These knee raises and balance help with their kicks. Alex's grandma, Gigi, gave Alex a punching bad last week, which we hung from the ceiling. Over the course of the first part of the week, Alex tried to raise both legs up high enough to kick the bottom of the bag. He practice was noticeable in class on Wed. The instructors all commented that his kicks were much higher and more controlled. His left kick is finally turning into a real kick, as opposed to a slight movement of foot off the ground.
More importantly, Alex is gaining a sense of self-confidence over his body. The instructors are truly awesome and they praise when they see hard work and improvement. They emphasize "doing your best". For the rest of this week, Alex has been repeating what his beloved instructor, Ryan, said about his work in class, that he was improving through hard work. Alex is so proud of himself and for this reason, he loves karate and continues to practice and slowly push beyond his physical limitations.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Morning Track Sessions
There are 19,000 students in Naperville District 203 (west of Chicago). In 1999, the eighth grade class of Naperville, along with over 200,000 students from around the world, took the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study exam). They finished 6th in math and 1st in the WORLD in SCIENCE. The average American high school scored 18th in science and 19th in math that year. Why did Naperville score so high? Why does Naperville consistently rank high in its test scores and graduation rates? According to Dr. John Ratey, in Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, it is primarily due to Naperville's revolutionary approach to PE. Here is a snipit of info from the book.
At 7:10am, Naperville begins its day with Zero Hour. The kids run. They wear heart rate monitors. They are graded on how long they keep their heart rate above a target. The kids don't have to be fast, but they have to put in a good effort. They run every day. Then they go to their most important classes, like math and reading and science. In essence, they flood their brain's with Miracle Grow for the brain, a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), which is produced during strenuous exercise. The role of BDNF is to strengthen synaptic pathways, so that information learned may be retained. In essence, the students at Naperville are smarter because they exercise before school.
I run every week on the track of a local high school, alongside high school PE students who truly depress me. Two weeks ago I spoke with the PE teachers and suggested they read the book Spark. They both acknowledged the research, the data on the positive benefits of exercise and the brain that has flooded neuroscience in the last few years. They say their school administration knows of this research as do their staff and board. And yet, this year, they cut PE from 3 times per week to 2. The students running on the track are truly pathetic. There are only a handful who can complete a mile, let alone run it under 10 minutes. Most of them, in my opinion, are overweight. Maybe I'm a bit too critical. They certainly are not fit.
These days, Alex runs a 1/4 mile as his warmup. I take him and Izzy to the track before school, mostly because if I don't, they turn my house upside down doing laps around the kitchen island. I prefer to have them run freely in the open space of the track. Alex loves to yell out as he finishes his first lap, "I'm running so well, Mamma!" If there are any spectators, and especially if one of them makes a comment, like "nice running", Alex turns up the juice and picks up the pace, clapping for himself the whole way. Izzy prances like a foal, effortlessly moving through space. They inspire me, and their smiles make us all happy. Hopefully, when they go to school and work on reading and block building and colors, their BDNF will be working its magic. Running is clearly working its own magic on their self esteem.
I wonder how hard it would be for a school to open its doors an hour earlier, to offer the locker rooms for showers, breakfast in the cafeteria, and a volunteer staff person or two to monitor the exercise. The program might begin voluntarily. Kids who want to run sign up. They might be graded for PE. Or, they might be recognized at the annual awards banquet. Maybe as their classmates witness changes in the runners' appearances, their increased self-confidence, their higher test scores, and their bonds of friendship that only form over hard labor, the inactive ones would sign up and the attendance rate would grow. It seems like it would be worth trying. Isn't that the single responsibility of a school system, to give their students the best opportunity possible to grow, physically and cognitively--in essence to create the opportunity to run? It almost seems negligent to do anything less.
At 7:10am, Naperville begins its day with Zero Hour. The kids run. They wear heart rate monitors. They are graded on how long they keep their heart rate above a target. The kids don't have to be fast, but they have to put in a good effort. They run every day. Then they go to their most important classes, like math and reading and science. In essence, they flood their brain's with Miracle Grow for the brain, a protein called brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), which is produced during strenuous exercise. The role of BDNF is to strengthen synaptic pathways, so that information learned may be retained. In essence, the students at Naperville are smarter because they exercise before school.
I run every week on the track of a local high school, alongside high school PE students who truly depress me. Two weeks ago I spoke with the PE teachers and suggested they read the book Spark. They both acknowledged the research, the data on the positive benefits of exercise and the brain that has flooded neuroscience in the last few years. They say their school administration knows of this research as do their staff and board. And yet, this year, they cut PE from 3 times per week to 2. The students running on the track are truly pathetic. There are only a handful who can complete a mile, let alone run it under 10 minutes. Most of them, in my opinion, are overweight. Maybe I'm a bit too critical. They certainly are not fit.
These days, Alex runs a 1/4 mile as his warmup. I take him and Izzy to the track before school, mostly because if I don't, they turn my house upside down doing laps around the kitchen island. I prefer to have them run freely in the open space of the track. Alex loves to yell out as he finishes his first lap, "I'm running so well, Mamma!" If there are any spectators, and especially if one of them makes a comment, like "nice running", Alex turns up the juice and picks up the pace, clapping for himself the whole way. Izzy prances like a foal, effortlessly moving through space. They inspire me, and their smiles make us all happy. Hopefully, when they go to school and work on reading and block building and colors, their BDNF will be working its magic. Running is clearly working its own magic on their self esteem.
I wonder how hard it would be for a school to open its doors an hour earlier, to offer the locker rooms for showers, breakfast in the cafeteria, and a volunteer staff person or two to monitor the exercise. The program might begin voluntarily. Kids who want to run sign up. They might be graded for PE. Or, they might be recognized at the annual awards banquet. Maybe as their classmates witness changes in the runners' appearances, their increased self-confidence, their higher test scores, and their bonds of friendship that only form over hard labor, the inactive ones would sign up and the attendance rate would grow. It seems like it would be worth trying. Isn't that the single responsibility of a school system, to give their students the best opportunity possible to grow, physically and cognitively--in essence to create the opportunity to run? It almost seems negligent to do anything less.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thank You Perez Hilton
For those of you who follow Perez Hilton, The Baby Alex Foundation is his featured Cause of the Day at www.perezhilton.com. When you get to his website, just search for The Baby Alex Foundation, and you will find information on us! Thank you, Perez Hilton, for some very much needed and appreciated marketing.
The Baby Alex Foundation launched its newly designed website last week. We will email our donor newsletter tomorrow (on Alex's 3rd birthday), so if you haven't signed up for our newsletter yet, please visit the site and sign up. The newsletter is also posted on the site.
The Foundation is well into its fall fundraising drive, which includes a reception in NYC on November 11th. To donate, get more information on the fundraiser or how you might help us market the Foundation and raise money for our 2011 pediatric brain injury grants, please visit our website: www.babyalexfoundation.com.
Thank you, thank you Perez!
The Baby Alex Foundation launched its newly designed website last week. We will email our donor newsletter tomorrow (on Alex's 3rd birthday), so if you haven't signed up for our newsletter yet, please visit the site and sign up. The newsletter is also posted on the site.
The Foundation is well into its fall fundraising drive, which includes a reception in NYC on November 11th. To donate, get more information on the fundraiser or how you might help us market the Foundation and raise money for our 2011 pediatric brain injury grants, please visit our website: www.babyalexfoundation.com.
Thank you, thank you Perez!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Karate
For reasons entirely of convenience, we signed Izzy up for karate, along with Alex, who is now taking his second session. The sign-up says the class is for children 2 1/2-5 years old. Izzy is only 20 months old. I did not have high expectations for her participation, but I thought she could at least watch, and that would be more beneficial than trying to find a babysitter for her for the class or forcing her into the child care across the hall. To my great surprise and relief, she jumped right in and loves it. She needs me to stand next to her, and to run with her through the obstacle course, but that is only to provide moral support.
And Alex...he has completely come out of his shell. He was timid and shy during the spring session, but is now the first one to raise his hand for anything. He is completely focused on the instructor and the tasks at hand and no longer needs me to help him through the obstacle course. What impresses me the most is how his balance is improving. He was barely able to raise either of his feet off the ground to kick during the first session, but now can raise both of them equally well. This is partly due to his age, I'm sure, but also due to the fact that he has been practicing for his karate class. He is also challenged to kick higher and balance longer in class than he would have been at home.
Before we read about the benefits of karate to children with neurological issues, it never crossed my mind to practice punches, sticky palms, blocks and kicks to front, side and back. These movements really help Alex's balance. He is also learning when it is okay to punch and kick (in class, in self-defense) and when it isn't (at your sister or the dog). It helps to have a children-savvy instructor. Alex's instructor is excellent. He allows the children to be children to a point, and then reigns them in and asks them to focus so they may perform. He compliments them on their natural abilities and occasionally shows off his skills, which are impressive and demand respect.
And Alex...he has completely come out of his shell. He was timid and shy during the spring session, but is now the first one to raise his hand for anything. He is completely focused on the instructor and the tasks at hand and no longer needs me to help him through the obstacle course. What impresses me the most is how his balance is improving. He was barely able to raise either of his feet off the ground to kick during the first session, but now can raise both of them equally well. This is partly due to his age, I'm sure, but also due to the fact that he has been practicing for his karate class. He is also challenged to kick higher and balance longer in class than he would have been at home.
Before we read about the benefits of karate to children with neurological issues, it never crossed my mind to practice punches, sticky palms, blocks and kicks to front, side and back. These movements really help Alex's balance. He is also learning when it is okay to punch and kick (in class, in self-defense) and when it isn't (at your sister or the dog). It helps to have a children-savvy instructor. Alex's instructor is excellent. He allows the children to be children to a point, and then reigns them in and asks them to focus so they may perform. He compliments them on their natural abilities and occasionally shows off his skills, which are impressive and demand respect.
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