What exactly does “therapy at home” involve for you and your child? Some parents and carers might worry that therapy at home involves replicating in-clinic therapy sessions. This is a daunting task. Your therapist will have amazing toys on hand, clinical training and most of all they’re not trying to fit in a hundred and one tasks, therapy being one of them. Therapy is their job.
So don’t. Don’t try to be a therapist.
Be a parent
As a parent you are the expert in your child. Therapists and health professionals may have a store of knowledge and tricks they have collected but you know your child. We’re here to help and support you to enjoy therapy at home with your child.
Here are some common things we hear from parents and our advice:
- Do we need to buy all that specialist equipment? Therapy equipment, like all disability equipment, is expensive. Here are our hacks:
- Kmart (who doesn’t love Kmart?) stock peanut exercise balls. They have exercise steps. They have hula hoops. They have scooter boards. They even have a yoga dice that you can roll and choose a fun stretch for the day. They have almost every craft supply you could need (and some you don’t even know you need). Other department stores have similar.
- Pet toys are fantastic sensory toys. They squeak, crackle and are often indestructible – challenge accepted!
- Dining table and chairs, and lounge chairs, unused decorative footstools – these can be used for all manner of exercises such as bending and reaching for objects, stepping between objects, and building forts.
- Your child’s favorite toy will be their greatest motivator.
- Have some toys/activities that are just for therapy. This can make them special. Even if it is just a particular bottle of scented bubbles that only they get after therapy.
- Household objects are wonderful therapy tools. Pegging the laundry for hand strength, Tupperware for water play, a phone book as a foot stool when seated, a rolled up towel to aid in positioning.
- They don’t do the activities for me like they do for our therapist! Of course not, because your primary role is as the caregiver. You are safe and secure. They can be their worst self with you and you will keep trying and love them unconditionally – how great is that? So here are a few of the ways we therapists motivate children and make it work (sometimes):
- Use their interests and strengths. What are they good at and what do they love? Start there. Don’t ask them to do the activity you know they will find the hardest first.
- Give them choices. Have a few activity options and allow them to select.
- Make ‘sessions’ short. Or even better don’t have sessions at all. Incorporate therapy into everyday activities. Need to practice using two hands together? Spread some toast with your favourite spread (unscrew the jar and stabilise the plate with one hand while you spread).
- Have fun! Don’t take yourself, your child or the situation too seriously. Therapy can feel like play.
- Remaining on task using routines, visual aids, finish boxes and timers (we will explore this more in a future blog).
- It’s all too much. I have other children too. Your family is more than your child with a disability or additional needs.
- Take a break. Don’t do the therapy. If it’s causing distress for you, your child or other family members prioritise the wellbeing of your family unit. It is very likely your child will be processing and solidifying their skills anyway.
- Include siblings. If at all possible find ‘playful’ or daily home tasks they can complete together. We have met many a sibling who are far more motivating than we as therapists are!
Sometimes tasks will feel difficult to your child but remember that they won’t have goals to achieve if a task isn’t difficult. It’s understandable that they might not want to complete some tasks because they are difficult. Gently encourage them to be interested and excited in activities and celebrate their successes.
By not overloading yourself and catering to your child’s interests and the needs of your entire family you are more likely to have a successful experience of therapy in the home.
And remember, that we are here to help and support you.
