www.spotsot.com
The visit to SPOTS was quite different from the Elizabeth Seton Center. The children come to work on specific things; usually they are referred to the center by a teacher or parent that notices something different in their development. After about a year, each child is re-evaluated in terms of his or her progress in the program.
“Therapy comes into play when a function is disabled.”
Notes:
- using switches in toys
- mapping of the environment, making children feel safe
- SI: Sensory Integration
- adapting things so kids can use them
- overfocusing on skills that a child may not be ready for developmentally
- engage a child in play and make it theraputic, variability in play is important in getting a response
- theraputic music (strange beats and tones)
- neoprene: scuba-like weight vest material
- kids who are defensive orally are also defensive tactily
- video games take away the social aspect of play
- suburbia vs city in terms of defensiveness in children
- not using toys the way they’re supposed to be used
* adjustable chairs for positioning; children need to feel grounded
* adaptation of toys to help children with motor control (using switches), keyboards (adaptive keyboards)
in collaboration with Jen, Rhys, Mang & Ching-I
The Wever is a device that allows people with limited mobility (eg. arthritis) to open windows with ease. It is easier to push down than to lift, especially with the friction that comes with first opening a window.
This device is fitted into the space near the window and the user pushes down on the handle to begin lifting the window up.
More details
www.setonpediatric.org
Since this is the first visit, it would be difficult to compare this center to others like it. The things I did see were fascinating and greatly exceeded my expectations for what was available for children with disabilities. In terms of need, or things they were looking for, some things stood out: light, vibration & sound. Certain children respond differently to different stimuli. Its all a game of trial and error to figure out what works on an individual basis.
A large screen is projected on one wall in a room called the “Wonder Room.” Children can move in front of it, where a camera picks up their movement and changes the images accordingly. A child can push a ball across the screen, make trees or even play a (somewhat altered) game of pool.
There is a machine that transforms movement into sound. A child can effectively “play” a harp by merely moving in front of the sensors on the microphone-like stands. Machines like this are expensive, however. This one cost around 10k. Not something a child might have access to unless in one of these facilities.
Another application of technology, also located in the “Wonder Room,” was a string of lights that changed colors. They were much more durable than those I have seen before. Much emphasis was placed on the ability to wash these devices or clean the surfaces so that they may be used for more than one child, on multiple occasions. (Latex is not allowed anywhere in the facility, as some children are allergic to it.)
We were brought into the basement, where there is a pool for water therapy exercises and a small jacuzzi which is no longer in use because of issues with germs. The sides of the pool were clear, so you could watch the movement from the outside. So far, no technology devices that they know of have been integrated into the water therapy as of yet.
The Starlight Foundation provides much of the monetary support for the facility, along with Medicare.
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