Month: November 2015

Sensory Differences and Holiday Events: Simple Life Hacks for Happy Memories

Kids with sensory sensitivities may need some assistance to enjoy the holiday season.  Here are some simple ways to make it merry and bright for all! Select your holiday celebrations with the spatial, sound, and visual complexities in mind.  Many children are completely overwhelmed with large spaces (auditoriums, church halls, etc.) and the multi-sensory experience…… Continue reading Sensory Differences and Holiday Events: Simple Life Hacks for Happy Memories

Safe Winter Swaddling Strategies

When the weather gets colder, some parents think that they need to run out and buy a thick fleecy swaddle blanket or swaddle garment right away. Being too warm is a risk factor for SIDS, so it is worth making a thoughtful plan to swaddle safely in the winter months.  Here are some ideas about…… Continue reading Safe Winter Swaddling Strategies

Low Muscle Tone and Dressing: Easy Solutions to Teach Independence

When a child says “I do it myself” most adults are thrilled.  Kids with low muscle tone want to do things like the big kids too, including dressing themselves, but they often end up in a tangle of sleeves or twisted pant legs.  Here are a few suggestions to make learning to get dressed and…… Continue reading Low Muscle Tone and Dressing: Easy Solutions to Teach Independence

Stretch Your Toddler’s Patience The Easy Way, Starting Today!

I spent some time yesterday with the mother of a spirited toddler who pointed out that even though she saw that The Happiest Toddler on the Block technique of patience stretching works, she found it hard to be cheerful and upbeat after hours of her son’s whining and hanging on her legs.  At the end…… Continue reading Stretch Your Toddler’s Patience The Easy Way, Starting Today!

Defiant Kids Can Change With Dr. Kazdin’s Simple Plans

Dr. Alan Kazdin wrote “The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child” in 2008. His follow-up book, “The Everyday Parent Toolkit” came later.   He is the director of the Yale Parenting Center, and he has seen some hardcore kids.  You do not get the feeling that he has treated a lot of children younger…… Continue reading Defiant Kids Can Change With Dr. Kazdin’s Simple Plans

Transition Your Toddler Without Tears

Transitioning is a huge concern for parents and educators of toddlers, both for the typically developing and special needs kids.  Struggling to get their child to leave the playground, come to the dinner table, or enter/leave the tub are very high priority concerns for a lot of the parents I meet as an occupational therapist.…… Continue reading Transition Your Toddler Without Tears

Low Tone At Preschool: How Tone Affects Safety and Play

Low muscle tone can create safety issues and difficulty using toys at school.  Here are some reasons why things can fall apart (literally, sometimes!) and how small changes make the difference between success and failure at school. First, there are good reasons that children with low tone struggle to sit, stand or move around the…… Continue reading Low Tone At Preschool: How Tone Affects Safety and Play

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