Sunday, 29 August 2010

Meet Nickolas… biker, camper, adventurer

Here's a great online magazine story about a ten year old boy, Nickolas, with Down syndrome who regularly rides quad bikes and camps with his adventure-loving family in the Californian desert. 

His Dad says ... " having a child with Down Syndrome has not stopped us from pursuing the things and activities we enjoy. For some families it may be Martial Arts, another Horseback Riding, and another, travel. For us it has been camping, riding, and other outdoor related activities. While we may have to make adjustments and slow down, we don’t give up on the things we enjoy. Eventually we find a way to accommodate and include Nickolas".  Read the full story and see the pictures here.

In the comments, Nickolas's father writes,

"We have alot of fun riding with the kids, and ironically, the comprehension, concentration, and fine motor skills, necessary to ride, are the same skills that we are working on in the classroom at school.

We have worked with numerous Child Behavioral Specialist’s, and they ALL say that riding a ATV “fires/triggers” all the same neurons in the brain, that we use in the classroom. They say that it is actually GOOD for him to ride, because he becomes very intense in his focus, and concentration, and as a result, he is able to “stay on task” for longer periods of time. They say that you couldn’t PAY for any better therapy!"

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