2. Sep, 2013

To continue with suggestions for developing behaviour.......

Encourage pincer grips by giving her practice at picking up tiny objects (again we did find it difficult to find small safe toys for her wee hands).

Most kids begin to drop things spontaneously when they no longer want them.  To  stimulate the child to watch objects fall, take a toy she is interested in and plays with, and slowly drop it where the child can see it.  Return to child and repeat several times.

Play with paper

Stimulate looking by using a pendant:  move it slowly in 180 deg arc, jiggling slightly if necessary - stopping or moving it back a little if child loses object.

Toys with sound: call to child from different directions and immediately follow with a gentle stroke from that side of the body.  Place hand on object making sounds (toilet, dialing phone, door shutting, switches, winding clock, vacuum, crinkling paper etc.  Put bells on elastic on wrists and ankles

Stretch parts of body gently and stroke.

Describe movements while dressing child.

I spent 24/7 with our daughter in the first year and she was always being talked to, held and cuddled and even though she ws not vocal - somehow she had a magical way of letting me know what it was she needed.