Early Activity System User Manual
p9
families these can include improved
bonding and interaction with their
child
3,5,7
decreased anxiety
3,5
and
better information, resources and
support
4,8,9,10
Parents and therapists in partnership
Therapists alone are not able to
provide the level of extra help that
developmentally delayed infants
may need – simply because it is
parents and relatives who provide
24-hour care for their children. But
therapists do play a vital role in
assessing children’s developmental
needs and recommending activities
which will help them reach their next
developmental goals. And research
has shown that early intervention
programmes which combine a parent
and child focus have a greater impact
on the developmental outcomes of
the child
11
. So parents and families,
working together with therapists
towards agreed developmental goals
for their child, have the potential to
achieve the best results possible.
Playing with a purpose
So far we have talked about children’s
development, early intervention and
therapy. It can all sound very serious so
it’s easy to forget that the
“intervention” and “therapy” we are
talking about is simply play with a
purpose. Children with developmental
delay, just like any other children,
learn through play – in fact children
work harder on therapy goals when
they are having fun through play. So
don’t worry – as a parent, grandparent,
sister or brother, friend…..the list is
endless…..you will be able to help your
little one achieve his potential just by
understanding why you are playing
certain games in certain positions. We
will look at this in more detail later on.
The Early Activity System
At Leckey we have worked with
experienced therapists, used evidence
from published research studies, and
our own experience to develop the
Early Activity System. This modular
floor-based system is designed
to assist your child to improve his
physical, cognitive and sensory
abilities by encouraging play in five key
therapeutic positions. These are the
main positions in early development
which form the basis for later abilities.
The Early Activity System* is designed
to allow you to “mix and match”
positions and activities for your
child, ensuring the best possible
developmental start. Changing
positions is important, as this is
what allows your child to progress
independently at a later stage. The
aim is to allow your child to develop a
variety of movement skills, as well as
building strength and coordination.
(*Patent Pending)