Children
At Schreiber, we walk next to kids and families
February 16, 2017Juelz started receiving services at Schreiber in late 2016. He has what is described as high-functioning autism, and he also receives speech therapy and occupational therapy, in addition to PT. Juelz’ major challenges include poor muscle tone, balance and coordination. He also struggles with postural and gravitational insecurities. That means Juelz is anxious about a lot of ordinary movements, particularly movements that require balance, and he is afraid to have his feet off the ground.
Liz said her work with Juelz involves improving his strength and getting him more comfortable with moving his body. The two of them use the on-site playground and equipment in our therapy gym to help Juelz become more confident with motor planning and to apply those skills outside of Schreiber.
To get over his fear of being off the ground, Juelz practices jumping. He has gone from essentially not jumping at all to being able to jump off short steps without hesitation. To work on coordination, Juelz has learned to make the transition from walking up stairs using a two-step pattern (placing both feet on the same step before climbing to the next step) to a reciprocal stepping pattern.
“He’s made tremendous progress with his balance, stability and confidence,” Liz said.
At home, Juelz struggles to hold conversations, has a difficult time eating and has a number of sensory issues, including a sensitivity to certain textures. Michelle Santos, Juelz’s mother, said Schreiber and its therapists have had a large impact, making their lives at home easier.
In addition to cognitive and physical disabilities, Juelz suffers from anxiety, which is yet another hurdle that Santos family has to face. By helping Juelz gain trust in his own body, Michelle has seen noticeable improvements in Juelz’ physical abilities. He is less sensitive to different textures and has improved his speech in their short amount of time at Schreiber, Michelle said. All of it means he is less anxious now, his mom said.
Bethanie Allen’s pirate adventure becomes a book
January 26, 2017Bethanie Allen: I was working with a kiddo at Schreiber, working on shoe tying. None of the stories I was using were amusing to him – the bunny ear thing, the tree and the rabbit – none of it was getting his attention.
I was starting the process over again – you know, doing the X – and I was, like, what can I do? And the thought of a pirate story just popped into my head . And every step after that was pirate related, this whole journey of finding treasure… it kept his attention the whole time. And he was able to repeat the directions back to me, which was awesome, because his attention was not the best.
I kept doing it quite a bit with him to watch the carryover. And then I started to use it with every kid I had shoe tying goals for.
DF: At some point, then, you had the idea to turn this into a story book?
BA: I actually think Bernie (Hershey) mentioned it right after I told her about it. And then it was one of those things that just sat in the back of my mind. I knew a visual cue would help carry the story even more.
I tried to send the story out to some publishers, and it wasn’t getting picked up, which was really defeating. I talked to my husband about, and I finally said, “We just need to self-publish this.” I wanted to get it out to more people, and I knew it would really have an impact for independent shoe tying
DF: You had to learn how to publish a book. How did that process work?
First, I had to find an illustrator. We ended up finding an experienced illustrator online, Toby Mikle. He was able to help guide me through the process.
We started in October, and it took about 3 months. He got the illustrations done really fast. It took a lot of re-editing and making lots of little changes, then I finally had to hit submit.
It’s an exciting process, but it’s filled with anxious thoughts: What is everyone going to think about this?
DF: The book is out now?
BA: Yes, the book was released Jan. 11. I’ve been marketing it through Facebook and selling it on Amazon, and I have a few printed copies that I can sell. I would love to have it stocked in therapy places or toy stores or book stores. I’m working on connecting with locally owned, mom-and-pop kind of places.
DF: How will it feel to come back to Schreiber with your book?
BA: It means so much to come back and do (the book event) where it all started. This might sound corny, but it’s almost like I’m following the map back to Schreiber.
It was so hard to leave Schreiber, I can’t even tell you… I’m married now. We have a great kid. I wouldn’t change it for the world. In a way, it’s like this book is a piece of Schreiber that’s with me all the time.
Bethanie Allen works at Kidswork Therapy Center in Union County. She lives near Lewisburg with her husband Josh and their 2-year-old son Braxton.
Fellenbaum’s heroes strike again
January 18, 2017Laurie said her father used to volunteer at the Lancaster County Easter Seals, the organization from which Schreiber Pediatric was formed. Laurie and her sister did a small backyard carnival fundraiser for Easter Seals for a few years.
The kids were a little unsure about what to do. They had a little bit of “what can kids do” attitude.
“When I told them what I had done, as an example of kids helping kids, they were all about (the carnival idea),” she said. “And doing something for Schreiber came up pretty quickly from there.”
The kids wanted to take over the annual PTO Fun Fair the school holds each spring. The PTO said yes. That first year, in May 2015, they added a Schreiber Night at Rita’s, received some items for a raffle and organized the first Fellenbaum Fun Fair.
That first group, students just from Laurie’s classroom, raised more than $1,000.
For 2016, they expanded the project to the entire second grade at Schaeffer, about 75 kids. The kids wrote letters to solicit sponsors and ask for more raffle items. And they raised more than $4,500.
Laurie thought the kids would come in with a couple hundred dollars.
“The money was due back Jan. 9, and when it started coming in, we were amazed,” she said.
Laurie, the other teachers, a group of parent volunteers and the second graders held a Schreiberthon celebration Friday afternoon to do the big reveal for the total.
The final amount: $4,042.72.
Ainsley Bounds led the girls, collecting $450. Charlie Beecher raised $500.
Beyond all the cheering and celebrating, the kids did a lot of learning. They learned about empathy and acceptance. They learned about math and handling money.
And they learned that second graders can make a difference in their community, and that might be the best lesson of all.
McGyver those election signs for Schreiber kids
December 6, 2016She is a nationally recognized guru for her work in making solutions in minutes using everyday materials. We had the opportunity to work with a variety of materials including acrylic, corner guard, PVC pipe, and Loc-Line hose connectors, as well as a variety of adhesives, fasteners, and tools. We made several items including book and iPad stands, mounts for wheelchairs and table tops, and a universal cuff that can hold a marker, eating utensil, or any other tool for someone with a weak or absent grasp. We even made a hands-free marshmallow shooter (and used it to have a mass marshmallow battle during break).
One of my favorite materials used was corrugated plastic, frequently used to make yard signs like the ones that pop up during election season. Over the years, Therese has fabricated hundreds of solutions using corrugated plastic. The material is strong, inexpensive and easy to work with.
After an election, she asks both the Democratic and Republican parties as well as individual voters to donate their signs rather than discard them. This is a great way to eliminate trash from the environment and reuse it in a way to benefit individuals with disabilities. It’s a win-win situation!
So if you had a sign in your yard and it is now cluttering up your garage, don’t toss it in the trash. Bring it to Schreiber Pediatric, where the occupational therapists can turn it into a desktop iPad or iPhone holder, portable slant board, playing card holder, book holder or mount, or one of a myriad of other solutions for the many children we serve. These solutions can save families a great deal of money that they would otherwise spend on commercially available items.
So put those discarded signs to use, put election season behind you, and help a child with a disability to become more independent today!
Becky Smith is an occupational therapist at Schreiber with more than 26 years of experience in pediatric occupational therapy. She is also a certified infant massage instructor with the International Association of Infant Massage.
Sophia Robles Finds Hope at Schreiber
June 30, 2016The June Smith Center recommended that the Robles bring Sophia to Schreiber Pediatric for more intense therapy.
At Schreiber, Sophia grew socially, as well as physically.
“When we first came to Schreiber, she wouldn’t go near people,” her mother said. “She would start screaming and wouldn’t leave my side.”
As Sophia became comfortable with the surroundings at the Center, she started to relax and open up. Now she responds with a sweet engaging smile to those who talk with her.
Physical therapy was also a challenge at first.
“I tried to stay with her during the therapy sessions,” Her mother recalled, “but she was resisting and crying out for me, and it was too hard for me to be in there. I had to step out of that situation.”
Malexi began waiting outside the therapy room. When Sophia was alone with the therapist, she started to listen and began making progress. But her limited range of movement presented challenges.
Unusual surgery leads to breakthrough
After evaluating Sophia’s condition, an orthopedic doctor recommended she undergo an operation that would release her tight tendons. It was a surgery that is usually not recommended for children under age 7 because it may need to be repeated later in life. However, in Sophia’s case, a CT scan revealed that her hips were so restricted that they would likely become dislocated if she didn’t have the surgery sooner. So, at the age of 4, Sophia underwent the operation, which required her to be in a cast from the waist down for six weeks.
Before the operation, Sophia’s mother had trouble changing her diaper because she couldn’t bend her legs. After surgery, the cast continued to make diaper changes difficult. But, when the cast was removed, both Malexi and Sophia were overwhelmed by its success.
“I heard her saying ‘open…close’ over and over,” Malexi recalled. “She was laying on the bed, saying ‘open, close’ as she moved her legs back and forth for the first time.”
Sophia started light therapy, which became more intense as her body healed. The therapist was able to teach Malexi how to do the exercises with her at home. With the help of therapy, Sophia increased her mobility, and in one year was walking without the assistance of a walker.
Sophia’s success opened the door to a lot of changes for her and her family. When she came to Schreiber she could barely sit down.
“She was not flexible at all. Her posture was hunched and her legs wouldn’t straighten when she sat down. They were bent when she stood, also,” Malexi said. “Now she is walking, and she can bend down to pick up something from the floor, and she is running. So she has done a complete 360.”
Although she runs with some difficulty, it is a treasure to see Sophia’s joyful strides down the hall outside the physical therapy room at Schreiber. She will continue to improve both physically and socially, and can look forward to a promising future.