Ugh, It Is Too Hot Outside and My Children Are Going Stir Crazy

Ugh, It Is Too Hot Outside and My Children Are Going Stir Crazy

By: Teri Roberts, DPT

Kids Place Owner and Pediatric Physical Therapist

An Arizona summer can pose a difficult challenge trying to keep children active, yet safe.  Without a pool, I often find myself telling my two children, 7 and 8 years old, it is too hot to play outside.  At the same time, I become aggravated with their non-stop energy.  This has to be the hardest time of the year for kids and parents.  With school beginning, our children are expected to behave properly and sit an entire day in school before returning home.  After completing homework, our children must entertain themselves with indoor activities until bedtime.  So when do they have the chance to release their energy?  How can we find a happy medium between being active, yet maintaining an inside pace?

As a physical therapist and parent, I have always been more lenient with outside activities coming indoors.  My kids have always been allowed to throw balls in the house (of course, using a softer ball as they begin to throw harder), jump rope in the kitchen, jump on couch cushions placed on the floor, and do handstands and cartwheels in an open room.  However, these rules are probably not the norm in most households and cannot apply to every household.  So, what gross motor activities are appropriate indoors?

Here are some great ideas for indoor activities that will keep your children safe and active during those long, hot summers and early fall evenings:

Play hide and seek

This is actually a very quiet game, yet children find very interesting places in which to stretch or squeeze their bodies.  They often have to hold various positions for a long time, while their seeker is searching.  You can also make a rule that in order to look for the hiders, the seeker needs to walk like a certain animal or jump on one foot.  Children can play hide and seek for a very long time, releasing some energy in a quiet way.

Play the animal game

You can play this game a thousand different ways.  Sometimes, we will play animal charades, or we complete an animal puzzle while walking like the animal with each piece of the puzzle. We may reach an animal book while acting like the animal, instead of just looking at pictures.

Obstacle courses

You can make your entire house an obstacle course, without breaking anything.  Use couch cushions, pillows, blankets, tape on the floor, tiles of your floor, and/or stairs.  Give your child a sequence of activities to complete and time them to see who can complete the obstacle course with the fastest time.  An example of an obstacle course we use at our house starts in the kitchen with a bear walk to the stairs.  The kids then carry a laundry basket (small with about 5 lbs of clothes) upstairs, walk back down stairs,  hop to the living room, and jump over pillows placed on the floor.  They will then gallop to the family room and perform 10 jumping jacks before skipping back to the starting line.  After teaching my kids how to create an obstacle course, it was amazing to see how many variations they could create on their own.

Kids Yoga

This can be both energy releasing and calming at the same time.  There are many companies that have Children Yoga cards, or you can go to different websites and make your own card (www.playtimeyoga.com).  Have your child look at the card, mimic the position and hold for 30 seconds.  They will have more fun if you do the positions with them.

Although the temperature may be hot outside, it is most important to remember to keep your children active.  As a mother, I know it is easier to turn on the television, or allow my children to play video games, but this creates a horrible habit that will be hard to break once the weather becomes enjoyable outdoors.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children should receive more than 60 minutes of moderate to intense activity daily.   In Arizona without a pool, this can prove to be challenging.  

Hopefully, these ideas are a great start.  I would enjoy hearing your ideas.  Which indoor activities work for your family?  Please leave your comments in the section below, and contact me directly if you would like additional indoor activities for your children. 

Protecting Your Child’s Back from Their Own Backpacks

Protecting Your Child’s Back from Their Own Backpacks

By Tyler Guymon, DPT

It is the time of year again when we trade our kid’s swimming suits and flip flops for uniforms and backpacks.  The beginning of the school year brings with it an increase in back pain by school-aged children.  Unfortunately, many of our children suffer from this back pain by improperly wearing their backpacks as they return to the rigorous grind of school.

Here are a few beneficial safety tips for wearing a backpack as the wear and tear of the school year presses forward:

Wear both straps

Use of one strap causes one side of the body to bear the weight of the backpack. By wearing two shoulder straps, the weight of the backpack is better distributed.

Wear the backpack over the strongest mid-back muscles

Pay close attention to the way the backpack is positioned on the back.  It should rest evenly in the middle of the back.  Shoulder straps should be adjusted to allow your child to put on and take off the backpack without difficulty and allow free movement of the arms.  Straps should not be too loose, and the backpack should not extend below the lower back.

Lighten the load

Keep the load at 10-15% or less of your child's bodyweight.  Carry only those items that are required for the day.  Organize the contents of the backpack by placing the heaviest items closest to the back.  Some students even have two sets of books, which allow them to not carry heavy books to and from school.

Children come in all shapes and sizes, and some have physical limitations that require special adaptations.  A physical therapist can help you choose a proper backpack and fit it specifically to your child. 

Additionally, a physical therapist can help improve posture problems, correct muscle imbalances, and treat pain that can result from improper backpack use.  Physical therapists can also design individualized fitness programs to help children get strong and stay strong—and carry their own loads!

Call us at 623.242.6908 if you would like to schedule an appointment with a licensed physical therapy.  Please feel free to leave me your questions or comments in the section below.

Check out this video, provided by MoveForwardPT.com:

Strategies for a Successfully Potty-Trained Toddler

Strategies for a Successfully Potty-Trained Toddler

By Liezel Fernandez, OTR/L

Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Potty training is around the corner.  Your child is finally ready to say goodbye to diapers!  But… will you be prepared?

Independent toileting is an important milestone and a complex task in a child’s life.  A child must be ready both physically and psychologically to begin the learning process of toileting.  Parents need to be prepared to devote significant time and effort in toilet training their child.  When starting to potty train, it is important to keep in mind your child’s developmental level, not their chronological age.  Children are likely ready for toileting if they have a regular pattern of urine and feces elimination.

The first sign of readiness is when a child indicates discomfort when wet or soiled.  Consider whether your child is able to follow simple directions and able to tell you through verbal or non-verbal communication (sign language/gestures) they need to go potty. 

Here are some helpful strategies to successfully potty train your child:

• Schedule toileting and use habit training.  For example, go at the same times of the day every day.
• If possible, dedicate a bathroom to toilet training.
• If you child is unable to communicate verbally, provide ways to indicate a need to go by using picture cues.
• Hang visual cues on walls, like step by step picture instructions.  We have all seen the hand washing examples in various bathrooms.  This is a perfect example of these visual cues.
• Demonstrate and explain the process.
• Use a story telling when trying to teach your child the socially acceptable behaviors in public restrooms.  These pretend stories can provide a model to teach your child what is appropriate.
• Teach physical, gestural cues, or sign language so your child can communicate the need easily.
• If your child does not stay long enough on the potty, use a timer and instruct your child to stay seated until timer rings.
• Use positive reinforcement, like a sticker chart to improve motivation.

Remember to teach all aspects of the task.  Independence in toileting or being fully potty trained includes:

1. Getting on and off the toilet. 
2. Managing fasteners and clothing.
3. Cleansing after toileting.
4. Washing and drying efficiently without supervision.

Potty training requires a lot of time and patience.  If you continue to have problems, you may want to consider getting professional assistance from an Occupational Therapist.  Good luck, and happy potty training!

What’s better For Pain - Heat or Cold?

What’s better For Pain - Heat or Cold?

By Doug Lehman, PT

Often times, patients will ask me if they should use heating pads or ice to treat pain.  My answer varies depending on the type of pain.  There are two basic types of pain that we treat: acute and chronic.  Acute pain is pain that occurred recently, usually within the past 24 or 48 hours.  Chronic pain is pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing.

Acute injuries are usually treated with cold therapy.  The general rule with cold therapy is if an area is red, swollen, or inflamed, or the injury just happened, we want to cool the area down and prevent further or reduce any inflammation.  Cold therapy will reduce swelling and pain by constricting blood vessels.  It will also limit any bleeding that may occur.  Cold therapy is generally used after exercise, again to cool the inflamed areas.  Cold should not be used to treat chronic injuries before exercise. 

Some choices for treatment can range from a bag of ice (or snow for cold weather climates), a gel cold pack purchased from a store, or a large bag of frozen peas (yes, this does work, just don't eat the peas!).  Cold treatment can be applied for 20 to 30 minutes before allowing your skin temperature to return to normal before reapplying the cold therapy.

Heat will generally be used for chronic injuries.  It can help sore, stiff, nagging muscles and joint pain.  Heat should not be used with acute injuries or any injury exhibiting signs of swelling or inflammation.  Heat can help relax tight muscles or muscle spasms. Heat used before exercise will increase the elasticity of joint connective tissues and stimulate blood flow. 

Choices for heat treatment include an electric heating pad, a microwavable hot pack, or uncooked rice in a tube sock heated in the microwave (yes, this works too!).  Heat should be used for 15 to 20 minutes at a time with enough layers between the heat source and skin to prevent burning. 

Heat or cold therapy works by stimulating your body's own healing force.  Many arthritis doctors recommend both heat and cold treatments to help reduce inflammation and ease the pain and stiffness that comes with arthritis. It may take a little "trial and error" to learn which therapy works best for your pain, but you can use this blog as a starting point.  For chronic pain, feel comfortable utilizing the method that works best for you.