CatherineDunbar, Author at Resource Library - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

The exercises in this booklet will be great to use with your child in many different situations. They can be done as part of their bedtime routine, before a hospital appointment, or during a procedure – anytime you feel appropriate. There is no right answer about when is the best time to do them....

This resource has been designed to help you remember the exercises your therapist has taught and practised with you. The exercises should be done slowly. If you have any questions, please contact your therapist: on 0114 271 7227. Finger exercises Please spend minutes doing the exercises times a day....

Putty can be used to improve movement and strength of the hand, wrist and forearm. It can be moved into various shapes to complete exercises which will be tailored to you by your therapist. The putty must be used as shown. Please only do the exercises marked. The putty is available in a range...

The best pencil grip is a comfortable grip that allows the hands and fingers to move freely when writing. Some children, however, hold their pencil very tightly and often press heavily on the page. As a result, a child may write in a slow and effortful manner and the hand may become tired and...

Problems with sleep are very common for children and young people with chronic health conditions. Sleep is essential for your health and wellbeing, and it improves your energy. Not having enough sleep can make symptoms such as pain feel worse. It can also affect your mood and reduce concentration...

Fine motor co-ordination involves the ability to control the small muscles of the body, in particular the hands. Some children and young people find fine motor activities more difficult than their peers for a number of reasons. Your child may have hypermobile joints (bendy with a weak grip). They...

Fine motor co-ordination involves the ability to control the small muscles of the body, in particular the hands. Some children find fine motor activities more difficult than their peers for a number of reasons.  Your child may have hypermobile joints (bendy with a weak grip). They will tire more...

How can I help look after my joints? When you have arthritis, it is important to look after your joints. The most important thing you can do is keep taking your medications regularly as prescribed by your Rheumatologist and nurses. As well as taking the medications, there are other things that you...

Making time in the day to take a break from activities and help your body to relax is a helpful way in managing your condition. There are lots of different ways to relax and they take practice to do. Here are some ideas you might like to try. Good resting is about: setting aside regular…...

Therapy exercises This material has been designed to help you remember the exercises your therapist has taught and practised with you. The exercises should be done slowly. If you have any problems doing the exercises please contact your therapist on the details below. Thumb exercises Thumb touches...

Therapy exercises This material has been designed to help you remember the exercises your therapist has taught and practised with you. The exercises should be done slowly. If you have any problems doing the exercises please contact your therapist on the details below Wrist exercises (active) Please...

Muscle strength of the hands and fingers increases as children grow. Everyday activities such as getting dressed, using cutlery, playing with toys or scribbling with crayons all help to develop and strengthen the muscles of the hands and fingers. Try to encourage your child to carry out everyday...

This resource is intended to explain the importance of attending eye screening appointments following a diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Why do we offer eye screening to children with a diagnosis of JIA? Some children with JIA will also get inflammation in their eyes. Unfortunately,...

This resource has been written by rheumatology patients at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and is designed to help you manage having regular injections. What is an injection? An injection is putting medicine under the skin using a small needle. Why do I have to have injections? Some medicines are...

This resource is intended to provide you with information about growing pains. What are growing pains? Growing pains are pains, discomfort or aches that your child may complain of which occur mainly in the legs at night. They are mostly seen in children of the primary school age group. They are very...

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis and physical activity Our aim is to support all our children and young people with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) to enable them to regularly take part in physical activity. This may be PE (physical education) or extracurricular sport and includes contact sport. We...

This material is intended to provide you with information about your child’s diagnosis of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). What is JDM? JDM is a condition which mainly affects the muscles and skin, but can affect other parts of the body. The word juvenile means this condition appears in...