Category: occupational therapy

Can You Use The Wilbarger Protocol With Kids That Have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?

My posts on proprioception and hypermobility have been popular lately, leading me to think that parents (and therapists) want more information on the sensory basis for their children’s struggles, and that often their treatments don’t include addressing their sensory processing issues. The Ehles-Danlos Syndromes (yes, there are more variants than just vascular and hypermobile!) are…… Continue reading Can You Use The Wilbarger Protocol With Kids That Have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?

Teach Utensil Grasp and Control…Without the Food!

Therapro has just published my latest guest post! There are some situations that almost require occupational therapists to separate mealtime from utensil manipulation, at least at the earliest stages.  Check out my post Teaching Utensil Use Outside of the Mealtime Experience to find out if your child or client would benefit from this approach! If you haven’t…… Continue reading Teach Utensil Grasp and Control…Without the Food!

Why Gifted Preschoolers Should Be Taught Handwriting Early (And With The Best Strategies!)

Gifted children are often identified by their asynchronous development. The three year-old that can read the names on cereal boxes, the two year-old that can play a song on the piano after hearing it once at music class, the four year-old that can complete his sister’s math homework…from second grade! These children have one or…… Continue reading Why Gifted Preschoolers Should Be Taught Handwriting Early (And With The Best Strategies!)

Hypermobility, Sleep, And The Hidden Problems With Blankets

Everyone knows that sleep is important.  Research in sleep science (yes, this is a thing) tells us that our brains are working to digest the day’s learning, the immune system is active during sleep, and our bodies are repairing and renewing tissues and organs while we slumber.  As much as we need sleep, kids need…… Continue reading Hypermobility, Sleep, And The Hidden Problems With Blankets

Potty Training Boys: Do You Teach Standing Up Or Sitting Down?

  Training children for bladder control before bowel control is often easier for quite a few reasons:  More frequent bathroom trips = more opportunities for success, digestion and diet issues don’t stall success,  and urination is usually a painless, phobia-free, and quick experience.  In general, families that hire me as a consultant are encouraged to…… Continue reading Potty Training Boys: Do You Teach Standing Up Or Sitting Down?

How To Stop Your Baby From Throwing Things (Most of the Time!)

  After the adorable infant period of dropping objects from the high chair to see you scoop them up, most children devolve into a throwing stage.  Commonly seen at the 11-16 month developmental level, this is different behavior but it can be just as maddening.  Maybe more.  Today, I am going to give you both…… Continue reading How To Stop Your Baby From Throwing Things (Most of the Time!)

Holidays Hints For Sensitive Kids

The stores are full, your inbox is too, and you are wondering how to handle your sensitive child’s reactions to family and school events.  You are not alone. Everyone knows about the “holiday blues”, where our dreams and expectations come up against real life:  awkward family relationships, conflicting demands on our time and finances, etc.…… Continue reading Holidays Hints For Sensitive Kids

OT and Non-Disabled Gifted Children

I was asked to write another guest post for Therapro, the fantastic OT equipment and materials company that I have been using for clinic and home items for years.  This time the subject is gifted children:  Do Gifted But Non-Disabled Children Need Occupational Therapy?. The first time you encounter a young gifted child, you may…… Continue reading OT and Non-Disabled Gifted Children

The Elf on the Shelf Could Get Your Child to Write a Letter to Santa!

  ‘Tis the season, and Elf On The Shelf is back for more fun!  Some parents adore the concept and cannot wait to move that little elf around the house every night, and others mock him and his expanding merchandising.  Now that he is getting kids to write and draw, and parents will be able…… Continue reading The Elf on the Shelf Could Get Your Child to Write a Letter to Santa!

Gifted Or Disordered? The Unrecognized Behavioral Traits of Young Gifted Children

  Here is a short list of many common behavioral characteristics of gifted children that get labeled as “disordered”: Spontaneous. Very. Boundless enthusiasm. Intense focus on passions.   Highly energetic.  This is the child who doesn’t seem to need as much sleep or downtime as peers. Constantly asking questions.  Constantly. Insatiably curious.  Everything is interesting,…… Continue reading Gifted Or Disordered? The Unrecognized Behavioral Traits of Young Gifted Children

Helping Little Kids Cut With Scissors

    I am very proud to share my latest post on Therapro, a terrific company that I have used for years to find quality therapy equipment.  They were nice enough to allow me to be a guest blogger this month, and so I wanted my readers to have the chance to go over there…… Continue reading Helping Little Kids Cut With Scissors

Why Eating From a Pouch Isn’t Helping Your Child As Much As You Think

    Sucking food from a pouch has become a common way to funnel fruits, veggies and even protein into young children.  Few kids are eating them because they have oral motor or sensory processing problems that don’t allow them to eat solid food.  Most of the pouch kids are picky eaters or eating a…… Continue reading Why Eating From a Pouch Isn’t Helping Your Child As Much As You Think

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

A Simple Strategy To Improve Your Child’s Posture In A Stokke Tripp Trapp or Special Tomato Chair

The Tripp Trapp chair:  The one therapists often recommend.  These well-designed seats can be wonderful for kids that need solid foot support.   Even the best hip and chest strapping doesn’t always mean that a child is actively using their feet for postural control.  You will never guess what the secret weapon is to keep…… Continue reading A Simple Strategy To Improve Your Child’s Posture In A Stokke Tripp Trapp or Special Tomato Chair

Help Your Special Needs Toddler Make The Transition To School Routines

    Many developmentally delayed toddlers move their therapeutic and educational services to a toddler developmental group, A.K.A. special needs program, when they are between 18 and 30 months old.  Not all of them slide into the routine easily.  There can be a few tears and a lot of complaining about fitting into a schedule…… Continue reading Help Your Special Needs Toddler Make The Transition To School Routines

Should Hypermobile Kids Sit On Therapy Balls For Schoolwork?

  They are everywhere; colorful therapy balls have migrated from the clinic to the classroom.  You can buy a base or a whole chair with a ball attached.  But do kids with hypermobility benefit from using them, or will they create more problems than they solve? Hypermobility in infants and very young children is common,…… Continue reading Should Hypermobile Kids Sit On Therapy Balls For Schoolwork?

An Affordable Sensory-Friendly Clothing Line Has Arrived!

  Here in the US, kids are getting ready to start the school year.  A mom mentioned to me that Target is now carrying sensory-friendly clothing by Cat and Jack; attractive and functional clothes for kids who find tags, seams and textured clothing uncomfortable.  I went to check them out online.  Here is what I…… Continue reading An Affordable Sensory-Friendly Clothing Line Has Arrived!

Hypermobility and ADHD? Take Stability, Proprioception, Pain and Fatigue Into Account Before Labeling Behavior

ADHD is a disorder that is diagnosed clinically.  This means that there are no brain examinations, no measures that are not behavioral, when determining whether or not to give a child this label.  The younger the child, the less accurate behavioral measurements are.  But the risks in quickly giving a child this label are significant.…… Continue reading Hypermobility and ADHD? Take Stability, Proprioception, Pain and Fatigue Into Account Before Labeling Behavior

How To Teach Your Child To Wipe “Back There”

Potty training is a process.  For most kids, the final frontier is managing bowel movements.  Compared to learning to pee into the toilet, little kids are often more stressed by bowel movements and have less opportunities to practice.  Most children don’t have more than one BM per day, but they urinate many times per day.…… Continue reading How To Teach Your Child To Wipe “Back There”

Make Handwriting Fun While Getting Ready For The New School Year

Here in the US, kids are getting ready to go back to school.  And most of them haven’t been writing much in the last 6-8 weeks.  At the kindergarten level, some children will have forgotten any lowercase letters they knew in the spring.  At the 1-2 grade levels, it is not uncommon for kids to…… Continue reading Make Handwriting Fun While Getting Ready For The New School Year