Did you know? -- Pujols Family Foundation

I'm a lifelong Angels fan, but I have to admit that I haven't been following the team much this season because I've been so preoccupied with my son's IEP process, starting special Ed and OT, running my household, and working.  I know that Albert Pujols' performance is disappointing to some and I know that the team has a terrible record.  So I was pleasantly surprised to learn this morning that Albert Pujols has a daughter with Down syndrome and he started a foundation in her honor.

The Pujols Family Foundation's vision statement is "To promote awareness, provide hope and meet tangible needs for families and children who live with Down syndrome. To provide extraordinary experiences for children with disabilities and/or life threatening illnesses. To improve the standard of living and quality of life for impoverished children in the Dominican Republic through education, medical relief and tangible goods."  The foundation has recently gone nationwide, so I expect to hear more about it in the future.

Products I Love -- Pedipeds

Whether or not to have your infant wear shoes can be a controversial subject.  On one hand, it is easier for infants and toddlers to learn to stand and walk in bare feet so that they can maximize sensory and proprioceptive input and use the small muscles in their feet to make adjustments in balance.  On the other hand, shoes serve both a protective and an aesthetic purpose and can provide stability in children with weak muscles, abnormal muscle tone, or poor balance.  The American Academy of Pediatrics issued the following article regarding this matter:  Shoes for Children: A Review.


A wonderful compromise can be found in Pedipeds!  These adorable shoes have thin leather soles which help protect feet, but allow for children to feel terrain beneath their feet and are flexible enough to be similar to walking barefoot.  My two younger sons both learned to walk in Pedipeds!

Pedipeds in action on an 11-month-old

Pros:

• Pedipeds come in many cute styles for both boys and girls
• Pedipeds offer flexible rubber-soled shoes for toddlers and preschoolers
• They are light and comfortable
• They are surprisingly durable!  (below is a photo of the sole of one of my son's shoes, which he has worn as his sole pair of shoes for nearly 6 months)

 Cons:

• They are a bit pricey
• The smooth leather soles can be a bit slippery on certain surfaces, notably sandy pavement and some carpets
• The sizing is by age, not traditional shoe sizes, which may be confusing for some

Easter Egg Hunts as therapy

If your child struggles with gross motor skills, you can tailor your Easter egg hunt to provide gross motor challenges:

• Put eggs up high to help your child raise up onto his/her toes
• Put eggs in low places to encourage squatting

• Make your hunt area large and on varying terrain (grass, cement, hills, etc.) to provide challenges while walking

• Carrying a basket will alter your child's center of mass, providing a balance challenge.

Have fun and happy hunting!



Need a workout with your kids? Just Dance Kung Fu!

Here is one of the Imagination Movers' new videos from their Rock-O-Matic album.  (more on them later!)  You'll get a great cardio workout and learn some funky new dance moves, too.  My boys (even the 13-month-old) love rocking out to this song!

Dancing helps children develop a sense of rhythm as they move their bodies to the beat.  The dance moves in this song also help with gross motor skills -- "I've got gum on my shoe" and "Hot sidewalk" help with single-leg stance, "Pick a penny up" helps build lower extremity strength through squat to stand, and "Duck a water balloon" helps with lunging and dynamic balance.  Everything else is just plain fun!

So go ahead and Dance Kung Fu -- it's good for you!