disabilities – Jasmine's Beat®- An Adaptive Dance Company for Persons of All Abilities

What can you do when you see someone having a seizure or a fall?

Featured by Jasmine's Beat® Adaptive Dance, posted in Publications

by Amanda Bartley, B.S.-SLP, Adaptive Dance Instructor, Jasmine’s Beat

With summer around the corner and more people out and about, do you know how to spot a hazard? What if someone is having a seizure or a fall? While this does not include all the ways nor does it take the place of a medical personnel, this is a way to be informed in such a situation.

Seizures:

Seizure onset:

Generalized- electrical activity affects both sides of the brain at the same time.

Focal- can start in one specific area or group of cells in one side of the brain.

Unknown- the beginning of the seizure is unknown.

Awareness level:

A person can be awake and alert during seizure activity.

A person can be confused or their awareness is affected during seizure activity.

Movement activity:

Clonus movements: sustained rhythmic jerking movements

Atomic movements: muscles become weak or limp

Tonic movements: muscles become tense or rigid

Myoclonic movements: muscles twitch briefly.

*Seizures without motor symptoms are absence seizures.

What to do if a person is having a seizure:

1. Move nearby objects out of the way

2. Make the person as comfortable as possible.

3. If they appear to be choking, turn them on their side.

4. Know when to call 911

A. if a seizure is longer than 5 minutes

B. If a person has one seizure right after another without regaining consciousness.

C. If the person has trouble breathing

D. If the person is choking

E. If the person becomes injured

F. If the seizure occurs in water

G. If the person asks for medical assistance.

What NOT to do

1. Leave the person alone

2. Put any object in their mouth

3. Hold the person down.

Falls

If a person falls:

In a healthcare setting- contact nursing staff to complete necessary transfers

And is able to move with no apparent acute injury- assist them to roll onto their side, stomach, or assist them to sit upright.

When the person is upright or on their hands and knees:

1. Fasten a gait belt around their torso.

2. Bring a chair to the participant

3. A profession will help assist the person to stand.

4. Once the person is standing, assist them to the nearby chair.

5. Call medical personnel.

Student of the Season-Reagan!

Featured by Jasmine's Beat® Adaptive Dance, posted in About Us

Reagan is a sophomore at Wakeland
High School who loves dancing, signing, music, traveling, and theater. He especially loves combining what he learns in one with the others. Tap dance is his favorite to do and ballet is his favorite to watch.

Dance has helped Reagan with motor planning and spatial awareness. It has also provided opportunities to expand social skills and connect with others. It’s also great exercise and helps him with gross and fine motor movements but in a way that is fun! He really enjoys Ms. Jasmine’s laugh and how she had fun with him when she teaches. Reagan has been an Adaptive Bollywood dancer and danced in Adaptive Theater shows choreographed by Ms Jasmine as well! We love all the opportunities Reagan has taken on!

Student of the Season- Meet Ava!

Featured by Jasmine's Beat® Adaptive Dance, posted in About Us

Ava is a burst of sunshine and loves to make us laugh during our Adaptive Fusion Dance classes at Next Step Dance at The Star in Frisco with Jasmine’s Beat! She is a committed dancer who is especially fond of her twin sister, Olivia, and her parents. Her mom, Angela tells us, “During pregnancy, we were diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, which is an uneven share of the placenta in identical twin pregnancies in which the 2 babies share one placenta. As such, the girls were born at 28 weeks and during the NICU stay, Ava presented with PVL on a later head ultrasound. In turn, we were told this could result in Cerebral Palsy, but it may not cause any issues. At around age 2, Ava was diagnosed with CP, and we have been on this journey ever since. Our train of thought is to give Ava every opportunity to be the best she can be! A CP diagnosis can cover a broad spectrum of symptoms from walking with just a slight limp to being non-verbal and without any form of independent mobility. Ava mainly presents with difficulties with her motor skills both fine and gross, impacting her ability to walk and write. She continues to get stronger every day and just let us know she loves her wheelchair!

Ava loves playing Uno and games with her family, swimming, going to school (she and Liv are in the same Kindergarten class!) pretty much everything a 6 year old loves! She likes dance because she loves music and loves to try new things!

Ava wants to be a teacher or vet when she grows up.”