The fall Beat NF session wrapped up this past Wednesday with our toddler participants, both new and seasoned veterans to the program, enjoying five weeks of play-based motor-music therapy in the Centene Education Center classroom on the top floor of the Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz. A typical Beat NF class begins with […]
Category: Occupational Therapy
Nicole’s Nook: Handwriting Made Easier
Handwriting can be difficult, fatiguing, and frustrating for many children, especially in children with NF1. Often times it adversely affects their schoolwork and overall academic performance. While handwriting is a very functional skill, minimizing such fine motor demands can be a reasonable accommodation to increase productivity and success. The iPad features several options to ease […]
YOU’RE INVITED: Club NF Heads to FuNFest!
The Washington University NF Center, in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, is excited to announce our October 2015 Club NF event – Club NF Goes to FuNFest! Please join us on Saturday, October 3, at the Walk Family’s 5th annual FuNFest, which will also include Club NF. FuNFest is an annual fundraiser sponsored by the Walk […]
Nicole’s Nook: Back to School Apps
Heading back to school in the fall is a very exciting time, but it can also bring about anxiety and stress for children with NF1 who frequently struggle with fine motor skills, organization and/or executive functioning. However, the use of technology can alleviate many of these concerns and assist children and adults in becoming more productive, […]
Patient Spotlight: Molly McNeill
Molly McNeill is eight, and was diagnosed with NF1 four years ago. She was born with several café-a-lait spots, so we began to watch for development of a second NF symptom. Her pediatric ophthalmologist observed Lisch nodules on her irises when Molly was four, and a diagnosis of NF1 (spontaneous mutation) was confirmed by Dr. […]
Nicole’s Nook: iPad Accessibility Features
With each new operating system release, iPads have become increasingly more powerful, yet have also remained extremely user-friendly. Adults and children alike are able to browse the web, access content, play games and more through a simple swipe, pinch or tap. With a pinch in different directions, the pressing of a button, rapid double-tap or […]
YOU’RE INVITED: Club NF Plays at the Lodge!
The Washington University NF Center, in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, is pleased to announce our upcoming August 2015 Club NF event – Club NF Plays at the Lodge! Please join us at The Lodge Des Peres in Des Peres, MO on Saturday, August 1, from 9:30 a.m. – noon for an action-packed morning of indoor […]
Nicole’s Nook: Summer App Recommendations
The summer months are an excellent time for you and your children to enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, bike riding and camping. However, after a few weeks, when the novelty of being out of school has worn off, children can start to get restless. To assist you in your quest to keep your children busy in a productive manner this […]
Nicole’s Nook: Third Party Keyboard Use Finally Introduced in iOS8!
One of the most significant new features of iOS8 is the option to download and use third party keyboards. Essentially, it allows for what many of us have been eagerly awaiting, the ability to use an app within an app. You can now replace the standard built-in keyboard with other custom and specialized keyboards available […]
Washington University NF Center – Spring 2015 Newsletter
It’s officially spring, and we at the Washington University NF Center are excited to kick off another year of providing exceptional care through groundbreaking research! Check out the spring 2015 newsletter for some of our most popular recent research updates, information about our upcoming Club NF and Beat NF events and more. Some of the […]
Nicole’s Nook: Improving Behavior with Social Stories & Visual Schedules
The iPad can serve as a useful behavior modification tool, not necessarily in terms of using it as a reward or reinforcer, but to provide social stories and visual schedules. For many children, anxiety can play a large part in their poor behavior. That anxiety can stem from the unknown, the unpredictable nature of life, […]
YOU’RE INVITED: Club NF Acts!
The Washington University NF Center, in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, is pleased to announce our upcoming April 2015 Club NF event – Club NF Acts! Please join us at Parkway South High School in Manchester, MO on Saturday, April 4 from 9:30 a.m. – noon for an exciting morning of musical theatre. During this […]
YOU’RE INVITED: Club NF Goes Surfing!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is pleased to announce our first 2015 Club NF event – Club NF Goes Surfing! Please join us at Core 3 Fitness Studio in Brentwood, MO on Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. – noon for an exciting morning of indoor surfing and yoga. During this event, […]
Nicole’s Nook: Augmented Reality Apps
Some of the newest apps on the market are known as “Augmented Reality” apps. These apps provide a virtual layer that is superimposed upon the physical world to provide computer-generated sensory input. They employ sound, video, graphics and/or GPS data to create a terrific amount of new information for the user. As you can imagine, this takes learning to a […]
Fall 2014 Beat NF Program Another Success!
We had our last session of the fall 2014 Beat NF program yesterday, and I already know I will miss my five little friends next Wednesday morning. Beat NF, a jazz, music therapy program for toddlers with NF Type 1, concluded this morning after six successful weeks. Through the collaborative efforts of Jazz St. Louis, the Washington University […]
Nicole’s Nook: Age Appropriate Apps for Children 0 – 5 Years
In this month’s blog, I thought that I would take a moment to showcase the technology currently available for younger children (birth to 5 years old). Today’s technology-saturated world has made it difficult to determine how much is too much and how young is too young. For children under 2, the American Academy of Pediatrics […]
SAVE THE DATE: Club NF Goes Ice Skating!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is excited to announce our December 2014 Club NF event – Club NF Goes Ice Skating! We know the holiday season can be a busy time, but hope you are able to join us on December 6 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. […]
Nicole’s Nook: Choosing a Case & Accessories for Your iPad
Choosing your iPad can be a difficult and overwhelming task. There are so many options to choose from, including generations, size, data or Wi-Fi connection. What you may not realize is that deciding on a case to protect your iPad is an equally important decision. In today’s blog, I thought it would be worthwhile to […]
Nicole’s Nook: More Apps for Heading Back to School
As we approach the beginning of another school year for our children, I thought that I would highlight a few apps to optimize their school performance. Below are five especially useful apps for your consideration. JotNot Scanner Pro, $1.99 This universal app takes a picture of a worksheet. You can then crop it and turn […]
Back to School: Communicating with Your School
The 2014 – 2015 school year is upon us! NF1 is the most common disorder you’ve probably never heard of–that is what we tell people the first time they learn about NF1. Because NF1 is not a commonly known disorder, it is likely that the teachers and school administrators at your school also have not […]