Ruby is rockin' and rollin' through PT each and every day! Once a week the therapist from Babies Can't Wait comes here to the house to check in with her progress and give us some new exercises, and then I do a 'session' with her at least a few times during our day the rest of the week.
The main thing Ruby is working on right now is tummy time. Just like all babies, the goal is to strengthen her neck, back and core muscles to prepare for play, forward movement, and sitting up. The difference right now is that Ruby's low muscle tone does not set her up well to get into 'successful' positioning for tummy time. Babies typically get their arms and hands under their face and chest to push up. Babies with Down syndrome usually lack enough tone in the chest muscles to get their arms/hands there, so we work to place them there for her, allowing her muscles to strengthen in the process. We use all kinds of fun little props (a ramp, the exercise ball, rolled up towels, and cut-down pool noodles) to help her with this. This morning I grabbed a few seconds of video because when I put her down on the ground without any props, she still lifted pretty well and even made 'eye contact' with the camera, AND she placed her arms/hands underneath her chin all on her own!
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