F-Words: Friends

As a parent, it can be easy to miss the importance of incorporating friendships and social-emotional development into your child's therapy goals much earlier.... In the beginning, there's such a strong focus on early intervention and neuroplasticity that it's easy to put friendships on the back burner. 

Now I see that mobility and fitness are gateways to meaningful social interaction and overall quality of life.... For example, to start incorporating high-fives into our child's routine to help him communicate with his friends and teachers. It’s so rewarding to see him participate and feel involved. 

It is important to remember that participation means being involved in life, whether it's simply being present or actively interacting... As parents and health professionals, we need to ensure that the therapies we choose contribute to our children's ability to be involved in meaningful experiences and friendships... 

We need to be careful not to let therapy take away from opportunities to make friends.