Spider's Program

Z in her bungee suit
Working the stairs
Enjoying the big swing
Posing with her new friends.

For the last 3 weeks, Z has been attending an intense physical and occupational therapy program called SPIDERS. The program is 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks. She is working on strengthening the right side of her body, becoming better coordinated, and mastering everyday skills that are difficult for her but come easy for M & C.

The above pictures show her wearing her bungee cord suit. This suit helps with her body awareness and provides resistance, which makes her work her muscles more. She wears it while climbing stairs, running and walking outside and on the treadmill, swinging, riding her bike, and throwing and kicking balls. She did lots of muscle toning and coordination activities and she she got to have some fun in the "Jammin' Gym" every Friday. The Jammin' Gym is a gigantic indoor playground with slides, obstacles, ball pit, stairs, inclines, and different levels to crawl on. M and C even got to play with her one day. That was the highlight of every one's week.

Now that she is done with the program, we are noticing that her confidence in doing physical activities is higher. She is more coordinated and isn't falling and stumbling as much when she walks outside or up and down stairs. She can ride her bike independently!!!!!!! She has built her endurance up to play longer, and asks to play outside more!

We are so excited and blessed that she was able to participate in this program. I think it was exactly what she needed. We now have an intense home program that we have to follow to continue to strengthen her. This program is fun for her though b/c it involves C and M. She will go back in 3 months for a follow up evaluation to see if she needs to continue therapy or if she can be dismissed. We are praying that she will be dismissed!!!!!!!!!