Kitten therapy

As yet still un-named but oozing in adorableness, meet our new kitten. A teeny-tiny kitten has moved into our house and hearts. None are immune.

Here she is doing "Cat in the Hat" for Halloween.

Why now? Our good old timer cat, Hector, has gone to the great big litter box in the sky. 17 years old. He had a good long mellow life and was a particular friend of Shea's. Back when Shea would only bestow words on us very sparingly, he willingly chat up a blue streak with Hector. They spoke the same language.

So now Hector is gone and we have adopted a new kitten, not just for Shea but for all of us. We could all use a dose of kitten antics in this house. Watching this little critter charm our socks off is pretty fun.

We're still naming though.

Top 5:

Lou-Lou
Cleo
Daisy
Princess
Bat cat (Shea's offering)

It's a real toss up!

Therapeutic horse riding: kids with special needs make progress in the saddle

There is something about the horse. Beautiful. Rugged. Free spirited. And, therapeutic.

Many children with special needs find bonding, riding and taking care of horses exceedingly therapeutic and may be including in an overall treatment program.

Children with physical disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy who have difficulties with locomotion, are able to feel the comforting natural rhythm of walking perhaps for the first time. It improves nerve and muscle coordination as well as muscle strength and can prevent further dysfunction caused by lack of muscle and joint use. Stronger muscles help with breathing, sitting upright and speech.

Many children with developmental delays or on the autism spectrum also find great reward from this therapy. Some children who have been previously non-verbal may speak for the first time when they want to communicate with a horse.

According to Aspeneducation.com, therapeutic riding is sometimes called Hippotherapy (Hippo, Greek for horse) and can benefit a child in the following ways:

• relaxing tight muscles
• increasing balance
• building muscle strength
• sharpening hand/eye coordination
• gaining a sense of body-awareness
• gaining a sense of self-control
• gaining a sense of self-confidence
• improving communication
• improving concentration
• improving socialization
• improving patience
• improving fine motor coordination
• improving sensory integration

Here in the northwest – Seattle area we are fortunate to have a good selection of programs to choose from.

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center -- Woodinville, 425- 882-1554
Founded in 1976, Little Bit is a leader in the field of therapeutic horseback riding and the first nationally accredited program of its kind in the Northwest. In 1992 Little Bit was selected from more than 500 therapeutic riding centers in North America to receive the Delta Society's Model Program Award of Excellence for performing outstanding service in bringing people and animals together.

Hawk Ridge Therapeutic Riding Center - Fall City, 425-222-0080, hawkridge_trc1@msn.com
The mother and daughter team of Joanne and Kate Woodcock founded the center in May 2000, along with their friend Doug McCowan, a veteran therapeutic horse instructor. The center, which includes a 12-stall barn, a 20-by-60-meter indoor riding arena and a 20-by-40-meter outdoor riding arena, is part of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

Northwest EquiCARE - Eatonville, 360-832-6386, nwequicare@aol.com
Northwest EquiCARE works with doctors, physical, occupational, speech therapists, special education specialists and many others to provide case managment opportunities for children and adults with disabilites to progress using hroseback riding therapy as a tool. NW EquiCARE is a grassroots agency, using volunteers in the community to serve the many disabled that have special needs. Please join the efforts of outreach in our community.

Equest Special Riders - Spanaway, (253) 539-9160, ddmaroon@comcast.net
Equest Special Riders, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote physical and mental strength and coordination as well as self-esteem and enjoyment through horseback riding activities for individuals with disabilities. This program of trained volunteers, offering therapeutic horseback riding to persons with Developmental Disabilities, has been in existence since 1982.

Boots 'n Breeches, Lakewood, 253-370-1429, sreid@harbornet.com
Riding a horse is often one of the few activities available to people with disabilities. Mastering riding skills can tremendously boost a rider's self-confidence. And the special bond that often occurs between horse and rider can help heal emotional wounds. The smiles, the hugs, the tears of delight and joy say it all.

EquiFriends - Snohomish, 425-377-0802, contactus@equifriends.org
EquiFriends serves more than 100 riders per week from Snohomish, King, Skagit and Island counties. Our participants are challenged with a variety of disabilities, including ADHS, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Emotional or Behavioral Problems, Hearing, Visual or Speech impairment, Brain Injury, Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Paraplegia, Stroke or CVA, Schizophrenia and other syndromes. Between 60 to 65 percent are children or young adults under the age of 20 years, with the highest concentration between 3 and 15 years of age.

For more articles by Seattle Special Needs Kids Examiner:

Social skills 101: special needs kids and making friends

Neurofeedback 101: what is it?

Sibshops; because siblings of kids with special needs could use some help too

Seattle therapy network

This seems like happy news for Special Families in the South Seattle Area. Wanted to pass it on to you. OX

Welcome to Seattle Therapy Network, a pediatric therapy center created by Sherryl DeVries and Carey Goldenberg. We provide a family-centered and collaborative therapeutic community to address the holistic needs of your family. Our pediatric occupational and physical therapy services are offered in a unique, urban community space designed to elicit child-directed activity and family-centered practice. We are conveniently located in the heart of the Georgetown neighborhood, just a few miles south of downtown Seattle, and are easily accessed from I-405/I-5 interchange, routes 99, and 509. (5021 Colorado Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134) )

Seattle Therapy Network provides services in a newly designed 2200 square foot space. We offer one large therapy gym with specialized equipment to engage your child in all sensory-based movement. We have installed specialized ceiling hooks to utilize a variety of unique suspended equipment such as lycra hammocks, swings, and trapezes. Additionally, three small therapy spaces provide a quiet and private environment for your child to work and play. These small spaces are perfect for myofascial release, craniosacral work, fine motor and self-help work, or just a smaller environment for a child who needs a less stimulating space.

Seattle Therapy Network assures that your family is treated with respect as your child with special needs is engaged and motivated in fun, functional, and therapeutic activities. We also strive to connect you with community resources and coordinate our care with the other professionals in your child’s life.

We specialize in sensory integration, yoga for for children with special needs, myofascial release and cranialsacral technique, and interventions for children with autism. While focusing primarily on infants, children and adolescents with special needs, Seattle Therapy Network also offers services to adult caregivers to optimize their health and ability to nurture.

Constraint Induced Therapy (CIT) Helper Hands Camp starting July 13-31, 2009 and August 10-28, 2009

Helper Hands Camp is an evidenced-based constraint induced therapy program offering motor therapy for children with limited motor function of one side of their body (hemiplegia). Helper Hands Camp will provide 21 days of intensive training of the arm with limited motor function while the non-affected arm is constrained in a long arm cast. Each child will be evaluated by occupational and physical therapist prior to camp. We are dedicated to measuring outcomes and will reassess with follow-up visits. Helper Hands Camp offers one-on-one Occupational Therapy, one-on-one Physical Therapy and direct therapeutic group activities which include: art; cooking, music/movement; and community based activities. This camp is designed for 2-4 children per session and organized in age groups to include preschool, school-age, and teens.

Sherryl DeVries, MSPT Carey Goldenberg, OTR/L
Re.lax Ther.a.py Giant Steps Children’s Therapy
206.850.7508 206.393.8546

Sanity = good girl friends

I have found over the years that my mental health is directly proportionate to my good girl friend quotient or GGF. I love my husband and I literally tell him everything but this can not replace the GGF. I am not talking about a quantity thing; this is not about "lots of friends". This is a quality thing. In fact, if a woman has one real GGF in her life than I consider them a lucky person.

How does it happen? Organically. So many adult relationships seem to be comprised of adjacency; kids around the same age, living nearby, commute or working together, hobbies and interests in common. Our lives are busy; it all has to make sense. GGFs are no different.

I remember I was freshly pregnant with Shea, just a couple of months, barely showing but feeling sick and excited. I decided I had to start walking and getting some exercise. One of the downsides of my beautiful little island that I am lucky enough to live on is I do a lot of driving. Long gone are those days of walking to the grocery store and to do neighborhood errands. That went away when we left the big city and came to our little rural oasis.

The long and the short; I was really getting out of shape. And, now I was pregnant at 39 to top it all off. That frightening reality got me out the door and I started walking in the morning after I dropped my daughter off at Kindergarten. I walked alone for a month or two; spontaneously ran into another mom here and there but didn't really have a walking buddy.

I remember I was hanging out waiting to pick up Molly and a woman said to me, "I see you out there walking. Good for you." I sincerely asked her if she would like to join me. As luck would have it, she was quitting her job to be around more for her Kindergartner who happened to be in Molly's class. We commented on the obvious adorableness on each others children and she took me up on that walk.

We walked every morning all through my pregnancy. And, you know, that exercise did help to get the old body back even after a C-section.

5 years later, we still walk almost everyday. But let me be clear; this is not just exercise. This is therapy. This is a bull session, coffee clatch, stitch and bitch all rolled into one. This is about girl time to kvetch, whine, ask advise, get pats on the back. This is sanity, pure and simple. I miss it physically and mentally when we don't walk. And, as our endurance has increased, we puff and moan less as we climb hills; an honest to goodness friendship has grown.

We were lucky, our politics and and interests coincided nicely. Of similar age, going though many of the same things; we filled the walks with stories and comparisons, sagas and tributes. I respected her mind, accomplishments and perspective. Let's just state it simply; it was a good fit and now I can't imagine her not part of my life.

Time goes on; even more quickly now. Our kindergartners are in 5th grade now, getting ready for middle-school (gulp). Yet we have no problem filling our walk time with plenty of new comment and conjecture. And, yes; we ask others to join us. We try to share this little piece of magic we have developed together.

So, hats of to the GGF! What would we do without them? If you are lacking, then cast about, she is out there; waiting for you to extend a hand. You never know who will become indispensable in your life.