As a special needs parent, you may find it challenging to get all the ideal equipment and materials to repeat therapy at home, whether because of financial, time, or other constraints. Undoubtedly, you also want to help your child feel more supported or comfortable or make therapy feel like more fun and less work, while staying effective. That's why, in this episode, experienced physiotherapist and product designer, Ilana Danneman outlines several ideas to make use of at-home materials to create and adapt therapy interventions that have been enjoyable and beneficial to many a child.
These are approaches that she has used for the special needs children she has helped in her practice for over 40 years. She says parents will find it easy to do these at home as well. Plus, she has seen that once parents start innovating with materials and items available at home, even more ideas continue to flow so children can feel more supported, be more engaged, and have more fun during therapy at home.
Tap into more of Ilana's experience, ideas, and network of experience by checking her out here:
1) The Special Needs In Motion podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-needs-in-motion/id1493789906
2) The Special Needs in Motion YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjN25C_7gSCvtbqSjVXTiKQ
3) The pdf document guiding how to make parallel bars can be requested from Ilana at specialneedsinmotion@gmail.com
During this episode, Ilana mentions the guidance to create a neck collar to enhance a child’s neck strength, and other fascia therapy work being done by We Flow Therapy. Find them here: https://www.weflowtherapy.com/
Longing for someone to hold your hand and hold space for you as you navigate the path as a special needs parent yourself? Get your copy of my book, Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent at https://books2read.com/lightingthepath at any of several online and traditional bookstores. In it, you'll find supportive stories, tools and checklists to claim better balance and joy for yourself and your family, and also get insights into how our daughter, Emma, has progressed from severe brain-injury and a vegetative state to develop better sensory abilities and capabilities once declared to be beyond her.
