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Tag: attention

Mealtime Wiggles

So frequently do I hear “my kid takes a bite to eat then leaves the table” or “my kid can’t sit still throughout his entire meal” creating a lengthy meal time and impacting positive mealtime dynamics. Here’s come tips and tricks for getting your child to sit for longer durations:

  • LOTS of heavy work right before meal time!
    • Helps get extra energy out right before having to sit down
    • Bear walks, wheelbarrow walks, rolling child up in a blanket like a burrito and then unrolling MANY times, frog hops, running and crashing into pillows/ blankets over and over, crawling over pillows/ blankets/ couch cushions thrown unevenly onto floor, inchworms, belly on ball arm walkouts, lifting or pushing heavy baskets
  • Wiggle cushion
    • Round or inclined textured cushions can help provide movement even while seated (can be purchased  on Amazon)
    • Can also place cushion on floor for child to stand and move on while remaining at table.
  • Weighted blanket or lap pad while seated; weighted shoulder wrap (also available on Amazon )
  • Boundary to maintain near table, even if not sitting.
    • Try a chair with arms on it
    • Provide painters tape boundary on floor for child to remain in during meal. Start off bigger and make boundary smaller as the child displays readiness. Be strict on maintaining in boundary area throughout meal.
    • Can provide sensory movement items in this area.
  • Thera-band wrapped around chair leg
    • Child can push legs/feet to fidget on band while sitting
  • Allow child to stand and eat if that’s what is needed to remain near table
  • Wobble stool (available on Amazon)
    • Only use if child has enough core stability and safety awareness
    • Ensure table height matches with chair height
    • Better for older children
  • Stabilize those little feet!
    • Stabilizing the feet will help to stabilize the core. When our core is not stable, our attention is overall decreased and chewing can become a chore.
  • Textures or fidgets
    • Attach velcro textures under table or chairs
    • Special “meal only” fidgets to play with and only while sitting or standing right at table
  • List of discussion topics for family to engage in
    • Talk about feelings  throughout day, favorite/ worst moments
    • Distraction is a great way to enhance attention
  • Have child walk around with weighted backpack for up to x20 minutes prior to meal
    • Can wear while helping set table
  • Timer
    • See how long the child can tolerate sitting, then lengthen the timer just a bit longer. When sitting for timer duration is easily attainable for child, adjust timer for a slightly longer time frame.

*Strategies may take multiple attempts to see change. Keep trying and be consistent!

*Some strategies may work, and some may not. That is okay! Find what is right for your child.

If your child is having trouble sitting still during mealtimes, during free time playing at home, in the school setting, and overall seeking extra movement from same aged peers or siblings don’t hesitate to give us a call. BDI Playhouse Children’s Therapy offers free screenings and consultations through Telehealth or at one of our child-friendly therapy gyms in Orland Park and Aurora, IL.

Written by: Rebecca MacKenzie, M.S., OTR/L

Speech-Language Therapy

Pediatric Speech Therapy

  • Myo Munchee

Questions about BDI Speech & Language Therapy?

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708-478-1820

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Schedule a screening

Our BDI Playhouse Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children.  Each SLP is certified through ASHA and licensed through the State of Illinois.

  • Speech Production

    How your child makes their sounds:

    • Articulation
    • Apraxia
    • Phonological Disorder

    Specialty Certification

    • PROMPT
    • OMT
  • Language

    Encompassing both spoken and written communication, SLPs help people across the spectrum of language. This includes working on

    • AAC
    • expressive language
    • Gestalt language processsing
    • receptive language
    • literacy
    • morphology
    • multi-language learner
    • Natural Language Acquisition framework
    • phonology
    • reading comprehension
    • reading decoding
    • semantics
    • spelling
    • social/pragmatic language
    • syntax
    • written language

    Specialty Certifications

    • Orton-Gillingham
  • Cognition

    SLPs often help improve cognitive skills.

    • attention
    • memory
    • problem solving
    • executive functioning
  • Voice/Resonance

    Supporting patients with

    • alaryngeal disorders
    • buteyko breathing
    • cul-de-sac resonance
    • forward focus resonance
    • hyper nasality
    • hyponasality
    • loudness
    • phonation quality
    • pitch

    Certifications

    • Buteyko Breathing
  • Feeding/Swallowing

    SLPs cover all three phases of swallowing: oral, pharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia

    • breast/bottle difficulties
    • transition to table foods
    • food refusal
    • oral motor
    • orofacial myology
    • picky/problem eaters

    Specialty Certifications

    • OMT
    • Beckman Oral Motor
    • SOS
    • Food Chaining
    • IBCLC (Lactation Consulting)
  • Auditory Habilitation/Rehabilitation

    • hearing loss
    • deafness
    • cochlear implants
    • hearing aids
    • auditory processing disorder

A-Z of our SLP Services

A

AAC

Aphasia

Apraxia

Attention Deficits

Articulation/Phonological Disorders

Autism

B

Breast and Bottle Drinking

C

Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Cognitive-Communication Disorders

E

Early Intervention

Expressive Language

F

Fluency Disorders

Feeding Infants & Beyond

Food Refusal

G

Gestalt Language Processing

L

Lactation Consulting (IBCLCs)

Learning Disabilities

Language Acquisition

M

Math Language

Metacognition/Metalinguistics

N

Natural Language Aquisition framework

O

Orofacial Myology

Orton-Gillingham

P

Phonological Awareness

Phonology & Phonological Disorders

PROMPT

R

Reading Comprehension

Reading Decoding

Receptive Language

S

Spelling

Social/Pragmatic Language

SOS Approach to feeding

Study Skills

Swallowing Disorders

W

Written Language

  • Buteyko Breathing

  • Myo Munchee

  • TOTS

Great Feedback from Great Families

My son has been at BDI for over a year now and I can’t say enough great things! when we walk in, every therapist and receptionist greets him by name! He is always happy to go and we have seen great progress with both his physical and language needs. We have personally recommended BDI to several friends and colleagues looking for top notch therapies!”

Getting Started With Speech Therapy

Find answers here

Still not sure? Learn more about whether your child needs therapy here

Continue reading

Occupational Therapy

Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Questions about BDI Occupational Therapy?

[receiver]

708-478-1820

[calendar]

Schedule a screening

BDI Occupational Therapists

Our Occupational Therapists are trained to identify barriers that restrict a child’s success or independence in completing everyday “occupations”

What is a child’s occupation?  

  • Play independently 
  • Be successful in school
  • Easily adapt to change and problem solve
  • Complete self-care tasks
  • Effectively communicate to maintain great relationships with family and friends 
  • Learn beneficial behavioral skills, such as accountability, empathy, concentration, and self-esteem  

Occupational Therapy can help your child improve:

  • Fine motor skills

    Precise hand movements
    • Holding pencil/crayon
    • Manipulating toys/small objects
    • Clothing fasteners
  • Emotional Regulation

    The ability to control one’s own emotional state. This is the ability that allows one to self-calm during emotional and stressful situations. In children, emotional regulation issues are often seen as ‘behavior problems’
  • Range of Motion

    The amount of movement a joint or body part has
    • Limited movement in hands/arms, head, legs, or other body parts
    • Difficulty straightening limbs
  • Strength

    Core Strength

    • Sitting still or sitting without support
    • Climbing/running/jumping
    • Balance
    • Frequent falls

    Arm/Hand Strength

    • Turning doorknobs
    • Opening containers
    • Holding a pencil
    • Carrying multiple objects
    • Maintaining hold on objects
  • Self Care

    Activities of daily living
    • Dressing
    • Eating 
    • Bathroom hygiene
    • Chores
    • Planning
    • Decision making
  • Sensory Processing

    Ability to receive and respond to aspects of our environment

    Sensitivities to:

    • Sights
    • Sounds
    • Movement
    • Taste
    • Touch 
    • Smell
  • Visual Perceptual Skills

    The ability of the brain to understand what the eye is seeing
    • Reading
    • Puzzles
    • Reversing letters/numbers
    • Visual scanning (example instead that doesn’t use the medical term)
    • Sorting
  • Visual-Motor Skills

    Hand eye coordination

    • Handwriting (letters/numbers)
    • Drawing/coloring
    • Cutting
    • Ball skills


Occupational Therapy can help improve

  • Fine motor skills

    precise hand movements

    • Holding pencil/crayon
    • Manipulating toys/small objects
    • Clothing fasteners
  • Bilateral Coordination

    using both hands or arms together to complete tasks

    • Jumping jacks
    • Throwing/catching a ball
    • Pull/push toys
    • Crafting (cutting, glueing, etc…)
  • Visual-Motor Skills

    Hand eye coordination

    • Handwriting (letters/numbers)
    • Drawing/coloring
    • Cutting
    • Ball skills
  • Visual Perceptual Skills

    the ability of the brain to understand what the eye is seeing

    • Reading
    • Puzzles
    • Reversing letters/numbers
    • Visual scanning (example instead that doesn’t use the medical term)
    • Sorting
  • Self Care

    activities of daily living

    • Dressing
    • Eating 
    • Bathroom hygiene
    • Chores
    • Planning
    • Decision making
  • Sensory Processing

    ability to receive and respond to aspects of our environment

    Sensitivities to:

    • Sights
    • Sounds
    • Movement
    • Taste
    • Touch 
    • Smell
  • Strength

    Core Strength

    • Sitting still or sitting without support
    • Climbing/running/jumping
    • Balance
    • Frequent falls

    Arm/Hand Strength

    • Turning doorknobs
    • Opening containers
    • Holding a pencil
    • Carrying multiple objects
    • Maintaining hold on objects
  • Range of Motion

    the amount of movement a joint or body part has

    • Limited movement in hands/arms, head, legs, or other body parts
    • Difficulty straightening limbs
  • Emotional Regulation

    the ability to control one’s own emotional state

A-Z of our OT Services

A

Autism

Attention

ADLs (activities of daily living)

B

Body Awareness

Bilateral Coordination

C

Core Strength

D

Dyspraxia

Dysgraphia

Dressing skills

E

Eye Hand Coordination

Executive Functioning Skills

Emotional Regulation

F

Feeding

Fine Motor Skills

Fine Motor Coordination

G

Gravitational Insecurity

Grip Strength

H

Handwriting

I

IADLs (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living)

M

Motor Planning

P

Postural Control

Play

R

Reflex Integration

ROM (Range of Motion)

Routine Management

S

Self Care

Sensory Processing 

Safety Awareness

T

Toileting

V

Visual Motor Skills

Visual Perceptual Skills

Great Feedback from Great Families

BDI Playhouse has exceptional therapists… my son was evaluated at BDI and received Occupational Therapy – and loved his therapist at BDI! I cannot say enough about the entire staff. Qualified, caring, exceptional people.”

Getting Started With Occupational Therapy

Find answers here

Still not sure? Learn more about whether your child needs therapy here




Continue reading