Switcheroo Brain Breaks Freebie
Here is a great freebie to give to teachers to help students get the wiggles out and wake up the brain by squeezing in some physical activity. You can download the 4 page freebie at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/freeswitcheroobrainbreaks.html For more brain break ideas visit https://www.yourtherapysource.com/brainbreaks.html [subscribe2]
Thanksgiving Fine and Gross Motor Group Game
If you are looking for a fun, creative Thanksgiving group game to play with your own family or a group of students print out this freebie. You can download it at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/freethanksgivingcards.html How to Play: Print and cut apart the cards. Divide the group into two teams. Provide each team with pencil and paper. Follow the […]
Balance, Age and Autism Symptoms
The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published research on the influence of task difficulty and age on balance control in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The researchers tested balance control during increasingly difficult balance conditions in children with ASD and typically developing peers. The relationship between balance control and diagnostic/symptom severity for participants […]
Benefits of Letting the Kids Be the Teacher
Do you ever let the students that receive therapy services teach other students? Research has shown that the highest retention rate of what you have learned results from teaching others, with practice the skill coming in a close second. During therapy sessions, therapists spend hours working on practicing and learning new skills. When a child […]
Extra Physical Activity and Academic Achievement
Research on the impact of physical activity intervention program on academic achievement was published in the Journal of School Health. The study provided 408 twelve year olds with an additional two hours per week of extra play and motion activities. The control groups were three different schools (matched for male/female ratio, average level of income, […]
Energy Costs and Movement Initiation in Children with Developmental Delay
Recent research compared energy costs during walking and movement initiation times in 3-5 year old children with developmental delay (n=12) and children with typical development (n=12). The children paticipated in various assessments including range of motion in the lower extremities, physiological cost of walking, and movement initiation times. To determine reaction time for goal directed […]
Posturography and Sensory Integration
A feasibility study was published on using posturography to monitor changes following vestibular input in children. The participants in the study included 5 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 5 neurotypical children. Each child received 10 minutes of vestibular swing activity with pre and post evaluations of postural stability under four different conditions and […]
Postural Stability Training Effects on Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Research was published assessing the dynamic bilateral postural stability on balance control and gait parameters in 30 children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy (8-10 years old). The children were divided into two groups. One group received 2 hours per session of physical therapy for 3x/week for 8 weeks. The second group received 1.5 hours per session […]
Whole Body Vibration to Improve Balance/Strength and Down Syndrome
A randomized controlled study was published on 30 children with Down syndrome, where 15 children received physical therapy and 15 children received physical therapy and whole body vibration training. Both groups participated 3x/week for 6 months. The groups underwent stability testing and muscle strength testing before and after the 6 mos of the treatment program. […]