Our ISP session at KDSF KK two Fridays ago was brief, but it was worth it in my opinion, mainly because I have learned a few techniques I can easily do at home which would help exercise Edry’s motor skills. I decided to create a short clip showing these techniques, realizing how difficult it is to find therapies online that specifically focuses on children with DS and a detailed explanation on how to go about doing them.

Refer to the video above, which contains annotations describing each of the following exercises in detail:

1. 0:08 Addressing tongue protusion
2. 0:48 Strengthening of the jaw
3. 1:45 Pelvic and leg joint toning
4. 2:20 Shoulder and arm toning #1
5. 2:40 Shoulder and arm toning #2

One technique I didn’t manage to capture in the video was the neck massaging technique. The way to do that is to rub the back of his neck, from the base of the head to the base of the neck in a downward motion, and repeat 5 times.

Eric did a great job recording them with our simple digicam; you’ll see the cameraman making a brief appearance. Little Ezra helped, too, by adding some “background sounds” on top of the sound of Playhouse Disney channel already playing on TV — that is, if he wasn’t climbing and pushing me while I was in action.

I hope the video helps to show not only the massaging techniques, but also the realistic environment or condition in which your baby is in. He ain’t gonna like it, and you’ll get all sorts of reaction from your little one, from the constant movements like what you see in the video, to crying and resisting which was what happened when I first did it on Edry. The therapist mentioned that such resistance is normal in an infant due to their tactile-defensiveness, but will subside with frequent stimulation to lessen their hypersensitivity.