|
|
|||
                 |
Body
fit!
Recreation Therapy for Children with Disabilities: The Complimentary Therapy  By: Wendy M. Ligon Recreation Therapist, K2 Academy of Kid’s Sports Many of you may be asking, “Recreation therapy? Is this for real?”
The
short answer to that question is “yes.” Recreation therapy is typically used to compliment other well-known therapies, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. Recreation therapy can be seen in such settings as children’s hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, children’s athletics, and home therapy. The goals of the industry are to increase leisure activity, aid in community integration, and increase independent living. There is a wide range of uses for recreation therapy for children with disabilities, including the Autism spectrum, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, down's syndrome, PDD, visual/perceptual issues, traumatic brain injury, social/communication disorders, ADD/ADHD, amputations, and spina bifida. It is most commonly used for social development and community integration. As a recreation therapist, I personally have been a part of recreation therapy in a hospital setting, community integration and an adaptive gymnastics program. My primary role in the hospital setting was to find activities suited for children with disabilities all over the state of Texas. It’s amazing how little is out there for children with physical and mental disabilities! Often times I would have to send families to other cities just to find a place for their child to swim or play sports. Because of this lack of opportunity for the families I worked with, I decided to branch out and create a program in Cypress, Texas. I met with Kay Rodgers, owner of K2 Academy of Kids Sports, a gymnastics facility in Cypress. At K2 Academy of Kids Sports, we have started an adaptive gymnastics program, with recreation therapy as the foundation, for children with disabilities called SOAR. This program has been going strong for over a year now and has more than 60 active participants. SOAR has opened the door to many families in the community that they previously thought closed. Many families had previously struggled with not being welcome at other facilities due to behavioral restrictions. Many athletic facilities require children be potty-trained and have no aggressive behaviors. In SOAR, all children with disabilities are welcome. My experience has also included private recreation therapy. Recreation therapy in the private sector includes in-home therapy, community outings, and aquatic activities. The goal of in-home therapy is to increase leisure activity and to increase awareness of the activities available for that child. A community outing, such as a trip to Target, aids in increasing community awareness and independence. On a trip to Target, many goals can be accomplished, such as money awareness, patience, and even physical fitness. All clients have different goals. I truly enjoy having the opportunity to introduce my clients to people and allow them the opportunity to socialize. It is important for everyone to feel comfortable amongst the various disabilities that are here in our community. Recreation therapy has been around since World War II and continues to grow as an inclusive service in the medical and rehabilitation community. I would love to share more information with you on the benefits of recreation therapy and how it can positively influence your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at: wligon@k2acdemy.com. For more information, please contact Wendy Ligon at K-2 Academy of Kid's Sports, 12603 Louetta Road, Suite 114, Cypress, TX, 77429, (281) 655-7272. Visit the web site for information on gymnastics, cheer and tumbling classes, SOAR, Mother’s Day Out and After-Care programs. |
|
|
|
|
|||
/indexH1.jpg)
.jpg)
