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An Alternative to Interactive Metronome For My Child
An Alternative to Interactive Metronome For My ChildY.S. Brobst, M.A. Copyright 2002. All Rights Reserved.
Are you looking for a home-based alternative to Interactive Metronome? Interactive Metronome improves a person's timing. For more information on Interactive Metronome, visit http://www.interactivemetronome.com/.
My younger child had trouble keeping up with other children. He has hypotonia. Hypotonia is a condition of decreased muscle tone. We instituted an intensive physical program that addressed his hypotonia. However, that was not adequate for his needs. He still had difficulty with rhythm as he was constantly running behind other children. Majority of the time, his timing was off and it was evident. Keeping up with other children was one of our goals for him.
One Christmas time, my sister gave my children a Playstation I gift for Christmas. I was thrilled because it was our first video game console for the family. On the other hand, I was also cautious because I knew how many children can get addicted to video games. Video game time was constrained so it did not affect homework and socialization time. The Playstation was stationed in our garage with an old 13" color TV in order for our children's friends from the neighborhood to have easy access to it.
About two years later, this year in the summer, my oldest child was invited to a Birthday Party. He came home and informed me about this Playstation game that the attendees enjoyed. It was called Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). I hardly recalled what DDR was all about. However, when he described it to me, it brought to mind that years earlier at one of my child's birthday parties, a group of teenagers were playing the arcade version at the San Diego Family Fun Center (now called Boomers).
As I pondered for several days about this DDR and as my child was pressuring me to buy it, I thought, "Wow! This would be great for my other child! Rhythm! Yes, it will improve his rhythm!" The muscles on his legs and hips are mostly affected by his hypotonia. If I obtained this, it would in point of fact be an investment.
So, I set out to purchase the DDR at Gamestop in our little community of Mira Mesa. I purchased another refurbished Playstation I for our family room TV plus the DDR Playstation CD by Konamix and a Beat Pad by MadCatz. The total cost of the items was reasonable.
During the first week, my oldest child played the DDR ceaselessly. My younger child did not want to do anything with it. Eventually, when I demonstrated to him how to play it in a gratifying way, he started using DDR everyday. It did develop his rhythm -- at a lesser price. Our goal of having him keep up with other children had become a reality. Would we still consider the Interactive Metronome in the future? Absolutely, for those areas that the DDR could not address.
A few months later, we purchased another Beat Pad by MadCatz. Two people were able to play DDR which made it more entertaining and appealing for our younger child. It was remarkable to see two people synchronized in movements.
Visit the Google search on DDR.
Article created on November 27, 2002 in San Diego, CA.