OT

One of the advantages to not touch typing is that having a finger splint doesn't really slow me down too much. As a violinist (let's hope this injury doesn't make me all erstwhily) I am used to alternate fingerings. But the bugger does hurt, thanks for the flowers. (Ahem.)

Thursday, Yelena had her occupational therapy evaluation. Of all the varied therapists and doctors she's seen, I felt the OT therapist instantly got her. When asked if she liked the water and I replied that she loved swimming, the main therapist asked, "When she is in the water does she come alive, and act as if that is her natural element?" Apparently, the pressure of the water gives children with motor planning (MP) difficulties a better sense of their body in space and helps them with body mapping, which the OTs instantly realized is one of her challenges. She also said she sees a 5 year old boy with coordination issues, similar to Yelena, who has been doing great with OT and is the star of his swim team, where he is the youngest kid and already placing with the backstroke! She also asked if Yelena loved music, saying that children with MP problems are typically very responsive to music. When Yelena bent forward into her ultra-flexible pose that we like to call Yelena asana, that everyone else thinks is either just adorable (which it is!) or that she's tired (which is only sometimes), the OT said that Yelena likes to look at things laterally, too, and that looking at things from different angles helps put things together visually for her. (My daughter, the cubist.) Of course, they noticed how social she was and that she was more into people than things, and didn't make it sound like an example of passivity, but of curiosity.

Until OT starts proper in January (stupid holidays), we were given some exercises, including drumming and listening to some drumming CDs. We are also supposed to keep up with the vestibular system stimulation; the OT said Yelena's craving of the bouncing means she really needs it and, along with the jumping, spinning and flying/landing on hands games we play, will further help with her body mapping. Another assignment she loved is playing with river rocks (I still have a ton from our wedding); apparently, their cool smooth texture is stimulating and she was great at finding the toys I hid amongst them. She is also, under adult supervision, supposed to play with dried beans -- their texture and weight supposedly is perfect for working with fine motor skills. (Sometimes her pincer grasp is perfect, sometimes too lateral -- it goes with her MP difficulty of isolating her index finger for pointing.) Finally, she is supposed to engage in messy play. Eli has put me on sole detail for this one -- his inner neat freak emerges the second her hand gets into the yogurt. Last night, the sight of her covered in ravioli stuffing, veggies and yogurt -- even after I wiped a layer off -- nearly did him in. She sure looked cute, covered in goo, but I did go and wash my hands and her spoon handle a few times and had to wrap a paper towel over my splint. Fortunately, the therapist suggested this only a dinner time before her bath -- although I've always let her hand scoop some oatmeal at breakfast. That stuff is paste.