· Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy & Motor Skills
What are Primitive Reflexes? How can they affect my child? Each child is born with a set of critical reflexes that are integral to survival. A primitive reflex is an action that is performed as a response to a stimulus without conscious thought. For example: when you brush the side of your newborn’s cheek the
· Sleep & Routines, Parenting & Behavior
The Importance of a Summer Routine When school ends your child’s daily routine doesn’t have to! Summer is the perfect time to remain consistent. For kids, having a routine in the summer is especially important. It helps provide stability, which is crucial for their development and well-being. Here are several ideas for a summer routine:
· Occupational Therapy, Parenting & Behavior
How Does Vision Affect Behavior? Vision plays a pivotal role in shaping our behavior, influencing how we interact with and respond to the world around us. With approximately 80% of sensory input being visual, our perception of the environment profoundly impacts our actions and reactions. There are two types of visual pathways focal and
· Activities & Play Ideas, Holiday
Stuck at home with the kids during these Holiday weeks and looking for some entertainment ideas or ways to continue to progress their skills during all this down time? Look no further! Here are some therapy activities for holiday break! Let the kids wrap up a small gift for their sibling. There are a few
· school, Occupational Therapy
Top 5 Tips to Prepare for Back-to-School from an Occupational Therapist As the summer draws to a close, it’s time to start thinking about heading back to school. For students, this transition can bring a mix of excitement and anxiety. Setting students up for success by helping them prepare for the challenges that lie ahead
· Activities & Play Ideas, Occupational Therapy
Let’s Play Outside! Playing outside provides so many benefits to our little ones, it helps expand their sensory system, promote relaxation strategies, provides physical exercise, facilitates motor skill development, and it allows your child to be creative! Here are some outside OT play activities for this summer season. 1. Chalk Chalk is a fun
· Occupational Therapy
Childhood Occupations When we typically think of the term occupation, we think of the word job. Yes, kids don’t have “jobs” but they do have activities that they engage in day to day. Children engage in meaningful tasks on a daily basis, like play, self-care, educational tasks, leisure activities, as well as things like chores,
· Sleep & Routines, Occupational Therapy
Importance of Schedules and Routines Just like adults, children feel more confident and secure when their daily activities are predictable and familiar. Consistent daily schedules and step-by-step routines give children a predictable, safe day. Schedules and routines help children: Feel in control of their environment Feel safe, secure, and comfortable Know what is happening now
· Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy & Motor Skills
Primative Reflexes- The Good, The Bad, The Better! Have you ever tripped and simultaneously reached out your hands to stop the fall? That is your primitive reflexes at work! They are essential as the first line of defense to protect ourselves but they can also be detrimental to our development. What are primitive reflexes? Primitive reflexes
· Feeding, Occupational Therapy
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
· Activities & Play Ideas, Occupational Therapy
Movement and sensory experiences allow us to grow as an individual through problem solving, body awareness and creativity. Here are some great activities to get your child moving and ways to stay creative while the colder weather moves in! Movement: Movement activities allow your child to get their energy out and move in a new
· school, Occupational Therapy
The Orton-Gillingham Approach The path to reading for some children is not often an easy one. It is assumed that children will begin to read and spell naturally. However, some children may persistently struggle with learning the process of how to read fluently. Children who demonstrate challenges early on with word recognition, poor spelling, weakened
· school, Occupational Therapy
Classroom setup is more important than ever. A properly set-up room can increase focus, increase a student’s ability to sit still, and even decrease problem behaviors. 1. Less is best The first step to a successful classroom is embracing “less is best”. A crowded classroom can cause over stimulation. This can cause challenges with attention
· Holiday, Gift Guides & Toys
“Rocking (and unwrapping) around the Christmas Tree” – with Glee You’ve been plotting, planning, shopping and ordering fabulous holiday gifts for your little one. Now, it’s time to wrap up that pile of goodies! Here are a few tips to make the unwrapping process by your child easier and more fun for everyone! Use a
· Sleep & Routines, Holiday
Twas’ the night before… anything (Christmas, Halloween, going to DisneyWorld, birthday, or for me, Great America for the first time). I remember how hard it was for me to fall asleep when I got to do something super fun the next day or stay asleep at night. With holiday season here, we may see increased
· Occupational Therapy
We often hear from parents that their child “passed their eye test” which was most likely offered at school or at a well baby visit in the pediatrician’s office. Sometimes our Occupational Therapists identify that although a child’s visual acuity test may not have shown a deficit, there are some visual skill deficits that may be present. Difficulties with
· Parenting & Behavior, Occupational Therapy
Behavior. Something sets off your child, and the screaming, throwing, crying, or hitting behavior begins. We have all been there. Your panic rises. Somehow, you make it through the moment and on to the next, but there may be chaos left in the wake of the meltdown as a result of negative behaviors. Occasionally, negative
· Occupational Therapy, Parenting & Behavior
Is your child having trouble washing his hands by himself? Is he not thorough when washing hands? Or, would you like your child to wash hands independently? Teaching your child how to wash their hands can be accomplished in a few easy steps! The important thing to remember when teaching any hygiene routine is to
· Sleep & Routines, Occupational Therapy
Did you know that kids typically need at least 12 hours of sleep each night? Sleep is important to help improve focus and brain function! But what if your tot won’t fall asleep or stay asleep? Here are some simple tips to help your child get the rest and recovery they need to be happy
· school, Occupational Therapy
Is it necessary for children to sit still to attend in circle time? Let’s talk about creative seating in the classroom. As adults, we make sure to “get comfortable” before focusing on things we want or have to do, whether it’s paying bills at the table or watching T.V. on the couch. We do it
