Month: August 2016

Low Tone In The Summer: Why The Heat Affects Your Child’s Safety

  If you have a child with low muscle tone, you may have seen them wilt like flowers in the sun.  Even if they are well-hydrated, even if they are having fun, they just can’t run as fast or sit as steadily when they are warm.  Add a SPIO vest or other compression garment, and…… Continue reading Low Tone In The Summer: Why The Heat Affects Your Child’s Safety

Why Do Some Kids With ASD and SPD Refuse Toilet Training?

Toilet training is one of the few self-care skills that fall primarily on special needs parents.  Speech therapists, feeding therapists, occupational therapists and ABA instructors all do assessments and create plans.  Hints on toilet training from your therapy team are often very helpful, but “the boots on the ground” are yours as a parent.  You…… Continue reading Why Do Some Kids With ASD and SPD Refuse Toilet Training?

Low Tone and Constipation: Why This Issue Delays Toilet Training Progress

Kids with low tone and sensory processing disorders are not the only children who struggle with constipation, but it is more common for them.  The reasons are many:  low abdominal and oral tone, less use of available musculature because they use compensatory sitting and standing (the schlump, the lean, the swayback) patterns, and even food…… Continue reading Low Tone and Constipation: Why This Issue Delays Toilet Training Progress

What’s Really Missing When Kids Don’t Cross Midline?

If I had a dollar for every teacher who remarked on a child’s inability to cross the midline of his body (left-right midline, not top/bottom midline),  I would be writing this post from my beachfront condo in Hawaii.  Here is what problems crossing midline can signify, what other issues are often seen with these kids, and…… Continue reading What’s Really Missing When Kids Don’t Cross Midline?

Low Tone and Toilet Training: How Your Child’s Therapists Can Help You

Over the years as an occupational therapist, I have been giving parents hints here and there.  Writing my e-book  this fall, and preparing an e-course (coming soon) to support families makes me realize that some clients did not ask me very many questions while they were toilet training their child. So….Are there aspects of therapy…… Continue reading Low Tone and Toilet Training: How Your Child’s Therapists Can Help You

Low Tone and Toilet Training: What You Can Learn From Elimination Communication Theory

Yes, those folks who hold a 6 month-old over the toilet and let her defecate directly into the potty, not into a Pamper.  Elimination Communication (EC) has committed fans, as well as people who think it is both useless and even punishing to kids.  I am not taking sides here, but there is one thing…… Continue reading Low Tone and Toilet Training: What You Can Learn From Elimination Communication Theory

Vestibular Fun For Infants With Motor Delays

Picture this:  a dad swings his 6 month-old upside down, and she giggles and smiles from ear to ear.  What doesn’t daddy know?  He is stimulating her developing balance system and teaching her to love movement while they play. When babies have motor delays, whether due to prematurity, illness, or a brain injury such as…… Continue reading Vestibular Fun For Infants With Motor Delays

Low Tone and Toilet Training: Parents And Children Need To Work Together

This one is simple to explain, but not so easy to achieve with some kids.  Children whose interactional pattern is defiance or whining are going to be much harder to train, regardless of whether or not they have significant issues with low muscle tone.  In fact,  I would rather coach a very physically unstable but…… Continue reading Low Tone and Toilet Training: Parents And Children Need To Work Together

Your Best Pre-Writing Activities List: Target Key Skills And Have Fun!

The school year is coming up fast, and parents are wondering what skills their preschoolers are going to need.  Finding fun things to do with the rest of the summer that actually build skills, not just entertain the troops, isn’t easy, even for occupational therapists.  Here are my current favorites: Bring out the scissors and…… Continue reading Your Best Pre-Writing Activities List: Target Key Skills And Have Fun!

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