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Baby-CIMT Arm and Hand Adventure: A Tool to Customize Play Activities

Kids Brain Health Network logoMake your own Baby-CIMT program with a curated list of activities

Baby CIMT logo

Welcome to the Baby-CIMT Arm and Hand Adventure: A Tool to Customize Play Activities!

Acknowledgements:

This website was made possible through the collaborative efforts of healthcare practitioners and researchers across Canada: 

  • Sophie Lam-Damji, Liz Cambridge, Bisman Mangat, Darcy Fehlings, Lauren Switzer (Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital)
  • Christine Marchessault, Scott Thieu (IWK Health)
  • Catherine Scott (Janeway Children’s Rehabilitation Centre)
  • Melissa Myers (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)
  • Giannoula Mentakis (Montreal Children’s Hospital)
  • Melanie Gagnon (CHU Sainte-Justine)
  • Paige Kirby (Rehabilitation Centre for Children)
  • Charlotte Henderson (Saskatchewan Health Authority)
  • Kathleen O’Grady (Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital)
  • Keith O’Connor (BC Children’s Hospital)

Instructions:

To customize your Baby-CIMT program: 

If you want the SAME level(s) of difficulty for one or more helper hand skills

  • Select one or more helper hand skills (required)
  • Select level(s) of difficulty (required)
  • Select one or both types of toys/activities (required)
  • Press “Apply Filter” and then “Generate Program” to generate the program

If you want DIFFERENT levels of difficulty for helper hand skills

  • Select a helper hand skill with the desired level of difficulty and type of toys/activities and  then press "Apply Filter"
  • Select the next helper hand skill and desired level of difficulty and type of toys/activities and then press “Apply Filter”
  • Repeat until all helper hand skills and desired levels of difficulty are added
  • Press “Generate Program” to generate the program

If you want the entire program, select all helper hand skills, all levels of difficulty, and all types of play activities and press “Apply Filter” and then “Generate Program”.

You may edit the program by deleting any activities that you do not want. When you are satisfied with the program, press “Print” to save it.  

Filter Selection
Helper Hand Skill (Select one or more)

*See program at bottom of page

 

Baby-CIMT Program:

When to do Baby-CIMT:

Choose a time when the infant can play uninterrupted; such as, when the infant is fed, alert, and there are minimal distractions.

Positioning:

Adult:

  • Sit in front of the infant or to the side of the infant’s helper hand.
  • If holding the infant, hold with helper hand out and dominant hand tucked between the infant and the adult to encourage using the helper hand.

Infant:

  • Sitting
    • Ensure that the infant is stable and in midline.
    • If infant is unstable, consider using rolled towels in highchair or infant carrier seat.
  • Side Lying
    • Position with the helper hand on top so the infant will be able to use the helper hand to reach and play
  • Supine (infant lying on back)
    • Use blocking techniques to encourage reaching with the helper hand.
    • An example is holding the infant’s dominant hand gently or using some of the suggested techniques below on blocking the dominant hand. 
  • Standing
    • Depending on the infant’s stability, encourage weight bearing through the dominant hand at a support surface such as wall or coffee table to promote reaching and playing with the helper hand.
    • If stable on feet, use blocking techniques to gently block the infant’s dominant hand when standing at a bench/child table with close adult stand-by supervision. The infant may have difficulty getting the helper hand out to protect themselves if the infant falls.

Playing with Infant:

  • Show the infant how you want the infant to play with the toy.
  • Present the toy in front of the infant, and on the helper hand side.
  • Give one toy at a time, remove each toy before introducing another toy.
  • Wait for the infant to use the helper hand to play with the toy.
  • Give positive feedback immediately to encourage the infant to repeat the play (smile, clap, praise).
  • If the infant does not play with the toy, change how you present the toy or give a different toy.
  • Provide minimal assistance to demonstrate how to play with the toy. Withdraw the assistance as the
    infant demonstrates the ability to play with the toy.
  • To keep the infant engaged with fresh and novel toys, put together a bin of toys that is only brought out when
    doing the Baby-CIMT program.
  • Play with the toy yourself before offering it to the infant so you are familiar with what helper hand skills are
    needed.

Blocking the Preferred Dominant Hand:

  • Position the infant in sitting on the adult’s lap so the infant’s dominant hand is behind the adult and their helper hand is free to access the toy. 
  • Physically block the infant’s dominant hand by using a sock, mitten, clipping the end of a onesie, etc.