Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and epilepsy have close ties. Studies show that often epilepsy develops following TBI. When you have children, both brain injury and epilepsy can be hard to both explain and discuss. However, more recently this has been made easier through the use of some newly developed children’s books that help kids to be learn about, and understand, these conditions:
Leisure Anyone?
Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)
I took this photo on a recent vacation. I am always thrilled to see resorts and establishments making an effort to include people of all abilities in their offerings.
The recent Olympics and Paralympics remind us of the importance of sport and leisure in our society. These games, and the immense displays of athleticism during the same, inspire people of all ages and abilities to either start, or increase, their participation in sporting activities. Sport is an avenue that provides people with a sense of physical, mental and emotional challenge, camaraderie, a sense of purpose and fun. Whether it be at a competitive level, or a game of pick up on the weekends, sport is one form of enjoyable leisure activity.
Leisure activities are those things we do or engage in during our free time and can be passive or active in nature. Passive leisure activities are those types of activities that we often engage in alone and involve slower paced activities. This can be things like reading, watching a movie or painting. Active leisure activities on the other hand are often completed with others and tend to be faster paced and more physically demanding, including sports, gardening or going skiing. Regardless of the preference for passive or active leisure, in our fast-paced society, the importance of making time for leisure cannot be overstated.
Leisure activities provide us with opportunities to socialize and develop emotionally, as well as provide physical and cognitive development to improve health and well-being. Our participation can also impact those around us as they help us to build skills that support us in both work and life.
However, when we think of leisure, we often think of opportunities that are easy and convenient for most people. Yet, for individuals with disabilities, participating in leisure opportunities, while equally important, is often more difficult. Individuals with disabilities often have less free time due to lengthy morning routines, the increased time it can take to manage daily tasks, and often frequent medical or rehabilitation appointments. Environmental barriers can also be present such as lack of transportation, inaccessible venues, or inherent aspects of the leisure activity that aren’t suited to the individual’s skills or interests.
Occupational therapists recognize the importance of leisure activities for persons with and without disabilities. We work with clients to help explore their interests to help expand their repertoire of leisure activities and find ways to address the different barriers to engaging in these meaningful past times. Whether it be altering the activity so that it is better suited to one’s capabilities, making the environment more accessible, or helping someone with strategies to alter their schedule to include more time for leisure activities, occupational therapists can help people bring more fun back into life.
If you have a disability and would like to expand your leisure opportunities, or try something new, consider some of the following activities that, if modified or locally available, can be enjoyed by all:
- Golf (see the previous post on Golf FORE All )
- Martial Arts or Tai Chi (see the previous posts Martial Arts is All That… and Making Martial Arts More Accessible)
- Yoga
- Sit-skiing (downhill or water)
- Sledge Hockey
- Modified Scuba Programs
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Horticulture
- Cooking classes and education on use of modified kitchen tools
- Hiking or Walking (on paths or rail trails)
- Cycling (pedal or hand biking)
- Scuba or snorkeling
- Curling
- Sailing or rowing…to name a few.
Those are just a small snapshot of examples. For more ideas (including extreme sports such as bungee jumping or skydiving) check out Abilities Magazine, or contact an Occupational Therapist to discuss what might be a good fit!
Weekly Mind Bender
What is it that, after you take away the whole, some still remains?
The word wholesome.
Hydrate For Health
Saturday March 22nd is World Water Day. A day when we celebrate one of the most important and scare resources on the planet. Water is extremely important to our bodies and we cannot live without it. The following article from CDC.com discusses the importance of hydration, how much water your body requires and tips to ensure you are getting enough. On this World Water Day remember to take care of your health by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and try to do something for others who do not have access to this great resource.
CDC: Water: Meeting Your Daily Fluid Needs
There are many Canadian Organizations who focus on bringing clean water to those without access. Some of these great organizations are listed here to help you find information on ways to donate to and how help those in need.
Food For Thought
This Nutrition Month we are providing you with ways to get the most out of the foods you eat. Selecting the best foods is part of the process, however, knowing how to prepare them into easy and tasty meals is equally important. We are happy to welcome a guest to the blog to discuss some valuable cooking tools that will simplify meal preparation and assist you in the creation of healthy, delicious meals.
Shannon Crocker, MSc RD, is a food and nutrition consultant, writer, media spokesperson and kitchen coach. A keen cook, she promotes real food for healthy living. Visit Shannon’s website at www.shannoncrocker.com, follow her on Twitter @shancrockerRD and check out her video podcasts at www.goodfoodcast.com.
March is Nutrition Month! To help get Canadians cooking, Dietitians of Canada suggests six basic kitchen tools that will help you whip up a healthy meal quickly.
1. Steamer basket: Why not skip the frying pan and forgo the oil? Steaming your veggies is a quick, easy, and healthy alternative to sautéing.
2. Box grater: A ‘grate’ edition to your kitchen tool kit is a box grater! While we love using our grater for cheese, it can also be used for all kinds of vegetables. Salads with grated zucchini, beets or carrots are a tasty side dish option.
3. Immersion blender: An immersion blender will make preparing healthy soups an absolute whizz. Vegetable-based soups, such as carrot, tomato or sweet potato are a scrumptious way to enjoy more veggies.
4. Lemon juicer: This dishwasher-friendly and ergonomic gizmo will allow you to season food with lemon or lime juice effortlessly. Adding a zip of lemon is a healthy and easy way to add tons of flavour to your food.
5. Oil mister: Cut out excess fat from your diet by using an oil mister. Instead of drowning your cooking pan or salad in glugs of oil, the mister will simply coat in a fine spray, which is all you need!
6. Sharp Knives: If you find that you are squishing tomatoes instead of slicing them, then your knife isn’t sharp enough. Having the right sharp knife for the job makes cooking a little easier – especially cooking veggies!
And if you’re looking for a little kitchen inspiration, visit www.cookspiration.com to download Dietitians of Canada’s brand new FREE app – Cookspiration – that offers up meal ideas depending on your mood!
Kindness Matters!
It is recognized that an act of good deed benefits physically and emotionally benefits both the giver and the recipient. Knowing this, now some schools and educators have turned to the “bucket filling” method as a way to teach this to children. The following article from Good Housekeeping discusses a study that shows how being kind releases healthy chemicals in the brain and boosts your overall health. It also shares 50 random acts of kindness you can try if you’re looking to fill someone else’s bucket while at the same time filling your own.
Good Housekeeping: 50 Simple Acts of Kindness
Printing Therapy Success Becomes a Letter to Santa
Guest Blogger: Justine Huszczynski, Occupational Therapist
One of the benefits of being an Occupational Therapist is seeing a client reach, and sometimes surpass, their goals. One of my favorite moments as an OT came this past December, when my paediatric client, Joshua, made my heart melt with how far he had come in therapy.
When I first started seeing Joshua earlier in the year, he was unable to print much more than his first name. He had a lot of difficulty holding a pencil and his fine motor strength was minimal. His mother, Connie, and I made a plan for Joshua to receive OT treatment twice a week for six months, with the help of President’s Choice Children’s Charity as the funding source. Joshua’s goals involved working on underlying fine motor skills that were needed for the skill (or occupation) of printing. For months we worked on strengthening Joshua’s fingers and hands. We used a pencil grip to help him learn where his fingers needed to be placed to hold a pencil. We worked endlessly on learning letter and number formations, through the use of the Handwriting Without Tears programs. Eventually, by the time Christmas time rolled around, I was seeing Joshua once a week because he had made so many gains.
During one of our sessions leading up to Christmas, I challenged Joshua to write a letter to Santa. He was going to the Santa Claus Parade that weekend and could hand deliver his letter. Joshua’s face lit up at the thought of this and his little hands got to work. After 15 minutes of writing, Joshua finished his very first letter to Santa at the age of 10 years old!
Occupational Therapists are taught to break down tasks into components in order to properly assess where difficulties with that task may lie. Therefore, when assessing a child’s printing skills, we have to look at the whole task from the moment the child sits down in their chair until they put down their pencil and have completed writing. More specifically, an Occupational Therapist will assess and observe the following aspects during a printing assessment:
- Workstation (e.g. desk height, chair size, classroom or home environment)
- Postural control
- Attention to task
- Pencil grasp
- Pressure on pencil
- Angle of paper
- Handwriting speed
- Size of letters
- Spacing between letters and words
- Formation of letters
- Use of punctuation
- Formation of ideas for written sentences
- Ability to copy words or sentences from a near and far point position
Treatment for printing difficulties often will target different aspects from the list above, depending on each specific child’s needs. However, one of the biggest contributors to a child’s success in any printing program is parent and teacher involvement. Parents and teachers are key support systems that can remind a child of their printing strategies at home and school, which often leads to an increase in generalization of the skills a that the child may have learned in session with their Occupational Therapist.
Here are some basic ideas for parents and teachers for working on printing skills:
- Make learning to print a multi-sensory experience! Use trays of rice, sand, shaving cream, or cornmeal to write or trace letters with the child’s index finger.
- Incorporate printing (and drawing) to bath time with bathtub markers.
- Use various writing utensils such as pencils, markers, crayons, and chalk.
- Little crayons for little hands – use smaller writing utensils for younger children to promote the use of a more mature grasp.
- Teach a maximum of two letters per week so that a child can focus on properly learning and printing those letter formations.
- Hide the eraser! When a child is in the process of learning to print, do not point out every mistake. Instead, have them look at their finished product and ask them what they like about their work, and what they would change. This will keep the learning process a positive one.
If you have concerns about your child’s printing skills, contact our office to discuss these issues with an Occupational Therapist who can guide you through the next steps for your child.
Weekly Mind Bender
For Brain Awareness Week, work to exercise your brain! Every Friday we challenge your brain with a “weekly mind bender.” Brain training is an important part of your overall health and the “use it or lose it” principle applies. You need to ensure as you age that you are keeping your mind stimulated and active. One way to achieve this is through completing riddles, puzzles, word games and mind benders. So give these a try and stay sharp!
What jumps when it walks and sits when it stands?
A Kangaroo.
Use It Or Lose It
It’s Brain Awareness Week across the world and in celebration we are focussing on brain health. The brain is the most important part of your body, however, is often overlooked as most people focus on the parts of the body that are visible to others. The following from Forbes Magazine discusses the best ways to ensure you are keeping your brain healthy and your mind sharp.
Food For Thought
For Brain Awareness Week we are celebrating by looking at some brain-boosting foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help keep your body’s CPU in tip top shape!
BBC Good Food: 10 Foods to Boost Your Brainpower