Protective Response Safety

As newborns become infants, they have reflexes to help them keep balance. These safety responses can be seen when a baby is sitting in the floor. If they fall sideways, they’ll place their arm down to their side. If they fall backwards, hands go back; if they fall forward, hands go forward to catch them. These responses are learned as babies and follow us through adulthood.

• Balance Activities 0

• Kurt will negotiate a multi-step obstacle course (e.g., balance beam, ramp, curb, stairs, climbing equipment) for 5 repetitions, with moderate assistance, in 6 consecutive sessions, to increase safe participation at the playground. 0
• Jane will recover 80% to midline, from lateral perturbations, while sitting, 10 times over 5 sessions, to promote better righting reactions for floor time. 1
• Benny will sit in short sitting, maintaining midline, with Supervision assist, for 90 seconds over 5 sessions, to improve static sitting balance in class. 1
• Brady will get on and off of a raised surface with 25% min tactile support, in 3/4 opportunities to improve standing balancing skills, in 5 sessions. 0
• Jessica will bend down from standing to pick up 5 items with 90% accuracy within 3 days over the 4 consecutive weeks, to improve coordination. 1
• Jay will transition from short sit to stand with stand-by supervision and no UE support, 5 times per day, and 4 /5 days per week for 6 weeks to improve safe participation in indoor and outdoor activities. 0
• Darrel will reach to floor to pick an object off the ground and return to upright with no supervision in the short sit position, 5 time per day, 4 / 5 days per week, for 4 weeks, to improve safety during the classroom and playground activities. 0
• Kim will squat to pick up objects off the ground and return to upright with CGA and no UE supervision, 5 times per day, 4/5 times per week, for 2 months, to improve her gross motor skills and independence in the classroom. 0
• Kosta will pull to stand from a kneeling position, 5 x during the session with verbal cuing, to improve standing balance and core strength in 2 months. 0