The physio had a quick play with Beth, but unfortunately Beth wasn't very happy. She didn't have too much sleep and wasn't very happy with it all.  Tried to get Beth rolling and opening her hands.

She indicated that Beth seemed to dislike the right side of her body more than the left.  Suggested that we try and feed her on both sides. Showed us some things to help her try and roll.  Also suggested that Beth might need more sleep throughout the day as well as she was only having one-two hours throughout the day, and she was very cranky!

• To help assist in rolling, put her legs up into her stomach, not all the way, and her hands onto her knees as best as you are able, then roll her to one side or the other.
• Lifting the bottom up will also work her abdominal muscles to increase tone in her torso.
• Try and encourage Beth to grab with her hands - open her hands, rubbing on them to stimulate them and encourage grasping.
  

The physio had a good play with Beth.  Beth really took to her, she got lots of smiles and even some good "talking" sounds as well!  Beth really likes getting attention I think!!!  The Physio was really quite happy with how she's going - she's doing very well.

The Physio first thought that Beth might not be "seeing" her too well, but by the end of it felt that she was seeing although turning her head to the "left" was more difficult than turning "right".  She was definitely hearing well and responding very well.

Head control was the main thing, and the Physio was encouraged that Beth was already able to hold her head in the center without difficulty - i.e. to look straight up at you, rather than lolling to one side or the other.  Apparently this is a four month skill anyhow, and Beth's a little bit ahead on it!!!  She then showed us a number of different things to assist us in building up her head control:

• Holding Beth so that it encourages her to work on holding her head - instead of supporting her neck and head as much, hold her so that her head/neck are a bit more free.  This will encourage her to look up and around and develop her control.  The hold we were shown was from under one arm then across the front of the chest and under her leg.
• When changing Beth and picking her up and putting her down, do it in such a way as to put her down on her tummy then roll her over onto her back.  This again makes Beth work at it, rather than just putting her down on her back while her neck is supported.  From the hold shown above, you put her down on her tummy then slowly roll her over, again without too much support of the head/neck.
• Tummy time - instead of straight on the floor, as she didn't like that so much, put her on her tummy but on Mum or Dad's chest.  We had already started doing this and the Physio confirmed that's what she would have recommended anyhow.
• She showed Dad also how to encourage her to track visually a little better - at this point we need to "engage" Beth's vision from the center - i.e. beth facing straight up while on her back, and get her eye contact, then move slowly to one side or the other for her to follow. She will follow mum and dad's face better than objects, but can also try with the contrasting black and while cards as well.  This is better than simply approaching Beth on the side and calling to her to look at you, and will encourage her head control as well.

The physio was also quite happy with how Beth was kicking and batting and also said to continue to give her time underneath the hanger with her toys and to move it between her hands and feet to let her bat away at then.

This was just an initial time during the "assessment" from DADHC, rather than a full session, and we have another appointment in just over a week's time.  We want to ask the physio about stretches,  elevating her sleeping a little, torso strengthening, ways to stop Beth arching her back so much...