Constraint Therapy Update

We're almost two weeks into Shelby's 3-week stint with the cast on. The cast is now filthy and somehow, Shelby has figured out how to wiggle out of it twice this weekend (which may become a problem). I told Shelby's PT and OT on Friday that this therapy has been successful in many subtle ways, but that I was hoping for more dramatic results. Shelby is definitely engaging her left arm more. It is much more loose, and no longer hangs down by her side most of the time. She is also not fisting her hand as much. I was hoping that she would learn to take her paci out of her mouth and put it back in with the left hand. Yesterday, I turned around and saw her doing exactly that. Very exciting stuff. Check it out:

I'm interested to see how she does after we finish this three weeks with the cast on. I know that her left arm will regress to some extent because she will be able to use her preferred right arm. However, I think that casting has helped her to be aware that she has a left arm--hopefully she'll continue to put it to some use.

bath-talk with baby Harding

I realize that Harding is majorly underrepresented on our blog, partly because we started this as a way to keep friends and family updated on what was going on with Shelby in the weeks after her birth. Also, we didn't have a blog for the first 2 1/2 years of Harding's life. Now we do though, and it has turned into a wonderful way for me to record what my children are up to--especially the little things that I know I won't be able to remember down the road.

I was going through old picture files and found a couple video clips of Harding when he was a baby. I love this one....I think he is 10 and a half months old and says "dada", mama", and "duck" while playing in the bath tub.



I wish I had a clip of him saying, "bookah" (for book) or "ca po po" (caterpillar). He was a very verbal baby. We've got tons of videos on tape that document this, but I'm not sure how to get them on my computer.

Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy

No, Shelby Frances did not break her arm. Because of the huge difference between Shelby's abilities on her right and left sides, we have decided (along with her physical and occupational therapists) to try constraint induced therapy. She will be wearing this rockin' hot pink cast 23 hours a day for the next three weeks. This was not a decision that Tiff and I came to easily. With the cast and the hip brace, Shelby really only has full range of motion with her left arm now--the arm that she can't do much with. We hope that will change in the next few weeks. This type of therapy was developed for stroke patients, but has been shown to be successful with children as well. Shelby is the youngest child ever to be fitted for a cast at Mission Childrens Hospital. We'll keep you updated as she progresses, her therapists think she has a lot of potential. In the meantime, here is some information on constraint therapy: http://ptot.chsys.org/default.aspx?id=2055.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Too much snow?

I am a Georgia girl, and a teacher to boot. The prospect of snow has been known to make me too giddy to sleep. I did not get nearly enough sledding time in as a child. Plus, its usually so nice to have an unexpected teacher work day without students when the roads are too snowy for school buses. It takes a whole lot of snow for me to think we've gotten too much! We've gotten a ton of snow this winter...I'm over it! Thank goodness I'm on maternity leave, because Spring Break has already been taken away and it looks like there will have to be several sessions of Saturday school to make up for all the days we have missed. There was a good bit of snow on the ground yesterday, and we didn't even go outside to play in it. So I included a picture from the first snow we got (back in the old days when snow was exciting). We're looking forward to Spring and sunny days outside!