Function to your Fullest

March 31, 2021 by Anonymous Mom, Bangalore

My son was a delayed. My son was 3 years age and was verbal to some extent and only responding when asked a question. He attention span was low and he was not able to concentrate on a task fully.

He was able to run only few steps. He wasn't able to pedal a cycle or walk independently on footpaths. He was not able to jump from heights more than 1feet.He was not able to do slides with more height.

When there was a small hole in the footpath he was not able to cross it.

My son had low core strength and body tone.

Then I found Activ Kaarya physical therapy center. I realized Dr. Ushma was doctorate from very good university in USA and was very specialized and had a huge experience in sensory integration and physical therapy.

I realized through my interaction with her that Tactile Vestibular and Proprioception are the bases senses for the central nervous system. I went to through the central nervous system pyramid put  up on the notice board and read as many articles as I could on internet. I thank her so much to this day for making me enlightened which I was never aware or neither my developmental paediatrician guided me on that I realized as the days went by her knowledge and experience on sensory integration was immense and I realized she was best therapist that I could ever search for in this whole country and she was God sent for my sons recovery.

So here is my journey with Dr. Ushma. 

Mam had told screen time very bad and doesn't give movement to child. I made son's screen time to zero.

Initially she made my son go into the small well (I called it that)I did not first get it as my kid had to pick the ball and put it on pipe. I was thinking why was she making him do that as it dint seem challenging as the my son knew how to put the ball on the pipe. Then she told me that is for squatting to increase the core strength. I was awestruck and enlightened that if squatting would increase core strength then why don't we do it home. I gave off our dining table. We sat on ground and started eating. I asked him to play on the floor everything was done on the floor at home to get as many squats as possible for my son and build core strength.

Then there was scooter board and puzzles. She mentioned doing improves visual perception and helps in all other expects of vision. I never thought of puzzles that way. It helped my son immensely as he started realizing how to rotate things and fix slowly. I also had bought 2 puzzles and did them with him when nothing else was there to do.

Then mam gave bangle arc for my son . Which I thought was very easy there is nothing in that. When I asked her she talked about mid line crossing . I was awestruck again and read about the humongous advantages of doing it . It in fact was helping to make better connections with left brain and right brain and that was much needed for my son as his left was weaker than the right side. She told me about mirror wiping, car wipe or anything which crosses midline.  I read ways of doing it and as screen time was zero I got good time to try things. Even though he was hesitant I involved in my work and make him do without he realizing.

Then one day madam starting making him jump. She mentioned about how much proprioception and depth perception it gives. I was awestruck. He was too much lagging in jumping. It helped him a lot and he started improving. From my side In parks I made him go on top of benches and started pulling him down.

Then one day madam did barrel roll fixing puzzle. I was thinking what it was. She mentioned it was mid line crossing. I was so enlightened. I knew it will help him immensely. Before going to bed i made him roll on the bed as a fun activity.

Then the scooter board slide which madam made him do helped in go on slides in parks. Day by day he improved going on slides.

Then madam did cycling practice. My son started pedaling his bicycle within 3-4 months.

Madam had recommended group speech therapy for my son. I started asking other parents with similar speech kid and we went together for speech group therapy. It helped my son a lot. He started talking better. He started saying hi to neighbors and answer their questions.

And today my son is fully verbal , he is running with other kids, he is jumping,  his understanding has gone up humongously, and has come up near to age appropriateness. He is going to normal school. He is able to read sentences and write sentences. He is 5.6 years old going to LKG. (I repeated nursery for him)

And to Dr Ushma madam i would like to say "THANK YOU MADAM" "THANK YOU MADAM" "THANK YOU MADAM" I am indebted to your work. My son has recovered because of you.

Suggestions by this Mom

Dr. Ushma Maam, I would like to say thank you. I am indebted to your work. My son has recovered because eof youand your immense knowledge in your therapy.

To parents, I would like to share some things to be done at home.

1. Make screentime zero. Read books. Switch on the radio or audio, keep talking and making eye contact with your child.

2. Go outside everyday in sunlight. Vit D is needed for receovery. Walk barefoot in sand, stone, grass, water etc. Connect with nature. See the flowers, bees, butterflies, birds, and animals. See other kids playing. Go to the parks and play on the slides and swings.

3. Give sensory bath everyday – curd, besan, rava, rice flour, maida, whatever is at home and make its paste. Massage the child everyday with cold pressed coconut oil before bath.

4. Eat different textures everyday – leafy, grainy, sticky, nutty, sour, sweet, spicy. Let the child smell the food and use fingers to eat. No distractions during meals.

5. Involve the child in your work – vessel washing, clothes drying, cutting, cooking, dusting, mopping, sweeping, cleaning. The more they observe, the more familiar the brain gets, and one day the child will learn.

6. Give movements to your child everyday. Put a swing in your house. Let the child swing. Also jumping, crawling, squatting. Try to exercise in front of the child. Go for regular walks.

7. Make the child carry something heavy – water bottle, groceries, 1-2 kgs while returning from the store, or carry water for plants, or vegetables from the fridge.

8. Eat healthy and stop junk food. Stop eating refined sugar and refined oil. Move onto millets and cold pressed oils in cooking. Include protein in every meal. Give nuts and raisins daily.

9. Connect..connect..connect. Try to take child to someone’s home, play with neibors kids. If child is not talking to you – talk, talk, talk. One day the child will speak – patience, patience, patience.

10. Don’t underestimate therapy. Therapy provides integration of senses. Read through the Pyramid of Learning. Learn from therapies and try to include house chores as sensory input. Remember that twice a week of 1 hour therapy is not enough. It is only the mother / parent who can further help the child.

11. Each time, think of sensory input – vestibular, tactile, proprioception, midline crossing, core strength.

12. Remember that healing of the brain is slower in the beginning. Sensory input through work helps the healing faster.

13. As in the human gene, we are born to live in society, we need to get integrated into society. Work on integration of senses, mother nature, and with society.

14. Never talk about issues in front of the child. That will be re-iterated in the brain. Rather, talk about improvements in the child, appreciate your child fro small progresses, that will help the child improve.

15. Think positive. Try to imagine the child reaching milestones. That will make our brain think on ways to achieve the same.

Count your blessings and believe in God.

All the best!