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Cerebral Palsy and Movement 101 free resources for YOU!
Armen
8/2/2016 11:21 PM
I just got back from an amazing opportunity to learn from Gayle Porter, Claire Cotter and Linda Burkhart for the past 5 days in Maryland. The good folks at CPEC have created two modules about Cerebral Palsy and Movement issues as well as some tips for School and therapy. These videos are great resources for parents, therapists, teachers and others who are just plain interested in learning more about movement disorders, understanding the movement patterns your child displays and teaching them more effectively. To access the videos, just follow the link and create an account.
It's totally free but the information is priceless.https://cpec.org.au/services/train-online/
Schools 1: "I have a Student with Cerebral Palsy...What does that mean?"
Schools 2: "Learning to Move, Moving to Learn”
Perhaps these modules would help a friend that you know. Here are a few scenarios for you to ponder:
Scenario 1: You are reading with a student and you ask them if they want to turn the page. Your student has CP. She knocks the book out of your hand, and turns her head and doesn't appear to look back or even want to look back. Is this an epic fail? Most likely not. Most likely you have misinterpreted your students movement patterns and are attributing FALSE associations and erroneous meanings to their movement.
Scenario 2: You are diligently working with a student and everyone is totally into the lesson you prepared. All of a sudden, your student turns her head away and the well meaning assistant makes some smart-a## comment about them not wanting to talk to you and dismisses both of you altogether.
I know that either of these scenarios would never happen where you are, and of course they NEVER happened with me, my students or my school but you get the idea.
stay tuned for more gems
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Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging