Starting Dance Classes

[TrinitysMama]

Trinity, began dance classes last week. It is a combination class for 4 - 5 year olds, which includes (Ballet, Gymnastics and Tap). During the

Gymnastics, there were lots of tumbling that required both hands. (I don't know I didn't realize this before). Trinity, is ROBPI, with little to no movement from her wrist down. I spoke to her therapist about my concerns in her hurting herself, she stated just make sure her arms/hand is tuck to her chest. And that if she enjoys it, just look at it as another form of exercise. (She likes the Tap, nice songs to dance too) I guess my question is 1) can anyone share any experiences and 2) will this cause her emotional damage, in discovering that she is limited. I am beginning to babble at this point...please share thoughts.

[F-Litz]

My daughter Maia (now 8 1/2 years old) took toddler gymnastics "Little Gym" and there were many things that she couldn't do. Since I'm not a therapist, I didn't know how to support her for this class - there were a number of high risk issues specifically for her. So I had her (early intervention) therapist use that class as her session. Her therapist went to every class and took her through the whole class (like an additional assistant teacher) and showed her how to position herself or adapt for what she couldn't do). Well it ended up that she had to do just about everything different. And when they started doing all the hanging stuff and it became such a huge portion of the class, that's when we quit (it started to affect her self esteem). However - she started with a regular dance school and now 5 years later is still involved in ballet, tap and jazz and we never had a problem with that. Of course, every child is different and I have no idea what your child's injury is like or how she might feel about doing things differently or not being able to do certain things - ask your daughter how she feels about it.

[TINAMARIE]

Hi

Dancing is a great form of therapy both mentally and physically......In my opinion let her try...she will compensate and figure out the best way for her......
My son is 12 years old and what I have come to find out through the years is they are strong children both mentally and physically. She may need to try harder than the rest ......I bet she will be great!!!!! (kids at this age are curious and if they ask you can explain why she does things differently they will not see her as different.kids are notjudgmental at this age..Explain to her that having to do things different is ok focus on all her strengths....I could babble for hours....keep in touch.........Tina

[katep]

Francine,

I've heard so much about this "no hanging" rule over the years. Where does it come from? Both Dr. Waters and Dr. Kozin recommended hanging for Joshua, and he hangs all the time. He gets a good stretch out of it and that position relocates the ball in the socket. And it really pushes him to increase his grip strength on his injured arm.

Is it because Maia's capsulodesis surgery?

Kate

[claudia]

Kate:
The no-hanging rule is one that comes from TCH. I guess it's from the way they did modquad and worries that the muscles and tendons might not hold well. I know that Drs. Kozin and Waters encourage hanging. Of course the ACR is a different kind of surgery. For Juliana in particular, the issue wasn't only her shoulder (nothing is in its original place) but also that her hand does not have the strength to hold her. This she learned on her own when she, against my rules, tried the monkey bars. She fell on her face. She'll never do it again. However, now that she is diving (springboard/platform), her coach has her stretch her shoulder on the springboard bars. She was so excited that she was able to take her feet off the ground for a second! I think he was supporting her, but don't tell her that!!!!!

I will ask Lisa Thompson if Dr. Shenaq still recommends the no hang rule. It might have changed.

claudia

[F-Litz]

We were ALWAYS told not to hang.

However, although we never encouraged it, we never stopped her. She just couldn't do it (unless she was in the pool) and then she'd hang off the banisters that led into the pool (but there was less weight on it then).

[katep]

Claudia,

Grip strength is part of my concern about this "rule". Unless there is real evidence of harm (and you are right it probably depends on what surgeries the child has had) there is a lot of good in it! Especially following a "normal" progression towards hanging. Joshua started young, so he didn't weigh much. He did need to be supported at first but the more he tried it the more hand exercise he got. We got to the point where he was hanging on the back of the shopping cart in the grocery store for "therapy".

Please post what Dr. Shenaq has to say. I'm very interested.

Kate

[claudia]

Kate:
I will post his reply when I get it. But remember, that some kid's hand will just never have what it takes. We do other exercises to try to improve grip strength. Juliana just had too much damage to give her really good hand strength. She did improve over the years tho. The playdoh and cream and toys and puppets were worth it!

ps.. how is Joshua taking to being the "big brother"?

claudia

[katep]

MINE MINE MINE
You go AWAY
I will NOT SHARE
NO NO Noah!!

Get the picture? It's going just greeeeeaaaat....

Must be tough to be an only child and suddenly get a little brother who is old enough and mobile enough to get into all your stuff all at once. All things considered, I guess he's doing pretty good!

Kate

[brandonsmom]

We were told about the "NO HANG" rule too. My son has had two surgeries...primary and mod, however, the day we got his splint off after Mod Quad at Dr. Nath's office, we went and picked up my daughter from preschool....the first thing Brandon did was run up to go on the slide, I wasn't thinking that he would grab the bar above the slide and lift his feet and swing...he was only 14 months old, but...he did. I immediately called Dr. Nath and he told me....don't encourage it but if it happens...it happens. I think hand strength might have something to do with italong with the shoulder issues. Brandon loves the monkey bars and although I have warned him 1,000 times, he insists on playing on them.....last year he fell off, because he said," Mommy my hand just didn't want to hang on anymore." I am thinking that in our case, his safety is in jeopardy because he doesn't have the hand strength and his hand gets tired faster. Like you said Kate....Brandon has always "hung around" and we just saw Dr. Nath last summer and he said Brandon looks great, but remember, every child, like every doctor is DIFFERENT !!! GAYLE