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, […]
Category: Physical Therapy
Washington University NF Center Winter 2014 Newsletter
2014 might be winding down, but the Washington University NF Center is still hard at work in our research laboratories and at our innovative outreach programs, like Beat NF and Club NF! Check out the winter 2014 newsletter for some of our most popular research articles, a reflection on our successful fall Beat NF event and more! […]
Courtney’s Corner: Holiday Shopping
As the holidays near, I always begin to panic. Not about putting up decorations or hosting a holiday meal, but about having an influx of gifts in the house, which ultimately create more clutter and often go unused. Each year, I try to take a step back and come up with a list of gifts that my […]
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 […]
Fun Halloween-themed Therapy Activities and Apps
Celebrate Halloween with more than just costumes, candy and trick-or-treating this year! There are many fun Halloween-themed activities you can do with your children to hone their gross motor, fine motor and visual motor skills which they may struggle with as a result of their NF1. Here are a few fun suggestions for activities and iPad apps to keep […]
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. […]
Courtney’s Corner: Studying Gait, Balance & Hip Strength in Children with NF1
The kids are back in school, fall sports are in full swing, and Halloween is right around the corner – where does the time go? The last few months have been busy for me because we recently started recruiting patients to participate in a new study. The study was designed to determine whether a relationship […]
Club NF Had a Great Time at FuNFest 2014!
This past Saturday, a group of Washington University NF Center coordinators, St. Louis Children’s Hospital therapists and Club NF families traveled to Gatch Lake near Vandalia, Il to support FuNFest for the second year in a row. The 4th annual FuNFest, a fundraiser held by Amanda and Brian Walk, is a community event which includes games […]
Courtney’s Corner: Evaluating Your Child for Orthotics
As a physical therapist, I spend a lot of time looking at feet. I observe children’s feet during walking, running and jumping activities, as well as when they are sitting. I do this to evaluate their arches, strength and range of motion. In general, children are born with very flat and chubby feet, but by […]
SAVE THE DATE: Club NF Goes to fuNFest!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is excited to announce our October 2014 Club NF event – Club NF Goes to FuNFest! Please join us on Saturday, October 4, at the Walk Family’s 4th annual FuNFest which will also include Club NF. FuNFest is an annual fundraiser sponsored by the Walk […]
Courtney’s Corner: Making Moments Matter
As the school year begins, it can feel as if the pace of life switches to fast forward. Work schedules, school schedules, activities, sports and homework all need to fit in a finite amount of time. If you are also coping with school struggles, whether it is with social interactions, academics, attention or motor skills, […]
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 […]
Back to School: Peer Relationships
The 2014 – 2015 school year is upon us! Friendships are an integral part of life and incredibly important to the school experience; however, children with NF1 sometimes struggle with making friends. Having even just one good friend can have a significantly positive effect on academic success. Below are some suggestions for ways to help […]
Club NF Swims!
On August 2, 2014, the Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation hosted their August 2014 Club NF Event! The program focused on gross motor development and learning organizational skills. Club NF met at the Des Peres Lodge. The morning began with the children working on motor skill development […]
Back to School: Getting Organized
The 2014 – 2015 school year is fast approaching! Children with NF1 often experience difficulties in the academic environment due to attention deficits, learning disabilities and social delays. It can be frustrating for both students and families if they feel there are significant roadblocks to success in school. Fortunately, there are many ways you can […]
Empowering Parents to Detect Potential Delays in their Children with NF1
Children with NF1 commonly experience a range of developmental delays that can negatively impact their daily lives. Early detection and treatment of these delays provides children with NF1 their best chances of success. In order to help families detect potential delays as early as possible, we have created child development checklists of expected developmental […]
Courtney’s Corner: Back to School Shoe Shopping
As the kids head back to school, new shoes often top the shopping list. With the cost of new shoes sometimes reaching upwards of $100, we want to pass on some basics regarding shoe selection from a physical therapist’s perspective. First, shoes for early walkers are primarily for protection. Shoes are not required to learn […]
SAVE THE DATE: Club NF Swims!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is excited to announce its August 2014 Club NF event – Club NF Swims! Please join us at The Lodge Des Peres on August 2, 2014 for a back to school-themed day focusing on organizational skills, gross motor skills and social skills. As children work with therapists […]
HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Therapy Activities for the 4th of July
Happy 4th of July from the Washington University NF Center! Summer is here and it is time to celebrate! Get outside and enjoy Independence Day weekend as a family. While you’re at it, consider trying out these 4th of July themed therapy activities. Occupational Therapy – Fine Motor Skill Development “Fireworks” in a Jar This […]
Beat NF: Understanding How Music Therapy Helps Children with NF1
Welcome to a special guest post from Beat NF Music Therapist, Dr. Cynthia Briggs! Cynthia Briggs, PhD, is a licensed Music Therapist and faculty member at Maryville University. She has collaborated with the Washington University NF Center and Jazz St. Louis to create Beat NF–a jazz music therapy program for toddlers with NF1. Music Therapy […]