Blog Layout

National Adoption Month: Malachi's Story (PMC Gives Back

November 18, 2024

National Adoption Month: Malachi's Story


*Thank you to Cortney for sharing her fostering experience with San Mar and with the adoption process in Maryland!

What can you share about your experience fostering through San Mar?


"Fostering through San Mar has been a wonderful experience. All of the caseworkers are supportive which is why we chose to foster with San Mar in the first place. Having a caseworker who truly cares about you and whoever is placed in our home has made a world of difference in our time as foster parents. I am sure that being licensed with San Mar is the reason we are coming up on our seventh year licensed. I know that no matter what they will help us take care of whatever is going on, be a listening ear, and a helping hand in whatever situation. They go above and beyond which gives such a peace of mind in all of the ups and downs of foster care. They make us feel seen, heard and valued. Our caseworkers feel like part of the family because they truly become invested in us. We love being foster parents with San Mar and can't imagine being foster parents with anyone else."

What are some ways that San Mar prepares you to be a foster parent?


"San Mar does a great job making sure we are trained to deal with whatever comes our way. We get training on trauma, attachment, working with birth families, how to navigate IEPs or medication, plus so much more. If we don't feel prepared for something right at that moment, I know that I can call the caseworker and she will be right there to help us through and figure out our next steps. Every child is different and every case presents its own challenges, so it feels encouraging to know that we are not alone and we have caseworker to bounce ideas off of. Our training is always evolving to accommodate new statistics and challenges that foster parents face. We are required to get a minimum of ongoing training hours every year which is offered in a variety of ways."

In addition to your fostering experience, you have also been through the process of adoption in Maryland. What was that like?



"One thing I think needs to be noted:  Our adoption was actually through the county where Malachi was born. San Mar doesn't have any part of the adoption process other than playing a support role.


We got the call for Malachi when he was almost four months old. He was a preemie, born at 24 weeks, still in the NICU needing someone to give him specialized care. We were so excited and nervous to go meet him and bring him home. He required a lot of follow up specialty appointments. In the first couple of months we never even thought adoption would be an option for him. He had visitation with not only his birth mom, but also his maternal grandmother. As the months went on we formed a good relationship with his mother. Our relationship continued to grow through the years of Malachi being placed in our home. Ultimately, Malachi's birth mom asked us if we would be willing to adopt him and give him the life she thought he deserved. After almost four years of him being our son, he legally became ours on November 17th of 2023. Adoption holds a special place in my heart. It has been such a privilege to be Malachi's mom and to call him our son.His smile lights up every room he is in and his laugh is contagious. He is an amazing, strong, silly, smart, and brave little boy, who I know will do incredible things in his life. Adoption isn't perfect, it is beautiful and messy, but I cannot imagine a life without Malachi."

What an incredible story. What has your experience been like at PMC?


"Malachi started receiving therapy at PMC three years ago. He has had physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. We have loved all of his therapists, two of which he has been seeing since he started. I think it is amazing how much they have been able to watch him grow throughout the years. All of his therapists are supportive, helping me figure out ways to help him in his everyday life, and always hear my concerns. Malachi looks forward to seeing Connor, Justin, and Hillary every week. He loves them and talks about them outside of therapy. Prior to going to PMC, he wasn't progressing the way we hoped he would. As soon as we started therapy, we saw so many improvements and they had him walking in about four months. I see so much value in bringing him to PMC. We are so thankful for all that they have done for our son. PMC holds a special place in our hearts."

If you are interested in learning more about foster care in Washington County, MD, please check out San Mar's website for more information.

A Sensory Approach to Picky Eating

November 18, 2024
A Sensory Approach to Picky Eating If you have a child who is a selective eater, be sure to read and follow up with one of our awesome OT’s, SLP’s and RD. They are a fabulous team that can help you and your kiddo work through this challenge. Let’s start with some general nutrition guidelines: PROTEIN - choose lean proteins when possible, such as lean ground beef, lean poultry, eggs, beans, unsalted nuts/seeds. FRUITS/VEGETABLES - fresh is best, but canned, frozen, and dried fruits/veggies are great options. Look for fruits canned in their own juices or veggies labeled low sodium. GRAINS - whole grains are the best choice. Whole grain bread (whole wheat is 1st ingredient), oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, and rice are all great possibilities. DAIRY- choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products. *If you have any questions, MyPlate.Gov is a great resource.

Get Crafty with Christmas Food

November 14, 2024
Get Crafty with Christmas Food Tis the season to enjoy all the wonderment of the holiday! While the kids are off of school, you may be looking for projects for them. We always like to play with our food here at PMC. Check out the following list of easy-to-do activities that involve food and fun!

The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes

November 13, 2024
The Developmental Benefits of Tumbling Classes Here at the Pediatric Movement Center, our recreational classes are fun, social movement opportunities for children of all ages to play in a safe and secure space. But tumbling and gymnastics classes offer so many benefits, both physical and mental, for young children. Whether you are looking at our Ninja classes or Adaptive Gymnastics, you can be assured that our approach to recreation is developmentally beneficial for all individuals. Here are 5 benefits of gymnastics and tumbling classes: Physical Fitness Physical benefits of tumbling and gymnastics include flexibility, core strength, cardiovascular health and stamina, join health, and disease prevention. Jumping, balance, leg lifts and triple flexion (ankle, knee and hip) are just a few movements that are beneficial. Tumbling and gymnastics also includes a variety of poses that are helpful for strength and flexibility, such as lunges , bicycle, butterfly stretch, and forward rolls. 2. Cognitive Development Tumbling and gymnastics can improve focus, decision making and problem solving, as well as self-discipline and mental toughness. Gymnastic routines often are similar to memorizing dance sequences, where the individual has to memorize a series of movements in a certain order and on a particular timeline. Coordination of different poses that require full body strength (such as cartwheels or forward rolls) also require particular focus and mind-body connection. 3. Social Skills One of the best things about childrens' movement classes is the social aspect. Our recreational classes are a space for children to have fun and play with other kids. Our classes are inclusive, allowing children of different sensory and behavioral needs to be part of the group, and enabling children of different physical abilities to engage with other children. Waiting for your turn on the balance beam or celebrating a friends' success when they do a handstand for the first time are just a few social benefits of tumbling classes. 4. Confidence Self-discipline and mental toughness can play an important role in self-confidence. Our play-based classes are led by instructors devoted to supporting students through positive reinforcement. When children are given the space to try new or challenging physical activity, their confidence often increases through their success in trying something that they couldn't accomplish before. 5. Injury Prevention Just like many NFL players engage in ballet or pilates to cross-train during the off-season, so too can student athletes and kids playing multiple sports use tumbling and gymnastics as a great way to benefit other sports activities. Stretching, full body strengthening balance and coordination techniques are just a few benefits of tumbling classes that will also benefit kids engaging in other sports. Interested in learning more about our recreational classes? Check out our current class schedule for more information!

What is Feeding Therapy?

November 13, 2024
What is Feeding Therapy?

What is Apraxia?

November 11, 2024
What is Apraxia? Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. Childhood apraxia of speech is a rare, but lifelong disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to move their mouth muscles in order to speak. The important thing to note about Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is that the child knows what they want to say, but may struggle with connecting the brain to the muscles that must accompany speech. Unlike other forms of childhood speech problems, CAS is not a disorder that can be outgrown. Children with CAS must receive treatment in order to make any progress with speech. Signs of CAS in children older than 3 years old include: - not pronouncing words the same way every time - putting the stress on the wrong syllable or word in a sentence or sequence of words - distortions in sounds - ease with shorter words and struggle with longer words Speech therapy for CAS focuses on strengthening the muscle groups required to speak - included facial and oral structures. This part of speech language therapy is referred to as speech motor planning and programming . SLP's will focus on techniques and activities that strengthen the lips, tongue, soft palate, jaw and vocal folds - to help the child learn when to activate and move each at the right time and in the right order, so that words are pronounced and produced accurately. Children with CAS may also struggle with fine motor skills, delayed language, and problems with reading, spelling and writing. If you have questions about CAS and want to learn more about what speech therapy services we can provide at PMC, please reach out today.

Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation

November 11, 2024
Communicating Emotions: Zones of Regulation Most children, especially neurodiverse children, struggle at some point with communicating emotions. Children with speech and language delays, and children who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC devices), may also struggle with frustration when trying to communicate how they are feeling. One strategy that pediatric therapists can utilize to help children communicate emotions is a technique known as the Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation consists of four colored zones: Blue, Green, Yellow and Red. Each zone provides a visual for different kinds of feelings and energy levels. Organizing emotions into four simple sections can be a helpful visual for children, allowing them to communicate their emotions by simply pointing to one of the color blocks that hold the emotions they are feeling.
Show More
Share by: