TherExtras

Lifelong Learning

 

The words in the title were emphasized to students in the physical therapy (PT) graduate program.  Meant to emphasize – you do not learn everything in PT school. 

 

Back when I was the age of the students-I-used-to-teach the pop-culture book Passages came-out.  (About) 30 years ago the idea of ‘adult development’ was novel.  The idea of consistent developmental stages in adult life became a common understanding through this non-fiction book. 

*Sigh*

I have learned so much since then.

 

I have no problem oversimplifying here in order to get to what I really want - to beat-up put-down mock anal-ytically discuss:  developmental evaluations. 

 

Turn-around Space

 

 

If you are an experienced driver you can probably estimate whether the road ahead is wide enough to easily reverse the direction of the car.

 

Or

 

If your experience has been that you never estimate road width correctly you might choose to drive around the block instead.

 

If your child uses a wheelchair or adapted stroller you get why restroom stalls are larger – turn-around space. 

Designing spaces to accommodate persons using wheelchairs is just one component of a concept called universal design. 

[ Image of an accessible floorplan linked into this blog. ]

 

Tonight’s tweets – in case you are not on twitter.

I am not a ‘news’ source & I caution you to be careful who you believe. http://bit.ly/9JQtKW

 

Last week ‘news’ of a study purporting ‘evidence’ of sensory integration dysfunction in the brain ping’d thru the internet.

 

I had difficulty finding the original sensoryintegrationautism research article. Not 1 tweet gave the location of the original article.

 

The only real way to tell if the work was newsworthy is to look at the original publication – in an online journal.
http://bit.ly/9WhZNx

 

The ‘real’ news is that a method to study this relationship has been developed, using 17 persons w/ #autism & matched controls. That.is.all.

 

Here’s a research article w/ good design & data to support a conclusion on what are typically fuzzy ideas.
http://bit.ly/bqLJak

 

#Parenting Children w/ Developmental Delays:
The Role of Positive Beliefs http://bit.ly/bqLJak

 

The conclusion is not overstated. “increasing mothers' positive beliefs during early childhood could aid in reducing their stress”.

 

That.is.all.

Other posts related to research at TherExtras:

Is there a spectrum for neuroscientists?

The Burden of Proof

What should be researched?

Anticipation

Are you planning to see the movie Flipped in a theater this weekend?  We look forward to seeing the screen version of one of our Teen’s favorite books. 

The ability to anticipate (pleasure) is a cognitive skill/task.  Heavily dependent on memory, the ability to ‘look’ ahead in time, to ‘envision’ (in your mind) a future that is tied to an emotion (also a thought) of excited pleasure:  anticipation.  (Image from here.)

 

 

The Science of Cooking

 

The change in food when heat is applied for cooking is the stuff of science. 

The biological and chemical changes are consequences of natural law – for our use since discovered millennia ago. Image from here.

My Studly Hubby-teacher often reminds me of the scientific basis of cooking.  He has a whole set of Alton Brown dvds (purchased for his classroom with a grant). 

Back to the natural stuff – if you remove a fertilized egg from the warmth (heat) of the nest it dies.  But if you keep it cold in a refrigerator, its physical status is preserved or deterioration is slowed significantly.  And then, to improve the taste of the egg, high heat is used to cook it or change the physical properties from liquid (yoke) and gel-like (white) to solid (solidity determined by how long and high the heat was applied). 

 

I encourage you to teach your child some science in the kitchen.  [The kind of science that is not on her IEP.]  This post includes a few more adaptations to cooking eggs.

 

  What child would not want to watch this? 

 

 

Effects of Case Law on Healthcare Insurance Rights

 

 

The Attorney presenting on (Texas) Medicaid spent a large portion of the time referencing a settlement between Alberto N. (et al) vs. A.H. (Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services) and J.H. (Commissioner of the Texas Department of Aging and disability Services).  The case is referred to as ‘Alberto N.’ for short. 

Interpreting my data, the first two posts on the presentation by this attorney are not very popular among my readers, so I will promise this one is the last.  At the same time, if you support the concept of universal care, understanding Medicaid and all other precursor programs, well, makes sense to me. 

 

Meet me at the World Congress on Disabilities!

 

 

My presentation to speak at the next
World Congress on Disabilities
has been accepted!

If you have any means or reason to visit Dallas, Texas [giving yourself a pre-Thanksgiving break from shoveling your driveway] – come on down! 

 

 

Appealing Denials from Medicaid

  

The attorney presenting on (Texas) Medicaid gave clear information on appealing a denial for therapy services and equipment for children with diagnoses. 

 

However, she had no nada zero zip answer for me for how to appeal denials outright lack of response to billing Medicaid for my services.  

 

 

(Again, from my notes…)

 

However, all states are required to have protection and advocacy agencies (protection and advocacy for Medicaid recipients).  She referred to this comprehensive site for information.  [Or was it this site for comprehensive information?]