Good Sport

TE-NA-CIOUS
1: persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired; adj.
2. Benjamin Z. Grover

Besides Ben's rigorous therapy schedule that includes seven sessions of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, vision therapy, and aquatic therapy each week, Ben has an intense at-home therapy regimen, too. Ben is an incredibly good sport and puts up with a lot of the crazy alternative therapy approaches that I come up with. For example:

As a sensory exercise, I let Ben explore a giant crunchy, mylar blanket. Its also not unusual for me to give him sensory stimulation by sticking his hands and feet in a bucket of rice or dry beans.

Numerous times each day, Ben is placed in his car seat, on top of a turn table, and spun around and around. The centrifugal force of the rotation drives a visual reflex that expands Ben's lateral gaze.

Following the Wilbarger sensory integration theory, I use a corn-husker to brush Ben's hand and arm several times a day to develop attention and decrease tactile defensiveness.

Not pictured, Ben also does a neuro-fitness patterning program that involves a series of bilateral exercises that we perform each day.

This nubby brush is rubbed inside Ben's mouth, along facial massage, to develop Ben's oral/motor skills.

Ben's latest peice of equipment is this gait-trainer, which is designed to help Ben develop lower body strength, coordination, and balance to hopefully aid him in gaining mobility.

With all of the wacky things that we put Ben through everyday, he earns a good rest.

I am so proud of Ben for how hard he works every single day. Oh that I could face my challenges with half the courage, perseverance, and tenacity that Ben does.