Group Therapy

Still cute even with a dirty face

Felix spent the morning, with me, making some paper cranes for a centrepiece I'm making for the fundraiser next week. He played with the off cuts of paper, while I folded. He loves little pieces of paper, crumpling them, folding them and trying to cut them with the scissors. It kept him occupied while I attempted to perfect the paper cranes (hats off to the Japanese students we've had stay with us before; they're not easy to make!) He thought the cranes were great. He sat, signing 'bird', and making a funny squawking noise every time I finished one of them. At least he recognised them as birds; I must have done something right!

When the Occupational Therapist was here the other day, I asked her again about group therapy for Felix. She had mentioned it towards the end of last year as something that would benefit Felix, because of his uneasiness around other children. She said there was a group running already, but it was for children, Felix's age, who weren't walking yet. Thankfully, for us, some of the people in the group hadn't been attending so she asked if we'd like to bring Felix along. She also recognised that, although Felix is walking, he's not boisterous and wasn't going to intimidate the other children. If anything, he would be more worried about them.

Brotherly love

Today was Felix's first group therapy session and he really enjoyed it. There were a few different activities set up around the room and the idea was that the children start on one activity (by themselves) and then move around the room, every ten minutes or so. The Occupational Therapists/Physiotherapist watched them play and observed what they were able to do etc. There was also a welcome song at the beginning and a goodbye song at the end, with another break for another song in the middle of the session.

I don't want my shoes on!!

Felix started at the chalkboard, and he was amazing today. He drew some beautiful circles to start with, which impressed the Occupational Therapist. After that, she put the chalk at the bottom of the board and asked Felix to draw a line 'up', and she drew one. Felix copied her and drew a line going up. They did that several more times and then she started at the top of the board and drew a line 'down', and asked Felix to do the same, which he did. She looked pretty pleased with him, and then tried something a bit harder. She asked if he could start at the top and draw a line down, and back up again, like a 'V'. I was doubtful he could do it, but the doubt disappeared in a split second, when he did exactly what she had asked. He drew a perfect 'V'. The OT was really excited about that, and I was pretty blown away. He's always full of surprises!

Felix enjoyed the other activities as well. He tried to thread some beads onto a pipe cleaner, and pushed some shapes into playdough. He played with some puzzles, and enjoyed putting plastic coins into a piggy bank. He had a great morning, and the highlight was that, after initially being shy, he was quite comfortable with the other children, and even threw the ball back and forward to Jacob (his little friend) a few times. All in all, it was a very positive afternoon.