first physical rehabilitation visit

Yesterday (8/15/2011), Apollo went on his first physical rehabilitation visit with Dr. Miriam Weinstein.  As he is 7 weeks premature, he has 7 weeks of development that he has to catch up to so the NICU recommends consultation with a pediatric physical therapist for all premies so that they can get caught up with their motor skills development based on their adjusted age. 


Apollo is already 11 weeks based on his adjusted age, but if he is born full term, he is really only 4 weeks old.  Nevertheless, there are exercises that can help him do all the things that a full term 11 week old baby can do.

There are several things that Dr. Weinstein checked when we visited yesterday - If Apollo lift his head up when he is on his tummy, if he can lift his head up if you lift him up from laying on his back, if he can roll from tummy to his back and vice versa, if he can grasp things with his arms, if he can sit down while holding his head up without support, etc...

he is doing well, says the the doctor but he needs more exercise so he can do all these things on his own.  Here are the daily exercises that we are doing everyday -

• increase his tummy time to more than 2 hours a day to allow him more practice in lifting his head.  best if he can spend most of his waking hours on his tummy.
• when on his tummy, put a rolled towel (about the same size of the arms) under his chest so it can act as a support so he can easily lift his chest and head up
• Support them when he is sitting down and let him balance his head on his own
• Get rid of the mittens! lol... and let him hold things.
• use rough wash cloth to massage his hands.  the rough texture will help massage and wake up the muscles on his hands and will help him grasp things on instinct
• to help them learn how to roll from tummy to back, use your index and middle finger and push the crook  between their thigh and tummy.  There is a small trigger there that will make them kick their legs that will help them roll to their tummy.
• to help them learn how to roll from their back to their tummy, help them a little by pushing their left or right upper back (depending on what direction you want them to roll).  then once he is on his side, let him roll over on his own. 

Tummy time is key to help him strengthen his neck muscle.  But sometimes Apollo is too lazy, he just falls asleep the moment that we put him on his tummy!  haha.  Nevertheless we put him on his tummy at any chance that we can while he is awake.

Anyways, he is going back to Dr. Weinstein's clinic on Oct 26th, 2 months from now.  I am very sure at that time that he is now doing all of these and even more! :0

Here is a photo of Apollo on our way to Dr. Weinstein's :)