382 chapter 42
EXERCISE INSTRUCTION SHEETS—For Giving To Parents
If you give the family pictures of the exercises that their child needs, they will be
more likely to do them—and do them right.
On the next few pages are samples of exercise sheets that you can copy and give to
families. They show some of the home exercises that we have found are needed most
often.
However, these exercise sheets should not be a substitute for hands-on
demonstration and guided practice. Instead, give them to the family after you teach
them how to do the exercises. In teaching an exercise or activity:
1. First show and explain.
2. Next have the family and child
practice until they do it right and
understand why.
3. Then give her the instruction
sheets and explain the main ideas
again.
4. For exercises to correct contractures,
consider giving the family a ‘flexikin’.
Show them how to measure and
record the child’s progress. This
lets them ‘see’ the child’s gradual
improvement, so they are likely to
work harder at the exercises. (See
“Flexikins” in Chapter 5.)
You may want to prepare more sheets showing other exercises, activities, or play
ideas that are included in this book. Better still, make sheets showing exercises and
activities in ways that fit your local customs and that help the child to take part in
the life of the community. (See Chapters 1 and 2.)
Disabled village Children