Backpack Buddies
Lending a hand, in preparation to feed over 4,000 children in need through the Backpack Buddies United Way of the Bemidji Area Program.
“He loves the receptionists, Angie and Amanda, and can hardlywait to see them, plus all of his therapists are near and dear to his heart.” Michael Fullerton has been coming to Choice Therapy since 2013 to work on developmental physical, occupational and speech delays. Michael’s mom, Paula, loves our therapists because they listen to her and together they figure out what will work best for Michael. It’s an individualized approach to coordinated pediatric care. Paula said, “He’s been making steady progress over the years and that’s something to be really grateful for.” She said, “It’s a short distance from the car to the building and that’s really convenient when it can be challenging for my son to walk. He loves the receptionists, Angie and Amanda, and can hardly wait to see them, plus all of his therapists are near and dear to his heart. The staff make all the difference in the world!”
Meet Our PEDS Staff
Erin Wark May SLP
Kirsten Landmark SLP
Sydney Lichty SLP
Carlie Steffenson PTA
Nicole Stehly DPT
Naomi Kapaun OT
Courtney Ritter MEd, MOT, OTR/L
Karen Savioe COTA
Courtney Thoma COTA
Chelsea Wiegand COTA
Jordan Peterson DPT
Having Fun With Your Child This Fall
There are several ways to make therapy fun for your child. ChoosePT offers multiple activities you can do with them, including one in time for fall! The Boot Scoot ‘N’ Shuffle game allows you to play with your child while strengthening their muscles and improving their motor planning and balance skills. To begin, give your child a pair of boots that are bigger than what they would normally wear. Let them walk around in your front or back yard, and encourage them to “shuffle” their feet to make patterns and designs in the fallen leaves. Ask them if they can make certain shapes for you, like a circle or pumpkin. This activity does
require a little bit of patience, so do your best to encourage them to keep trying. To step up the difficulty level, you can rake large piles of leaves to create resistance, and ask your child to shuffle through, jump in, or jump over the leaves. If you don’t have leaves in your yard, no problem! You can also use pine needles, sand, hay, or clippings from the grass if it was cut recently. Be sure to take note of your child’s progress to share with his or her physical therapist at their next appointment!
Visit www.choicetherapy1.com to read more success stories like these, or start your success story by scheduling an appointment or free screening at Choice Therapy!
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