OT Newsletter
September
September
Hello and welcome to our monthly newsletter!
Wow, what another crazy year we are having but we are so happy to see everyone back in-person! This year the Occupational Therapists in the district are hoping to run skills improvement classes for the kindergarteners once a week. We will work on many different skills throughout the school year including fine motor (small muscle movement and strength), gross motor (large muscle movement and strength), hand-eye coordination, sensory integration and a few other skills that will help them be successful in their academic environment. We will be sending out a link to a monthly newsletter with tips, tricks and some activities that will help address some of these skill areas at home. We hope that you are able to complete the activities we will be posting but we do understand that you are busy and these activities are not mandatory.
The Dunkirk OT Department
With National School Backpack Awareness Day just around the corner (October 27, 2021), be sure to check your child's backpack weight to avoid the back pain and injury that can come with a heavy backpack or bag. The following are some tips for backpack safety:
Utilize different compartments and pockets to distribute weight
Heavier items closer to the back center of the backpack
Lighter items in the front of the backpack
Lighten the load so it is no more than 10% of your child’s weight; heavy backpacks can cause falls and spinal damage
Teach your child to pick up the backpack by bending and lifting in the knees instead of the waist to prevent back injury
Always use both shoulder straps to prevent injury
The backpack should rest snugly against the back.
To ensure a proper fit, make sure the backpack does not extend past your child’s shoulders, or below the top of the hip bones.
Watch for warning signs that the backpack is too heavy, including:
Difficulty when putting on or taking off the backpack
Pain when wearing the backpack
Tingling or numbness in the arms or legs
Red strap marks on the shoulders
Any change in side-to-side posture while wearing the backpack
Adjust the shoulder and waist straps so that the pack fits comfortably.
Activity ideas for start of school year
A great way to get those little hands ready for their upcoming years of writing is some coloring! Coloring helps to strengthen and build the muscles in the hand. Check out this cool coloring page!
Coloring with broken crayons naturally encourages your child to “pinch” the crayon between their thumb and index finger, moving them into a more mature and skilled grasp pattern. The reason is simple — it’s hard to use a cylindrical or digital pronate grasp on a short crayon.
By 5 years of age:
Places jacket or coat on designated hook or place
Undresses daily at designated times without reminders
By 5 1/2 years of age:
Dresses independently when asked
Tucks in shirt
Can hook and zip up a zipper while wearing clothes
Information provided by:
https://www.aota.org/conference-events/backpack-safety-awareness-day.aspx