Positioning and Movement During Play

Play is a natural and essential part of our children's lives that we want to support with active engagement and provide opportunities for learning. There are a variety of benefits to play, but it is important to understand the different kinds of play and how we can expand upon it in our treatment of children. We need to understand our children, by reading their cues, and engaging in interactions to build their brains through play. We want to provide opportunities to increase the neural connections to improve their quality of movement. Our children are intrinsically motivated during play and explore their environments to help develop and strengthen their motor skills. Efficient movements of the body are impacted by the coordination of neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, and sensory systems. Motor development impacts the ability of children to explore their environments, but also has a crucial role in their cognitive, emotional, and social development.

This course will improve a therapist's understanding of aclient's neuromuscular and sensory-motor development tosupport optimal positioning and movement. Therapists will better understand the effectiveness of interventions to helpimprove learning, success with everyday activities, academicachievement, and social interactions in a variety of environments. Strategies discussed will support body awareness, strengthening, and motor planning skills foreffective execution of movements during play with goal-directed activities. Attendees will review the importance for team collaboration to provide motivating, but challenging, movement activities to support the child in a variety of environments.

Highlights

• Components of underlying development of movement and how to stimulate the neuro-sensory-motor pathways to gain a strong foundation for balance, posture and strength
• Practical strategies for evidence-based positioning and intervention to promote optimal transitional movements and patterns
• Essential elements of meaningful and purposeful play through the developmental stages of play
• Support collaboration with teams and families to enhance effectiveness of interventions to improve learning and successful participation in activities of dailylearning in a variety of environments

Target Audience: Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Occupational Therapy Assistants