Fwd: Shelly Re: absent semi-circular canals

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

With his balance being off, I'm not sure

>how to instill that fear of falling without letting him fall and get

>hurt.

For , I don't think she could get her brain/body response together

quick enough to

do anything about it, but that comes in time. It took time for her to have

any idea how

to catch herself either in, or from, a fall. So, first they have to realize

they are falling,

then get the notion they could stop it, then get the brain to tell the

muscles what to do,

then get the muscles to respond in time, and with enough strength to make

any difference.

Any balancing work during PT will help, along with muscle strengthening.

I've told before that seemed to have a misplaced

center of gravity. It was up around her solar plexus. I put a heavy belt

around her waist,

sitting on her hips, to help her ground her position in space. But she was

much older-

possibly four yrs old. Luke's way too young.

As for moving from room to room, her problem was visual hesitation. If the

texture

or color was different she had no perceptual idea whether it was higher,

much higher,

or lower, or the same.

I've also read here that the difference in light intensity from area to area

can make a

difference, whether in a building or outside.

For her, the sunlight was what she struggled with when we went out. It

really hurts their

eyes, even indirectly. I mean, it didn't have to be shining on her to be a

bother-just

looking out over the environment without sunglasses was too bright and too

uncomfortable.

(reflective light)

also has a brother, 2 years older. She would " forget herself " and any

hesitations

just from wanting to do what he did.

Also, introducing new stimuli while he is already doing something he enjoys,

helps with

the aversion response, I think. So, if he loves the tub, you could add

something new.

Or take his favorite toys outside on a blanket-but change the blanket every

few days

to a different color, pattern or texture. Or overlap blankets, so something

is still familiar .

Start off with one he uses in his " comfort rooms " inside.

Let me play broken record and assure you time is your friend. You can go

slowly with

these things. I think success builds on success, so little tiny steps of

progress are fine.

He sure is a cutie!

;-)

in Ma.

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