Infant Massage at St. Ann Center

Who doesn't like a massage?

I wanted to share with you some photos from our recent Infant Massage workshop.  Sandy Anderson, CMT, is sharing her techniques with some students.  The babies in the Ladybug room just LOVE the massages, they coo, smile and calm down. 

 

With the best interest of parents and caregivers in mind, Sandy Anderson, CMT, provides workshops throughout the year.  Participants learn the nurturing hands-on techniques of infant and child massage.  The workshops are designed for parents, grandparents, caregivers and siblings.  Within the 1-2 hour workshop individuals will discover how a caring touch can enhance the bond between child and caregiver.

Why Infant Massage?  The benefits are more far reaching than they may at first seem. Massage is a tool for maintaining health and well-being on many levels for both caregivers and children.  It helps parents and caregivers feel secure in their ability to do something positive for and get a positive response from their baby.  This special bonding time between parents and their babies teaches parents to read baby's cues such as body language and types of cries.

Infant massage provides psychological and physical benefits to the baby too.

Physically, infant massage can;
Accelerate development of premature babies
Increase circulation.
Strengthen the immune system.
Aid the digestive system and can help calm some of colic's characteristics.
Calm the nervous system by stroking which may lead to better sleep times.

Psychologically, infant massage can:
Promote parent and baby bonding.
Provide stress reduction for the baby.
Help babies develop body awareness.
Create a positive reaction to touching.

Being touched and caressed, being massaged, is food for the infant.  Food as necessary as minerals, vitamins and proteins Dr. Frederick Leboyer

Summer Camp Learns about the Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Our summer program kids had so much fun learning about the life cycle of the caterpillar to butterfly. With the help of several St. Ann Center staff the kids gathered some caterpillars and a lot of leaves and branches put them in a large plastic container with holes punched in the top…and then they waited.

Each day they checked the container and watched as the caterpillars ate the leaves and pooped…and boy did they poop. They learned to clean out the container and make sure the caterpillars had plenty to eat and someplace strong to attach themselves to so they could make their cocoons.

The caterpillars attached themselves to the top of the container and began to spin their cocoons. The children got to see the whole process. Once the cocoon was formed they waited. It turned out they waited about 12 days; that was the average wait.

Right before their eyes a magnificent monarch butterfly emerged ever so slowly from its chrysalis (also called a pupa.) The kids also learned some new words! When the butterfly’s wings were dry they took the butterfly out of the jar and took turns letting it land on their hands, or shirts and noses! When it was time, they released the beautiful butterfly outside so it could start the life cycle all over again!

It certainly didn’t take long and they were lucky enough to experience the full life cycle of the butterfly. The summer program learned many new things this summer. Our next summer program article will be about Mad Science!

 

A plastic bottle, newspaper and masking tape!

“A plastic bottle, newspaper and masking tape!” said Derek, a summer program participant. “Looks like an airplane to me” said another little boy. “All it needs is some paint” said another. The children in the St. Ann Center summer program are having a fun time being creative and they are also learning a special lesson about recycling.

Stacy Vittal, Adaptive Arts Director & Art Therapist at St. Ann Center had the enterprising idea of creating an art project that would teach the children the power of recycling as well as environmental sustainability. She hoped they would learn how easy and accessible it is to recycle.

When asked about the benefits of the project Stacy said, “The children are learning how to make independent decisions, improve their social skills, build self-esteem and improve interpersonal skills. The also have a chance to improve fine motor skills through art. The benefits are endless.”

The Joy of Generations

Every now and then, day care encounters an individual who is anxious and upset that they are being left behind by their loved one for the day. A child will cry out and ask for their mother. A man will ask over and over again where his wife is and when he can go home. From childhood to adulthood, St. Ann's staff has found this to be a consistency throughout life's stages. Here at St. Ann's, the many generations find solace in each other.

A young girl repeatedly asking for her mother and crying during an intergenerational activity at St. Ann's Shepherd House, was placed on the lap of a client, suffering from dementia, who often grows upset by the absence of his wife. The two were instantly calmed. Together, they participated in activities with the other children and adults, without tears or nervous questioning.

A remarkable sight to see, but ever so common within the walls of St. Ann's, proving once again how the importance of intergenerational care is apparent as a successful therapy for a variety of generations.

Submitted by Stacy Ory

Drums for Everyone

An intergenerational music group led by our music therapist, Leslie Henry, was recently being conducted in the adult unit.

Drums were handed out to all adults and mallets to all of the children to play with their adult friends. The music therapist held the drum at an angle on the side of Mark, a man with cerebral palsy. With his fists clenched and arm outstretched he began extending his arm backwards to play while the other adults and children played.

Tommy from the Monarch room sat wide-eyed with his mouth open, studying how Mark hit the drum. He looked puzzled and amazed all the same time. Leslie gently took Tommy’s hand and helped him to begin tapping on the drum. Tommy hesitantly joined in on his own as he began to feel a little more comfortable with this new drummer friend. Together they shared some smiles, laughs, music, and greater understanding of each other.

Written by Leslie Henry, Music Therapist

Children Don't Like Our Center... They Love It!

Today marks the zillionth time that a child has had fun and learned something new at St. Ann Center.

Brian, a 2-year old, was learning the ins-and-outs of the swimming pool in the aquatic center. He was laughing and learning how to kick his feet in the water, so it did not seem to bother him that I interrupted his lesson to ask how old he was.

Meanwhile, two other toddlers back in their classroom were on the computer playing puzzle games. If you tried asking them their names, chances are you might not find out because they were so into the game. You might feel like you got the cold shoulder!

It's amazing to watch the learning process take place with these little ones, yet its even more amazing that they do it all while also having fun. As a first-time visitor, I was surprised to see so much learning activity and so much fun.
Written by, Darrell Garrett (Cardinal Stritch Intern)