My two year old has cebral palsy. i am finding it very hard to keep her entertained during the day. help!!?

Question

My two year old has cebral palsy. i am finding it very hard to keep her entertained during the day. help!!?

Answer 1

Just keep her exercizing, gently, and become aware of the world around her.

You may have to be a bit creative to think of outdoor play activities that are within your child's motor abilities. But since playing outdoors is the most enjoyable form of exercise for many children, the more activities you can come up with, the better.

Often you can adapt indoor activities to the outdoors. For example, just crawling around outside can be exercise and especially fun if it is combined with a game of hide and seek.

For children who are new walkers, pulling a wagon can be fun and can encourage walking backwards. Using a walker outside can be a new challenge; learning to maneuver a wheelchair outdoors enables a child to be at the same height as other children and to have the mobility to play with them.

Other new and pleasurable challenges for children of all levels abound in playgrounds. Riding a specially adapted tricycle can also be very exciting and provides excellent exercise. An outdoor activity that can benefit almost any child with cerebral palsy is swimming- maybe when she's a bit older.

Other activities you may want to investigate apart from swimming once your child reaches school age include therapeutic horseback riding and Special Olympics.

Try playing with colours e.g: pick a fruit out of a fruit bowl and tell her the colours of it - building blocks, flash cards, etc

Hope I helped.

Have a great day.

Your friend,

Sarah

xx

Answer 2

I used to nanny for a boy with cerebral palsy. He was 3, but had motor skills of about a 6 or 7 month old baby. He could sit and roll, but could not walk or stand or crawl.

We spent a lot of time looking at picture books, taking walks in his stroller, splashing in a tray of water. He had these plastic links that he loved so much. He'd sit in his chair and rattle those things all over the place. Sometimes, we'd just sit in the rocking chair and I'd sing to him.

If you set a schedule (8am breakfast, 8:45 stories, 9:00 building blocks, etc) it will make your day a lot easier and more structured. You also won't be at a loss for things to do. She is very young, and will appreciate the repetition.

ps: I miss taking care of that little boy so much, and I really feel I was blessed that our paths crossed.