Episode 75: Learning Through Movement, Play and Connection with Munira Adenwalla
Munira Adenwalla
“She empowers parents to be confident in supporting their child’s development to move, learn and grow through play”
Munira Adenwalla is an American trained Paediatric Occupational Therapist with over two decades of expertise in Sensory Integration and children’s development. She helps babies and children from birth to 10 years with sensory processing and motor difficulties. She empowers parents to be confident in supporting their child’s development to move, learn and grow through play. Her recent course helps parents and teachers learn the fundamentals to help children develop pencil control for writing.
In this episode, we talked about:
Occupational therapy addresses ‘jobs for living’ such as self-care, work, play and leisure. The social, motor, cognitive and emotional skills required to perform those jobs are then addressed with occupational therapy. Clients may have experienced an accident or injury
Munira works with children and the skills needed for play and learning
Play is important for children and adults alike: in order to feel happy, calm, purposeful. Children learn through play and make sense of their emotions and the world around them
The connection with another person during play or shared activities
Following the child’s passion, using their interests to drive other skills
Everyone has sensory processing needs and differences. The 5 senses, as well as proprioception (sense of the body in space), vestibular sense (balance and posture)
Some children explore by fidgeting and touching. Others explore by moving around. Others may be stimulated visually or by auditory input. Some need quiet, others need a busier environment
If you’re noise sensitive, try avoiding busier times or quieter environments. Physical activity before having to sit can help to ground and settle
Even young children are experiencing body stiffness and tension in their hamstrings from being sedentary (which is not optimal for learning)
Learning can be done in a physically active way
Learning environments with standing or a carpeted area with bean bags and cushions
Writing in alternate positions and places
For babies, rolling and crawling rather than sitting is preferable, because it means they are exploring their environment and their body in space
Baby-owned movements, so that they can go move in and out of positions such as from side-lying to prone on their own
Avoid ‘baby containers’ to hold them in place
The benefits of earlier intervention to help babies be more comfortable and less overwhelmed
Delayed milestones, signs such as falling over frequently or general clumsiness
Neuroplasticity of the brain means that adaptation is possible
Empowering parents as a ‘circle of 3’ in the session for the benefit of the parent-child connection
The importance of feeling safe
Handwriting issues can be linked with sensory processing difficulties, shoulder problems, core stability and motor function
Technology can be beneficial, e.g. dictation software
Screentime uses visual and auditory functions and children can be unsettled afterwards. Children aren’t getting as much time to feel grounded and have physical input
Adding more movement: walking/ running/ cycling to school, playground, or climbing etc.
Floor time to be able to move your body in and out of positions and get ‘unstuck’.
Sitting is a challenging activity for the body
Learning individual needs in order to learn better and feel more comfortable
Having fewer toys and things around to be more creative with what’s available. Less is more
Follow your gut instinct if you think your child is falling behind
Joy and inquisitivity
Resources:
munira@ot4kids.co.uk
Helping Kids Write FB Page:
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