It is the rare toddler that eagerly gives up a desired toy or snack to share with another child. Yup; your child isn’t any different from the great majority of kids out there. You may even have witnessed the “grab-and-go” move, where they take a toy from another child and then quickly escape to…… Continue reading The Secret to Teaching Young Children to Share
Category: preschoolers
How an Occupational Therapist Can Help The Siblings of Special Needs Children
The parent of one of my clients recently returned from a conference related to her youngest child’s genetic disorder, and she told me that the presentation on helping the siblings of special needs kids really only offered one niblet of advice: “Try to give each sibling 10 minutes a day of “just us” time.”…… Continue reading How an Occupational Therapist Can Help The Siblings of Special Needs Children
Does Your Toddler Fight Diaper Changes? End The Drama Today!
I regularly field questions about this problem from the parents of children I treat. If your 8 to 36-month old is fussy during diaper changes, and you know it isn’t from diaper rash, keep reading, because… I have some information and ideas for you. Parents of kids with sensory processing issues or developmental…… Continue reading Does Your Toddler Fight Diaper Changes? End The Drama Today!
The JointSmart Child Series: Parents of Young Hypermobile Children Can Feel More Empowered and Confident Today!
My first book, The Practical Guide to Toilet Training Your Child With Low Muscle Tone, was a wonderful experience to write and share. The number of daily hits on one of my most popular blog posts Hypermobility and Proprioception: Why Loose Joints Create Sensory Processing Problems for Children helped me figure out what my next e-book…… Continue reading The JointSmart Child Series: Parents of Young Hypermobile Children Can Feel More Empowered and Confident Today!
Why Injuries to Hypermobile Joints Hurt Twice
My new e-book, The JointSmart Child: Living and Thriving With Hypermobility, Volume I, is just about ready to launch. One of the book’s major themes is that safety awareness is something that parents need to actively teach hypermobile young children. Of course, physical and occupational therapists need to educate their parents first. And they shouldn’t…… Continue reading Why Injuries to Hypermobile Joints Hurt Twice
Toilet Training Strategies to Help The Child With A Receptive Language Delay Succeed!
Even after writing my books on potty training, I continue to be aware that some parents (and therapists!) think that there are issues that can completely prevent successful training. One of these issues is a receptive language delay. This is when a child’s ability to comprehend language is not age appropriate. It may be accompanied…… Continue reading Toilet Training Strategies to Help The Child With A Receptive Language Delay Succeed!
Pillowfort at Target: Should You Ask Your Child’s OT Before You Click “Buy”?
There are so many families out there that need great equipment for their sensory kids. Pillowfort materials are on sale at Target, one of my favorite big box stores. The items are affordable and stylish. But are they what you really need? In order to get the products that serve your child’s needs, you may…… Continue reading Pillowfort at Target: Should You Ask Your Child’s OT Before You Click “Buy”?
How To Get Your Kid To Share (Hint: The Fast Food Rule Will Be Used)
Not a week goes by that a parent or nanny asks me how to get a young child, usually under 3, to share. I get it; it is embarrassing when a toddler rips a toy away from another child, or has a death grip on a toy car while growling at their playdate friend. Sharing…… Continue reading How To Get Your Kid To Share (Hint: The Fast Food Rule Will Be Used)
Hypermobility Or Low Tone? Three Solutions to Mealtime Problems
Many young hypermobile kids, with and without low muscle tone, struggle at mealtimes. Even after they have received skilled feeding therapy and can chew and swallow safely, they may continue to slide off their chair, spill food on the table (and on their body!) and refuse to use utensils. It doesn’t have to…… Continue reading Hypermobility Or Low Tone? Three Solutions to Mealtime Problems
Does Your Child Hate Big Spaces? There is a Sensory-Based Explanation for all That Complaining
When you see it, it looks like Helen Keller crossed with a Roomba. A child enters a space, even a familiar space, and runs the perimeter without stopping to play or examine things. They may trace the room with their fingers, or repeat this process many times before they “land” and engage in some kind…… Continue reading Does Your Child Hate Big Spaces? There is a Sensory-Based Explanation for all That Complaining
What To Say When Your Child Says “I Hate You!”
It happens to almost every parent. It could happen when your child is a fuming preschooler, or a haughty tween. Doesn’t matter. It still hurts. A lot. Even the sweetest child can hurl one of these statements out when they don’t get what they want or aren’t allowed to do something. The biggest question…… Continue reading What To Say When Your Child Says “I Hate You!”
Does Your Special Needs Child Have a “Two-tude”? Its Not Just the Age; Its Cumulative Frustration Minus Skills
I spend a lot of my work week with toddlers, and they can be a challenge. One minute sunny, the next screaming because their cookie broke. Special needs toddlers can have a ‘tude as well, but many professionals sweep it under the rug. They tell parents that this is normal, and that they should…… Continue reading Does Your Special Needs Child Have a “Two-tude”? Its Not Just the Age; Its Cumulative Frustration Minus Skills
Need to Support A Child’s Independence? Offer to Help Them!
I know; it sounds like I am being sarcastic. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Instead of telling children to “Give it another try” or “I know you can do it”, offering help to a young child can have the paradoxical effect of eliciting more perseverance and attention. It really isn’t all that…… Continue reading Need to Support A Child’s Independence? Offer to Help Them!
When Writing Hurts: The Hypermobile Hand
Many children resist doing their homework, but most kids say “Its so BORING!” not “My hand hurts too much”. If a child is complaining of pain, and they don’t have a joint disease such as JRA, the first thought is hypermobility. The good news is that there are a few fast fixes that can decrease…… Continue reading When Writing Hurts: The Hypermobile Hand
Why Is The Wilbarger Protocol So Hard To Get Right?
The Wilbarger Protocol has been a staple of therapeutic treatment of sensory processing disorder for decades. I will reveal my age, and admit that I learned directly from Pat Wilbarger. She was an amazing teacher and a highly skilled clinician to see in action. But I have lost count of the number of times…… Continue reading Why Is The Wilbarger Protocol So Hard To Get Right?
Safety Awareness With Your Hypermobile Child? Its Not a Big Thing, Its the Biggest Thing
Therapists always try hard to be optimistic when discussing their pediatric client’s future. Why not? Kids have amazing potential, and we aren’t fortune tellers; there are so many things that can go right. As therapists, we also should share the reality of how bad choices create unfortunate consequences. Among them are the long-term…… Continue reading Safety Awareness With Your Hypermobile Child? Its Not a Big Thing, Its the Biggest Thing
Afraid to Toilet Train? Prepare Your Child… and Prepare Yourself
I spend an extra 30 minutes at the end of a session this week helping a mom build her courage and confidence so that she felt ready to start toilet training soon. Her child is over 3, has sensory and motor issues, but shows tons of signs for readiness: dry diapers for increasingly long periods,…… Continue reading Afraid to Toilet Train? Prepare Your Child… and Prepare Yourself
Stop Your Child From Chewing on Clothes or Toys
Babies love to munch on their toys. They nibble at book bindings, chew the heck out of their loveys, and some little ones really love to chew their pacifiers. As they grow, most children let go of this behavior. Chewing and biting for sensory exploration and state modulation diminishes and a child’s behavior evolves into…… Continue reading Stop Your Child From Chewing on Clothes or Toys
Are Your Other Children Resentful of Their Special Needs Sibling?
This is something that is hardly ever spoken of, but it happens in many, if not most families. The good news is that it is normal, it doesn’t predict future behavior, and you can address it without sending everyone to a psychiatrist. The time and energy demands of a special needs child aren’t always in…… Continue reading Are Your Other Children Resentful of Their Special Needs Sibling?
Should You Install a Child-Sized Potty for Your Special Needs Child?
I know that some of you don’t even realize that such a thing exists: a toilet sized for preschoolers and kindergarteners! Well, you won’t find it in Lowe’s or Home Depot on the showroom floor, but you can buy them online, and it is an option to consider. Here are the reasons you might put…… Continue reading Should You Install a Child-Sized Potty for Your Special Needs Child?