spin doctors
It sounded like a snake oil sales pitch -
"Ten spins on our amazing spin board and your baby will be walking the line better than Johnny Cash . . ."
Whatever. I didn't think it would work.
I am surprised (and a little weirded out) to say - it did.
Yoda's gross motor skills have always been a little slow. It wasn't concerning me much, because she has a decent vocabulary, can identify half of the alphabet, and understands almost everything we say to her, but still the not walking was getting old.
At her 15 month check up, Dr. M, suggested we see a physical therapist for an assessment.
I had been, and knew that it had value for me, but I couldn't help wondering, how they intended to get Yoda on a treadmill, or working resistance bands, or doing anything at all for that matter. So it was with some reluctance that I packed our toddler up for her "not covered by our insurance" meeting with the therapist.
Walking into the pediatric clinic was not reassuring - it was nearly an exact replica of our basement: fold-out gym mats, a giant exercise ball, scooters, stuffed animals. What did this place have that we didn't?
Knowledge.
Yoda's therapist massaged her little toes to loosen the muscles, spun her this way and that, goaded her through tunnels, and helped her push a shopping cart so she could get food for her baby doll. That night she called with an assessment.
She was up to 4 months behind in her physical development. Not off the charts - she was still in the "normal range" - but barely. We were given a high powered sit and spin, instructions for daily massages, and permission to wrestle until she turned green.
So we did.
Every day I spin her. She loves it. We massage baby toes - and her baby feet are starting to loosen up. She walks now - all over the place. She rights herself, and gets up on her own. She lets go of our hands and explores the store aisles, and the windows at the zoo.
She is so happy and much less frustrated.
I still don't know exactly why this worked - but it did. She still has flat arches, which will not benefit her ballet career, but I figure we'll just focus on honing her tap dance skills instead.
"Ten spins on our amazing spin board and your baby will be walking the line better than Johnny Cash . . ."
Whatever. I didn't think it would work.
I am surprised (and a little weirded out) to say - it did.
Yoda's gross motor skills have always been a little slow. It wasn't concerning me much, because she has a decent vocabulary, can identify half of the alphabet, and understands almost everything we say to her, but still the not walking was getting old.
At her 15 month check up, Dr. M, suggested we see a physical therapist for an assessment.
I had been, and knew that it had value for me, but I couldn't help wondering, how they intended to get Yoda on a treadmill, or working resistance bands, or doing anything at all for that matter. So it was with some reluctance that I packed our toddler up for her "not covered by our insurance" meeting with the therapist.
Walking into the pediatric clinic was not reassuring - it was nearly an exact replica of our basement: fold-out gym mats, a giant exercise ball, scooters, stuffed animals. What did this place have that we didn't?
Knowledge.
Yoda's therapist massaged her little toes to loosen the muscles, spun her this way and that, goaded her through tunnels, and helped her push a shopping cart so she could get food for her baby doll. That night she called with an assessment.
She was up to 4 months behind in her physical development. Not off the charts - she was still in the "normal range" - but barely. We were given a high powered sit and spin, instructions for daily massages, and permission to wrestle until she turned green.
So we did.
Every day I spin her. She loves it. We massage baby toes - and her baby feet are starting to loosen up. She walks now - all over the place. She rights herself, and gets up on her own. She lets go of our hands and explores the store aisles, and the windows at the zoo.
She is so happy and much less frustrated.
I still don't know exactly why this worked - but it did. She still has flat arches, which will not benefit her ballet career, but I figure we'll just focus on honing her tap dance skills instead.
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