Yes. I did indeed say, “Vibrating Pool Noodle”. Occupational therapists that treat sensory processing disorders frequently see hypoarousal in our clients. But low somatic awareness happens with mental health issues too. It can be just as disabling as hyperarousal. It is also harder to treat if you don’t understand the nervous system well. Fortunately, some…… Continue reading Low Somatic Awareness, with Any Diagnosis? Grab Your Vibrating Pool Noodle!
Category: health
Sugar Might Not be the Only Villain Stealing Your Kid’s Sleep !
Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love the costumes, the focus on fun and terror in equal measure, and particularly the candy. It could be hard to get a child to settle down after a night of going door to door, collecting treats. Some parents think that their child’s difficulty falling asleep after eating some…… Continue reading Sugar Might Not be the Only Villain Stealing Your Kid’s Sleep !
Screens, Sleep, and the Special Needs Child
Since becoming a certified sleep therapist I am now helping an OT client with their struggle to fall asleep. The child is taking stimulant medication as well as an anti-anxiety medication. Both drugs contributing to his difficultly falling asleep in the evening. The side effect profiles of these drugs are not surprising. The ASD…… Continue reading Screens, Sleep, and the Special Needs Child
Sleepless ADHD/ASD Kid Taking Stimulants? A Drug-Free Solution
This happens all the time; the drug that is supposed to be metabolized doing the day can still disrupt sleep at night. One of my clients is begging his father to make his brain “turn off” so he can sleep at 11:30PM! It only has a half-life of 12 hours folks. It is still…… Continue reading Sleepless ADHD/ASD Kid Taking Stimulants? A Drug-Free Solution
The Secret Weapon To Get Your Autistic Child Sleeping Better
You will need to address your own sleep skills. This is more than the classic “Put your mask on before trying to place a mask over your child’s mouth” on an airplane. Raising a child with autism is a lot of work. A lot of love, but a lot of time and effort. Nothing is…… Continue reading The Secret Weapon To Get Your Autistic Child Sleeping Better
Why Letting Your Child Snack All Day Can Damage Their Sleep Quality
I wanted to make the title stronger, more click-able. But in the end, I am not writing this blog to grab views. I am writing it to help people support children’s health. So I couldn’t use words like “destroy” or “torpedo”. But I wanted to. Because something as simple as snacking every hour or so…… Continue reading Why Letting Your Child Snack All Day Can Damage Their Sleep Quality
How The Parents of Medically Fragile or Complex Kids Can Cope Better Every Day
When your child is medically fragile or medically complex, your old life really doesn’t exist any longer. But your new life screams for your attention. And you aren’t likely to have shrugged off any of the stressors from your old life; you still are likely to have a partner, other kids, a home, maybe a…… Continue reading How The Parents of Medically Fragile or Complex Kids Can Cope Better Every Day
How Occupational Therapy Helps Kids With Complex Medical Histories Heal From PTSD
Occupational therapists have been treating children with complex medical conditions for a very long time. In acute care, in outpatient clinics, and at home. It is only recently that their unique constellation of cognitive, sensory, and social/emotional reactions have been formally recognized as PTSD. Occupational therapists can help these kids and their families in ways…… Continue reading How Occupational Therapy Helps Kids With Complex Medical Histories Heal From PTSD
Low Tone In The Summertime Heat? 4 Reasons To Go give Your Kid a Glass of Water NOW!
Here in the northeast, we are simmering all day, every day. The little ones on my caseload with low muscle tone are getting floppier and crabbier with each week at camp or daycare. We know why. The effects of heat on muscles is a big part of the problem. Bring them indoors in the A/C,…… Continue reading Low Tone In The Summertime Heat? 4 Reasons To Go give Your Kid a Glass of Water NOW!
Sensory Processing, Allergies, and Colds: Nothing to Sneeze At!
Here in the US, it is cold and flu season. Most of my day is spend with kids recovering from some upper respiratory virus. A few seem to have a continuous runny nose and cough. They also have an increase in their sensory processing issues. Is this connected, and if so, what can be done?…… Continue reading Sensory Processing, Allergies, and Colds: Nothing to Sneeze At!
How Long Term Medical Care Affects Infant and Toddler Development
The good news: more and more extremely premature and medically complex babies are surviving. The bad news: there is a cost to the extended and complex treatment that saves their lives and helps them to thrive. This post is an effort to put out in the open what pediatric therapists know only too well…… Continue reading How Long Term Medical Care Affects Infant and Toddler Development
Three Reasons Why Your Constipated Toddler May Also Have Bladder Accidents
Kids with chronic constipation are a challenge to train. It can often appear that withholding is the issue, and to be certain, fear and pain are real issues. But there are some physiological problems caused by constipation that contribute to bladder problems, and they aren’t always what your pediatrician is thinking about. The constant fullness…… Continue reading Three Reasons Why Your Constipated Toddler May Also Have Bladder Accidents
Make Wiping Your Child’s Nose Easier With Boogie Wipes
It is cold and flu season here in the states, and I have already seen my share of snot-caked little faces. Little children get more colds than older kids and adults, and they can turn into an agitated mess when you say “Honey, I need to wipe your nose”. These wipes are going to make…… Continue reading Make Wiping Your Child’s Nose Easier With Boogie Wipes
Parents With Disabilities Deserve Real Support, Not Pity or Praise
Parenting is hard. Everyone that has children or works with them knows that this is true. Parenting when you have a disability is harder by far. Like parenting… squared. But instead of real support, many disabled people who become parents or are thinking of becoming parents face a lot of reactions from the non-disabled.…… Continue reading Parents With Disabilities Deserve Real Support, Not Pity or Praise
Hypermobile Child? Simple Dental Moves That Make a Real Difference in Your Child’s Health
As the OTR on a treatment team, I am the ADL (Activities of Daily Living) go-to person. Why then, do so few parents ask me what ideas I have about ADLs, especially dental care? Probably because OT as a profession has developed this reputation as the therapist either focused on handwriting or…… Continue reading Hypermobile Child? Simple Dental Moves That Make a Real Difference in Your Child’s Health
CMV: The Potentially Disabling Virus Your OB Isn’t Mentioning
The New York Times ran a moving story in their October 25, 2016 issue about children who contract cytomegalovirus (CMV) from their mothers while in utero. CMV is a Greater Threat for Infants Than Zika, but far Less Often Discussed reminded me of the children I have treated with CMV: multiply-disabled, with parents that didn’t…… Continue reading CMV: The Potentially Disabling Virus Your OB Isn’t Mentioning
Special Needs Kids and Toothbrushing, Part 3; The Sensory-Motor Experience and the Behavioral Strategies that Support Success
Now that you know what issues your child have that made toothbrushing difficult, and you have made brush and paste/rinse choices, it is time to think about the influence of timing, the environment, and the approach to the task. I often recommend that families practice skills outside of their natural timing. Let’s face it; running…… Continue reading Special Needs Kids and Toothbrushing, Part 3; The Sensory-Motor Experience and the Behavioral Strategies that Support Success
Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: Book Review
Ever wonder if all the recommendations and “new” ways to raise your children are based on anything scientific? Well, “Welcome to Your Child’s Brain” will explain the current research behind popular recommendations such as eating fish during pregnancy and teaching your child another language while still in diapers. Authors Sam Wang, PhD. and Sandra Aamodt,…… Continue reading Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: Book Review