School Access Skills
What are school access skills:
School access skills for physical therapy are the physical skills a student needs to access the school building and programming. I often use the School Function Assessment to help look at these during an evaluation or some other form of checklist or rubric appropriate for the student. They include but are not limited to mobility (in class, hallways, wheelchair use etc), ability to maintain and change positions (getting in and out of a chair, sit for classroom instruction, standing up from the floor), manipulation with movement (opening and closing doors, carrying items in class ), and stairs.
Sitting Posture
Seated Posture
From Therapy Source.com
Seated and Tablet Posture
From Seek Freeks
Does your student wiggle, fidget, stand or slouch?
Stair Skills
Milestones
Starting at 18 months
Walk up and down the stairs placing two feet on each step (step-to pattern) with a handrail or holding an adults hand.
2 years
Walks up and down stairs holding on , using 2 feet on each step (step-to pattern) without support
With support, will see alternating pattern develop, placing one foot on each step
3-4 Years of Age
Walks up and down stairs, one foot on each step (alternating pattern), no support
Stair Strategies (click arrow to right)
- Stay close to your child at all times to prevent falls. When working on stairs, you should always place yourself between your child and the bottom of the stairs. The child can use the rail, spindles or wall with one hand and your hand to hold on the other.
- Have your child practice walking over obstacles (such as a stick or jump rope) on the floor.
- Practice stepping up onto and down off of a short stool, curb, or other low object. Start with holding both hands and progress to 1 hand held and then to no support as your child masters each level of decreasing support. Alternate which foot steps up and down first.
- Place toys on the top or at the bottom of the stairs for motivation.
- Start with 2-3 steps at a time and gradually increase the number of stairs as your child’s skill improves.
- Rehearse climbing up and down off playground equipment.
- Practice balancing on 1 leg to prepare your child for placing 1 foot on each step during stair climbing. See Balance Page for ideas.
- Place 1 colored foot print (or a bright piece of tape) on each step as a visual cue to practice using a reciprocal pattern.
- Count the steps to help encourage an alternate pattern.
- Model alternating and use verbal prompts such as "big steps"
- Some children are fearful. Exposing them to overall movement and increasingly "daring" activities be that swings, moving on a therapy ball, jumping off surfaces etc.