Annie Lyon Therapies

11/07/2024

10/05/2024

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=561999619555182&set=a.192496356505512&type=3

"We did not stage this photo.
Months ago, we removed screen time from our kids. Why? Because my precious babies were acting like demogorgons. And Mama don't play.
We'd only allowed an hour a day, but still, the screens apparently muted their creativity, caused grumpiness, fighting and whining. I was not into it. So, we pulled the plug, literally.
They protested for a hot minute and then we all moved on. I could not believe how easy it was. Seriously, it was like I had my kids back.
I watched my kids go from screen-dependent to cooperatively playing, creating and even making their own 'school.' I couldn't believe how easy it was.
Certainly, technology can be useful in its right place...but after a quick assessment of my babies' behavior, I knew we needed a technology overhaul.
A few Saturdays into our screen detox, my kids woke up one by one and saw my husband and I reading in bed. They grabbed their own books and joined us. At restaurants they bring a stack of books instead of propped ipads. My daughter has grown five reading levels in seven months.
I can't recommend a family screen overhaul enough."
Also read 👇
https://nirfox.com/a-mother-composed-a-book-for-her-three-year-old-daughter-who-was-deaf-and-felt-upset-by-the-lack-of-stories-concerning-cochlear-implants/
Credit Molly DeFrank
[𝘋𝘔 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭]
Follow Us ℕ𝕚𝕣𝕗𝕠𝕩
🐾☘️🪶🍂🌿🍁🌾

10/05/2024

Long post but worth the read, especially in a time we need hope that God is very much still with us…

I watched a video recently of Charlotte Helene Fien, a young British woman with Down Syndrome, address the UN about the prolific practice in increasingly more countries of aborting humans in the womb who have an extra chromosome. I am not here to discuss abortion. I’m here to tell the story of an encounter I had recently with the Holy Spirit because of another young lady with Down Syndrome.

I’ve had the privilege of working with a family for several years who have a (now 12 yo) daughter with DS. We’ll call her Missy for the purposes of this story. Her family, especially her mom, work tirelessly to make sure she lives the best life possible. Doctors have said her life will be shortened by the disorder so anything that she enjoys or that will benefit her is pursued.

Missy is considered profoundly cognitively impaired, nonverbal, and has learned to walk in just the last few years. She is constantly on the move, but it appears to be mostly “non purposeful” movement (she has a purpose, we’re just not always sure what it is). She is rarely still, wandering around in her environment and activating noisy toys or just generally seeking sensation.

And Missy loves music. Loves it.

We began capitalizing on that love with a therapeutic modified music program designed to increase attention, among other benefits. It requires over the ear headphones and Missy occasionally tolerates them for 10-12 minutes but will push them off her ears every 1-2. Most often, they are off altogether within a minute.

Her speech pathologist had been working with Missy to use a communication device with the two basic concepts of “more” and “all done,” and during one session I asked Mom if there were any songs I didn’t know about she may be willing to listen to on the headphones. One that we could stop a few times to have her use the device to tell us if she wanted more music or she was all done with the headphones. Mom said she loves Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin at night to go to sleep.

So, Good Good Father was queued up and we put the headphones over her ears.

Reader, the Holy Spirit showed up in that room right then. I have rarely felt anything that strongly just PRESENT. There was no denying God was in that room with us.

His precious child went completely still, sitting on the floor with her head down and barely moving the entire four minutes of the song. We played it again with a stop every 30 seconds or so. Consistent use of the “more” button on her device each time we stopped it. You could practically reach out and touch God in that moment, He was so present. And Missy had rarely been so clear in her communication…she wanted more music and more Jesus. I don’t think we could have pried those headphones off her ears with a crowbar!

I choked back tears, and even now I’m tearing up.

May we never take for granted the privilege of witnessing the miracles God hath wrought and may we all strive to love our children the way He loves us. Missy’s very life is a miracle of the highest order, and her parents care for her a reflection of all that is good, worthy, and holy. So grateful for their example to us all!

« You can try to kill off everyone with Down syndrome by using abortion but you won’t be any closer to a perfect society. You will just be closer to a cruel,...

09/21/2024

🍽️

Genetics influence how adventurous or fussy a child is about food, the large study suggests.

08/14/2024

Happy first day of school to those who celebrate! 🎉

Reminiscing about the first day of Kindergarten for our youngest when I sobbed so hard in the hallway someone asked me if they needed to call someone for me! 😂

If your child struggles with school, feel free to reach out to see how we can help!!

08/13/2024

Making fruit kebabs is a GREAT way to develop bilateral coordination skills, i.e., using both hands to accomplish a task like buttoning or handwriting.

Bilateral coordination falls under the umbrella of praxis, or having the ability to do three things:

1) conceptualize something you want to do,
2) plan and organize the task
3) use your body to execute it successfully

In addition to the kids developing motor skills in this activity, making fruit kebabs to take home for their whole families helps them learn to love and consider others, just like Jesus tells us to! ❤️

08/07/2024

Adversity really can lead to amazing success! All in how you frame it!

Born in Oklahoma, Kenny was placed in foster care after experiencing abuse and neglect. After months of moving in and out of foster homes, Kenny felt afraid for where he might end up. Thankfully, Mary met Kenny and adopted him at age 4.

Though Kenny had the stability of a permanent, loving family, as a child, he struggled with the impact of being in foster care. He had difficulty processing his emotions and trusting those around him. As a response to the experiences he had been through, he’d sometimes act out in anger or frustration.

“When I was in high school, I loved sports, but I also had a lot of feelings of insecurity and a lack of belonging,” recalled Kenny. “I always said I wanted to be an Olympian, but I think at the time, I wasn’t really thinking about what that required. I was just going through the motions.”

When Kenny discovered track and field, he unlocked a new part of himself. He finally had a way to channel his energy into a positive and productive outlet. He defied the odds and started breaking records while running track there, quickly going pro.

Most recently, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events.

In all of Kenny’s success to date, he credits his past with driving him forward.

“Every single previous version of me is still a part of me, including the trauma from my childhood. I own my past and my present,” said Kenny. “I am who I am, and I’ve achieved what I’ve achieved by buckling down and doing the really tough work — work on myself, working through emotional trauma and setbacks, and tough, hard work on the track.”

His message to those touched by foster care and adoption is one of hope.

“I want to inspire others and those who may have similar experiences and promote safety and stability for all children,” said Kenny.

Shared by Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

07/31/2024

Sarah R. Moore, Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting ❤

07/26/2024

Except not this good…

07/23/2024

🥺

07/22/2024

Haven’t posted much on social media since starting Annie Lyon Therapies but wanted to reintroduce myself with Nine Things To Know!

07/03/2024

Five little dollars for potentially hundreds of dollars of fun!

Curated items from businesses in the Central, Kentucky area. The raffle will run until the AGC Golf Classic on Friday, August 2nd. Drawing will take place at the event. If not present, prizes will be distributed the following week.