It’s officially summer and time to head to the pool! While a day at the pool can be a relaxing day of fun for all, it can also be an excellent opportunity for your children to work on a variety of gross motor, fine motor and social skills commonly delayed in children with NF1. […]
Category: Physical Therapy
Just Keep Swimming!
It’s officially summer and time to head to the pool! While a day at the pool can be a relaxing day of fun for all, it can also be an excellent opportunity for your children to work on a variety of gross motor, fine motor and social skills commonly delayed in children with NF1. Just be […]
Courtney’s Corner: Encouraging Physical Activity
As we hear more and more about the importance of activity to combat childhood obesity, we need to encourage our children to remain active. Increasing a child’s activity level can be challenging, especially when competing with video games, iPads, and other on-screen entertainment options. For children with NF1, we have an even greater challenge because […]
Beat NF – Together!
During the months of May and June, the Washington University NF Center, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, Jazz St. Louis and Maryville University Music Therapy Department are partnering together for their second six week session of Beat NF, Beat NF–Together! Like the previous session, Beat NF–Together features songs written by our music therapist that are […]
Club NF Zoo Adventure!
On June 7, 2014, the Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation hosted our June 2014 Club NF Event! The program focused on sensory integration, gross motor skills and social skills. Club NF met at the Saint Louis Zoo. The morning began with families meeting a professional zookeeper to learn […]
Washington University NF Center Summer 2014 Newsletter
Check out our Summer 2014 newsletter! Inside this issue: Governor Nixon and Mayor Slay Proclaim May 2014 NF Awareness Month New Study Uses the Fruit Fly to Understand NF2 Gene Function Courtney’s Corner And More! Check out our previous newsletters as well!
Courtney’s Corner: Age Appropriate Chores for Children
As summer approaches, parents may feel like their time is stretched to the limit between work, having the children home from school and going to and from daily summer activities. With everything going on, it is easy to give your child access to an iPad or the TV as a source of entertainment while you […]
SAVE THE DATE: Club NF Zoo Hunt!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is excited to announce its June 2014 Club NF event – Club NF Zoo Hunt! Please join us at the Saint Louis Zoo on June 7, 2014 for an animal-themed day focusing on sensory integration, gross motor skills and social skills. Families […]
SAVE THE DATE: Spring 2014 Session of Beat NF
The Washington University NF Center, in collaboration with Jazz St. Louis and the Maryville University Music Therapy Department, is excited to announce its Spring 2014 Session of Beat NF–Beat NF Together. Please join us at the St. Louis Gym Center in Webster Groves, MO every Friday morning from May 23, 2014 through June 27, 2014 […]
Club NF Rocks!
On April 5, 2014, the Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation hosted their April 2014 Club NF Event! The program focused on building strength, motor planning, coordination and endurance through rock climbing. Club NF met at Climb So iLL in downtown St. Louis, MO. Children had the opportunity to […]
Symposium Sneak Peek: Dr. Courtney Dunn and Nicole Weckherlin Discuss Optimizing Outcomes for Children with NF1
Courtney Dunn, PT, DPT, is a Physical Therapist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and became the lead physical therapist for the NF Clinical Program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 2010. Dr. Dunn applies her expertise to identify developmental delays in young children with NF1 and was instrumental in the establishment of Club NF, a […]
Spring has Sprung!: Therapy Activities for Spring
Today is the first day of Spring! Celebrate by getting outside and playing together. Here are some great Springtime activities that can help your child work on skills often delayed in children with NF1. Play with balls Catching, batting, throwing a ball into a basket, bouncing a ball–anything you can think of! All are great […]
Courtney’s Corner: Learning to Ride a Bike
The weather is finally starting to warm up and Spring is right around the corner! That means it’s time to start thinking about outdoor activities like riding bikes. Learning to ride a bike can be challenging for any child, but it might be especially frustrating for children with NF1. Children with NF1 tend to experience […]
SAVE THE DATE: Club NF Rocks!
The Washington University NF Center in collaboration with the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation is excited to announce its April 2014 Club NF event – Club NF Rocks! Please join us at Climb So iLL in downtown St. Louis on April 5, 2014 for indoor rock climbing. We will be focusing on strength, motor planning and […]
SAVE THE DATE: NeuroDay 2014 at the St. Louis Science Center
Join the Washington University NF Center at NeuroDay 2014 at the St. Louis Science Center! Team NF is heading to NeuroDay 2014 at the St. Louis Science Center on March 8 from 10AM to 4PM. NeuroDay is an annual expo featuring free hands-on activities focused on learning about the brain and cutting-edge brain research. Featured […]
Courtney’s Corner: 31 Days of March Motor Madness!
It’s the time of year for March Motor Madness! March is an exciting time at the Washington University NF Center. Each year we play March Motor Madness, a branch of NF physical fitness, with our children. Our game involves having our children complete daily activities that help develop skills that are often delayed in children with NF1. Each […]
HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Therapy Activities for Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Washington University NF Center! Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to remind those around you that you care. Try out one of these Valentine’s Day inspired therapy activities with your child and help him or her work on developing important skills! Occupational Therapy – Fine Motor Skill Development Fun with […]
Washington University NF Center Toddlers Show Progress After Beat NF
Children with NF1 can experience a range of developmental delays, including problems with gross motor skills and trouble learning how to appropriately socialize. A recent study showed that these delays can affect the development of children with NF1 as young as the age of three. Studies like this, and those currently taking place at the […]
Recent Study Sheds Light on Learning Problems in Preschool Age Children with NF1
In addition to café-au-lait macules, difficulties with learning are seen in as many as 80% of school-aged children with NF1. Affected children may have problems with attention, visual perception, executive function, language, reading, spelling and mathematics. Each of these issues can make success in school extremely difficult without proper support and therapy. A recent study […]
HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Help Your Child Develop Skills Delayed in Children with NF1
Help your child start off the New Year right with a resolution to get active this year. The Washington University NF Center promotes play-based therapy for children with NF1, and it’s easy to integrate this philosophy into your everyday life. Play-based therapy is all about using play to work on skills that are sometimes delayed in […]