Re: Exercises for children at home

[Guest guest]

the stretching hurts.It does... when I was a small child I went to the Shiners

Hospital...I was sitting on the examine table with my legs straight out in from

of me. They said touch your head to your knees...I tried...Guess they didn't

believe how stiff I was...and shoved and forced my head to my knees. I hurt

soooo bad and I really cried.Then they gave my mother hell because they said she

wasn't doing my starching exercise right or making me exercising enough...I felt

like that's all I did and hated doing them couldn't play or do anything until it

was done.

Geri

[Guest guest]

My son stands about 2 or 3 feet from the wall (it's changed as he's

gotten so much taller) and does " wall push ups " . He leans forward

and puts his palms flat against the wall, elbows bent, and pushes up

and down. It works his arms and extends his heel cords. When he was

little we made a game out of who was stronger, the wall or him. You

know he always won!

Our PT also suggested buying an excercise ball and doing stretching

with the ball.... enjoys this. And the balls are sold in

different sizes. If your child is too small for the excercise ball

right now, then try one of those over-sized, kind of squishy kick

ball things that you can get for a couple of dollars or so in the

grocery store or Target.

Swimming is the really great thrill in excercise because even

playing something as simple as volleyball in the water is fun and a

good muscle work out. If you have access to a pool, or the Y, I

would recommend it year round.

The stretching does hurt...and as a parent it just kills you to see

them in pain...

It sounds like you are on the right path to staying strong....

[Guest guest]

I don't know if this has been already suggested, but when I was little, my mom

had me stand with the front of my feet & toes on a telephone book and push up,

like calf and ankle presses.

[Guest guest]

With my 3 year old we do nightly stretches like you do ...my husband

likes to work out and she will tag along and we can get her to hold on

to the side of the weight bench and try to touch her bum to the floor 5-10

times. It stretches her heels and works her leg muscles. We also let her play

on our couch cushions and her heels sink in to the cushion and looks like a good

stretch. Our phys therapist would always suggest us to tape a piece of paper to

the wall and put a step stool in front of it with the markers or crayons on the

ground so she could take one, step up, color, step down, repeat. I notice she

does best when we make it a game.

Amelia

[Guest guest]

My 4 year old type hasn't been confirmed by testing but it is either type 2 or 4

they aren't sure. We do ankle streches at home and exercises on a ball for arms

and trunk exercises. We are also about to start an aquatic program.

She currently goes to PT once a week and is one the waiting list for OT for

evaluation to just she were she stands. We also have a Amtryke evaluation this

week so hopefully soon she'll have a tricycle that works good for her.

You all with children should look into Amtyrke they have a website and is a

Nation wide program you can order directly or be put on a wish list if you don't

have the money.

We have also been doing electro therapy we call it the " tickle box' at PT so

help with blood flow and waking up the muscle that causes the drop foot. Also we

use these disc at PT for balance that we are looking into adding to out home

exercises. Also we are in the processes of getting a " tickle box " for home too.

[Guest guest]

Amelia,

That is a great idea with the cushion it's the same as the disc we use at PT

just alot less expensive. I also look the step idea we also do a similar thing

at PT. Great Idea for home.

Thanks