We are excited to announce that Chicago, IL is the site of the IM Professional Conference 2007! See the details below:

12

REGISTER TODAY!
*You do not have to be an IM Provider to attend
 

Get answers to your clinical questions here. Also be sure to visit the provider login section of the website and use the FAQ/Best Practices tool. This exciting new feature lets you search for answers to IM questions by Diagnosis, Deficit, or both.

You can also e-mail us your clinical questions.

ANSWER: You seem to be on the right tracks but here are a few suggestions:

• Break your IM sessions down into much smaller increments, with an activity reward incentive,    i.e. if a child like to crash into the mats, then do 20 reps of IM (no guide sounds) and then crash 5 times, then repeat
• Remember that if a child is not ready for guide sounds, then that is your measure - let the child choose to begin without guide sounds and then introduce them gradually as they become more motivated to do IM
• Therapy in any setting should be fun - you obviously have the knack for creating a positive environment when you say that your students used to love coming to OT but now run away from IM ... I would incorporate your IM exercises into your OT framework - for example, if you have an engine room, then create an IM activity station within an obstacle course...if you have a more formal OT setting then put the IM unit under the table or in a pop up tent...remember as long as your environments are the same each time then your evaluations will be valid.
• I'm not sure of the age of your students (pre-K? K?) but they may not tolerate the whole LFA, if they are youngsters, then I use the SFA as a measure and again, if the guide sounds are too much then there is your measure.
• If a child has a favorite toy i.e polly pocket/barbie/frog/car, then
  invite them to come and play with the IM, and have the child "help" them to stay on the beat
• Role play - "I will do 10 beats, then you do 10 beats", exaggerate your movements, play games such as "who can make the funniest face while they do IM" "who can stay still like a statue while they tap their foot on IM"
• Mix up your positions - use an extension cord to increase your flexibility and move the IM station around the room.  Let the students do their IM exercises lying on the floor, sitting on a table, standing on a chair etc
• Play dress-up - have some basic costumes available to use during IM
• Play "challenge your therapist."..as a student becomes more able, set him higher challenges i.e. standing on one foot, then tell the student that they can pick an exercise for you to do -"yes, anything"

I would encourage you to keep up your IM efforts with your students, but overall, start small and then build it up to longer times - so a 30 min OT session may be 10 mins OT activities, 10 mins IM, 10 mins wind down activities.  If your students never make it to guide sounds, you can still be successful with IM interventions...so keep at it, keep in touch and HAVE FUN!!
 

• Use larger headphones
• When a child with Autism is tapping with foot tap  hard enough with foot near child to create vibration (depends on floor)
• Allow child to hold a toy to tap switch
• If a client taps too hard: (1) Make them use one finger to tap. (2) Turn down sound. Many clients tap harder in reaction to volume of reference tone.

AUDITORY

• Use external speakers
• Plug headphones into 2nd slot to further reduce noise of guide sounds since they can’t be fully turned down on slot 1. In slot 2 the reference and SRO’s can be turned up and other guide sounds turned down to 0 and not heard.

GROSS MOTOR

• Use a trigger on each hand while tapping knee on opposite side and marching in place
• Use a tapeswitch tapped with a hockey stick or racquet. A tapeswitch is a 16 inch long ½ inch wide flexible switch adaptable for many uses (www.tapeswitch.com).

FINE MOTOR

• Use a tapeswitch between two dictionaries used to tap with one finger like a piano key or keyboard. Hit with one finger or fingers in succession.

"She read 2.5 chapter books on Sunday. I asked her if she remembers how hard reading had been. She immediately said "Yes, it was like reading eggs as gegs." She then went on to tell me that "I would tell kids that they probably wouldn't like IM, but that it's worth it in the end because I could hardly read and now I read 2 books in one day!"