Carly Messner is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with ten years of experience in the field. “Occupational Therapy is super broad; that’s why I love it. It’s very holistic,” she says. “In short, Occupational Therapy is helping people reach their potential.
Carly is confident she'll never get bored doing this work. She has hard days, but she loves what she does. “My job is super rewarding. I don’t just feel good about it now and then, I consistently feel like I am making a difference,” she says. Creating positive connections with parents and their children – getting to know their family, their struggles, and their achievements – is part of what gets Carly out of bed to keep making a positive impact.
Overcoming Modern Day Challenges
In the last decade, core strength in children has been on the decline. Infants are spending more time in car seats and bouncers. Toddlers are spending more time on screens. Children are spending less time playing outside. Because core strength is a fundamental building block for higher-level skills, the effect of its decline has rippled through schools and can manifest as difficulty with handwriting, being fidgety in class, and poor coordination. Usually, these problems are not linked back to deficient core strength, so treatment is often ineffective.
The key is early intervention.
Carly introduces babies to the Strider Rocking Bike to help build and improve their skills. Once infants get onto the bike, they have to engage core strength to rock back and forth. Their hips, knees, and ankles are in a flex position, which helps build their stabilizer muscles to sit up for daily activities.
Meeting Children Where They Are
Carly considers all aspects of a child’s wellness. Perhaps they are struggling with making friends, unable to sit in the classroom and get their work done, or having trouble reaching a new milestone. “There are aspects of physical exercise, mental health, general health and wellness, and even socioeconomic factors that play into a child’s situation,” she explains.
“I meet them where they’re at, find out where they’re struggling, and help them achieve their goal.”
Strider Bikes were also instrumental when Carly worked in outpatient pediatric clinics. Many of her clients with autism or sensory issues had trouble transitioning from one thing to the next. Her clients would have meltdowns, and it would be difficult to persuade them to leave her office. Carly decided to bring a Strider Bike and place it by the door. Instead of making broad statements like, “it’s almost time to go home,” she would say, “it’s almost time to get on the bike.” The kids started to look forward to riding the bike out the door. She tells us, “That made all the difference in the world.”
Focusing on Infant Development
Carly integrates a wide range of toys and activities in her work. Many of her youngest clients are part of South Dakota’s Birth to Three Program and experience delays in developmental milestones, such as learning to feed themselves. Many of these fundamental skills in children are dependent on their core strength and trunk stability.
“The Strider Rocking Bike is really nice because you can start them as soon as six months, wherever they’re at, and get them comfortable with a familiar tool they will grow with,” Carly says.
Sessions with infants usually last about forty-five minutes. Carly uses the stable base to work with the child on weight shifting and trunk control to get on the bike. Guardians are asked to get involved by sitting in front of their child, gently rocking the base, and making eye contact. When the rocking stops, the baby usually signals they want more, and Carly loves to see giggles and engagement between the two. “It’s a fun, easy, accessible thing for mom and baby to do,” she says, all while working towards their developmental goals.
Engaging Families in the Process
Starting younger children on the Strider Rocking Bike has helped Carly transition them to a 12 Balance Bike to continue working on balance, coordination, and core strength as they grow. One of the biggest benefits of using a Strider Bike as a tool for developmental milestones, versus other toys and activities, is its inherent motivation for getting families outside together. When she shows up with a Strider Bike, kids are excited about getting out, and it usually draws families out to watch what their child is doing and accomplishing.
To Carly, family engagement is vital to the success of children meeting their goals. She loves how Strider Bikes naturally do that without her having to push or convince them. “It doesn’t really matter the condition of the lawn or yard. Kids can ride in small spaces. We can get them out on a deck or even do it in an apartment. The kids have so much fun, and their caregivers are very proud,” she says. These are big and important moments for them all.
Strider Bikes Help Keep Kids Healthy and Happy
Balance bikes are used by professionals (like Carly!) in various types of therapy and are also beneficial in school settings and everyday life at home.
Here are some specific ways riding can improve the lives of children:
- Occupational Therapy: Riding creates a calming effect, which can help improve learning for children who may find it hard to sit still and focus.
- Physical Therapy: Regular use of balance bikes helps improve core strength, stability and spatial awareness.
- Speech Therapy: Special Education teachers who have incorporated Strider into their programs have noted increased confidence from riding balance bikes has played a role in improving communication skills and vocabulary.
- Behavioral Interventions: Using balance bikes as a reward has proven to be a positive incentive for helping kiddos focus on the task at hand. Additionally, a bike ride can be useful to avoid moments of agitation, providing needed stimulation to overcome challenging behaviors.
- Social Skills: Parents and professionals note the tremendous growth in social skills for kiddos who use balance bikes. Developing a skill that they can share with their peers improves confidence and, as a result, interactions with friends and family.
