Please recognize the following as resources that I or those I work with have had positive experiences with but that may or may not meet your own unique needs.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FITNESS
Community offerings: These classes are generally more diverse in skill expectation and less expensive. Often overlooked are wrestling, fencing, and gymnastics for exercise and training in motor planning, balance, and coordination
http://www.mnapta.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=344 Check Mn APTA’s (American Physical Therapy Assoc) resource list for pediatric health, wellness, and fitness activities around the state. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find it.
www.capernaumpeds.com/ CapernaumPediatric Therapy, Inc. : In addition to comprehensive pediatric PT, OT and Speech services, Capernaum has many fitness and sport opportunities including cheerleading, community Run/Walk events, aquatic therapy and adapted dance.
http://www.mindbodysolutions.org/content/adaptive-schedule Adaptive yoga classes for individuals living with mobility disabilities, such as partial or total paralysis, amputation, severe spinal cord injury, severe arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, head injury, spina bifida and cerebral palsy. Our ambulatory class is for individuals who are able to walk, but live with impaired mobility or balance issues.
http://www.circusjuventas.org/ We offer youth circus arts training and performance opportunities for children and youth ages 3 to 21 in a safe and noncompetitive environment. While encouraging and helping to develop individual strengths and abilities, the professional staff at Circus Juventas gives every child the opportunity to be in the spotlight. Check out their exciting classes for youth starting at age 2! Includes dance for boys, clowning, acrobatics.
http://youngdance.org/ Young Dance was awarded a grant from VSA Minnesota to develop our new All Abilities Creative Dance Programming.
http://www.ddsdancestudio.com/index.htm ” At D.D.’s Dance Studio we strive for all of our students to achieve a high degree of self-esteem, respect, confidence, and discipline through dance and expression of music that will enable them to excel in other areas of their lives. Our students will develop the necessary skills needed for advanced levels of dance, athletics, competition, danceline, cheerleading, and other dance and music related activities. They will develop coordination, rhythm, confidence, and stage presence.”
http://interactcenter.com/ “Since 1996, Interact’s mission to create art that challenges perceptions of disability has opened doors for artists with disabilities and audiences eager to experience their work, who might never have seen the arts as a life choice, but who now see the arts as essential to their humanity. With over 125 artists working in theater and/or studio arts, Interact is multi-cultural, intergenerational, and embraces the entire spectrum of disability labels.”
http://www.iemphit.org/ a clinic specializing in physical conditioning for those with chronic disease and special needs. They now treat people of all ages.
http://www.ncpad.org/myncpad/ This site provides you with personalized tools and resources to help you meet your goals and track your progress at you own pace. www.ncpad.org has a wealth of information about fitness and sports, even camps. You will also find exercise DVDs on this site.
http://www.couragecenter.org/ContentPages/sportsandrec.aspx This is Courage Center’s sports information and this is what they have to say: “…we realize that to live a full life, people with disabilities must also play. e offer lifetime sports you can enjoy with your family such as siing or horseback riding competitive team sports such as basketball or power soccer, and creative activities such as arts, crafts and photography. http://www.couragecenter.org/ContentPages/Locations.aspx to find Courage sponsored pool, sports, and fitness programs
http://www.eparentdigital.com/nxtbooks/exceptionalparent/200906/#/28/OnePage a great article about rock climbing with Courage Center and Verticle Endeavors
www.gillettechildrens.org At Gillette you can find therapeutic recreation specialists to assess individual capabilities and recommend programs to help develop healthy leisure lifestyles. They can provide leisure education, help develop leisure skills and work with community resources to help people increase their participation in sports and recreational activities. Children can see a rec therapist at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare site in St. Paul next to Regions Hospital. Those over 18 can receive this service at the Gillette’s Lifetime clinic in St. Paul on Phalen Blvd.
BIKING: http://bikesforeverybody.com/ A great local resource for adapted bikes. For someone learning to ride, try a trick bike that allows the pedal to rotate backwards instead of braking. Training wheels are difficult to use for training; the child often relies on this wheel and tries to learn to ride tipped to one side. This doesn’t train bike balance and can be frightening, especially for someone with sensory difficulties. Consider a balance bike without pedals http://www.ehow.com/how_6837492_ride-balance-bike.html (e how instruction); http://www.skuut.com/ check out the video for this bike. To keep feet on tricycle pedal, consider toe cages or clips. Do not use for 2 wheel bikes as feet cannot come out quickly enough to protect in a fall. http://www.ehow.com/how_5171993_put-toe-cages-bicycle-pedals.html (for attaching to pedal)
Learning to Ride: http://losethetrainingwheels.org/ learning to ride program with camps
THERAPY PROVIDERS
www.motioncare.com outpatient orthopedic clinic specializing in the management of pain
www.gillettechildrens.org The Lifetime clinic located on Phalen Blvd in St. Paul specializes in teens (over 16) and adults diagnosed with childhood conditions that limit their abilities
www.childrenstheraplaymn.com A Maplewood clinic primarily offering in-clinic therapies and free fine, gross, and oral motor skill development screenings for children 5 years and younger.
http://www.therapyjunction.net/ Outpatient pediatric therapy clinic located in Plymouth, Minnesota
http://www.holdyourhorses.org/1.html provides occupational therapy services using the horse as a treatment strategy.
photo courtesy of Hold Your Horses
The horse provides multi-dimensional movement for clients to experience and an exceptionally rich treatment environment to build skills for daily living. Participation in session time both on and off the horse helps clients achieve outcomes that enhance quality of life.
PARENT TO PARENT & PARENT RESOURCES
http://www.specialparentconnections.com/index.html This is a site where parents can connect, read reviews on products and therapies, and find resources.
http://www.vickiemeade.com/msg6.htm Vickie Meade, PT, PhD is a well-known, well-respected, published PT from Minnesota with a website full of parent resources
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUN & SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
http://www.interactcenter.com/ Mission: To create art and challenge society’s view of disability. This is the only center nationally that offers professional-level training, performances, and exhibitions in multiple artistic disciplines, for artists with a wide range of disabilities, from physical to developmental to mental to behavioral. At Interact, adult artists with disabilities explore and expand their creativity as actors, writers, painters, sculptors and musicians. Join them for classes or go see an exhibit or play!
http://www.hannashope.com/ Pageant for 6 – 18 year old girls.
http://www.capernaumpeds.com / – Capernaum Pediatric Therapy offers programs such as Independent Living Skills for Teens and Young Adults and a Youth Community Service Group
ADVOCACY
http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/# Pacer Center’s Teens Against Bullying program
www.pacer.org The mission of PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents
http://www.thearcofminnesota.org/ The mission of The Arc of Minnesota is to support and advocate for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families as they choose how they live, learn, work and play. We fight for persons with developmental disabilities so they can reach for a brighter, more inclusive future