The popular gaming system, Sony’s Wii, is the heart of Breakthrough Therapy Services “Wii Habilitation,” a fun-filled, alternative therapeutic tool and curriculum utilized by our Speech-Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists. Wii Habilitation focuses on teaching children with delays, disabilities, and autism social interaction, communication skills, pragmatic skills, as well as assisting in the growth and development of fine and gross motor skills. One example of this cutting edge treatment used by Breakthrough occupational therapists includes activities geared to increase gains in children with motor deficits through coordinated movements with their extremities.
Wii therapy can calm or stimulate depending on the child’s needs. Occupational Therapy using our Wii Habilitation curriculum also develops simple fine motor finger isolation, such as pushing a button, optimizes hand wrist control, and maximizes visual motor planning. Occupational therapists gradually increase demands as the child progresses successfully with interactive tasks.
Speech-Language Pathologists use Wii Habilitation as a tool to increase receptive and expressive language. In order to play the Wii games the children have to follow directions as well as ask questions; like how to play and what buttons to press. If the child is non-verbal the use of augmentative and alternative communication is used such as picture communication symbols and/or gestures. Additionally, Wii Habilitation offers enormous opportunity for children to develop their “pragmatic” or “social interaction” skills. Sharing, taking turns, and the like, are all important in creating developmental breakthroughs in children’s Speech Therapy treatment.
Wii Habilitation also helps children develop verbal and social skills, especially in autistic children. Taking turns, playing together as a group, sharing, and expressing oneself verbally, as directed by the Speech Therapist, offers a unique and gratifying therapeutic experience for our pediatric patients. Wii Habilitation has been found to be a great speech and occupational alternative therapy treatment, or “tool,” which stimulates a positive connection in the children’s’ neuro-pathways connecting fun and play with real development of their social, motor, and communication skills. Whether as part of one’s occupational or speech therapy treatments, Wii Habilitation is but one of the alternative methods for achieving Speech and Occupational therapeutic goals. The Sun-sentinel authored a story about Breakthrough Therapy Center’s innovated Wii Habilitation and its creator Kimberly Bloom, MS, CCC-SLP, Director of Speech Therapy and Owner of Breakthrough Pediatric Therapy Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Please read this article for more:
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2009-04-02/news/0904010401_1_wii-games-nintendo-wii-autistic-kids
If you are looking for treatment for a child in need of speech or language therapy, occupational therapy, or if your child is living with a serious delay, disabilities, or Autism, contact Breakthrough Therapy Services of South Florida at (954) 474-8048. Contact our warm and friendly staff for a tour of our facility or to schedule your child’s evaluation today and be sure to bookmark our site and visit us for frequent updates.
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