I have been asked to teach a short class on sleep and special needs kids this spring, so of course this funny little book came to mind. Truthfully, when I heard of it, I laughed out loud. But bedtime struggles are not fun when you are in the middle of a tantrum at 11…… Continue reading Why “Go The F**K to Sleep” Resonates With Parents of Special Needs Toddlers
Category: toddlers
Teach Yoga Breathing To Calm Toddler Frustration
Toddlers live lives filled with drama, but can they really learn to do deep breathing to calm down? Yes, but you have to spin in so they can understand what to do and when to do it. You will have to demonstrate it and show that you do it too. Will you have to remind…… Continue reading Teach Yoga Breathing To Calm Toddler Frustration
Low Tone and Toilet Training: Teaching Toddlers to Wipe
The parent that inspired my most popular post ever, Why Low Tone Creates More Toilet Training Struggles for Toddlers (And Parents!) , suggested that I write another about the most useful advice she says I ever offered her. Not the most glamorous topic, but teaching children to wipe their tushies is important.…… Continue reading Low Tone and Toilet Training: Teaching Toddlers to Wipe
Toddlers Too Young For Time Out Can Get Simple Consequences and Kind Ignoring
Children under 2 or special needs kids with cognitive and language skills under the 2 year-old level usually aren’t capable of understanding what a “time out” really is. It isn’t punishment, it is making a point that the behavior they just exhibited isn’t acceptable and that they need to take a break and cool off.…… Continue reading Toddlers Too Young For Time Out Can Get Simple Consequences and Kind Ignoring
Teach Spoon Grip By Making It Fun And Sharing a Laugh With Your Child
Whether you are teaching a younger child to grip a toddler spoon or teaching an older child to hold a spoon in the mature pattern, kids can resist practicing this important skill. I created a game that makes it really fun and builds a warm connection with your child. You share a laugh, and…… Continue reading Teach Spoon Grip By Making It Fun And Sharing a Laugh With Your Child
Self-Regulation in Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: Boost Skills By Creating Routines and Limits
Occupational therapists are routinely asked to help young children that have poor self-regulation or modulation skills. What do difficulties regulating alertness and arousal look like in a very little person? Big shifts in excitement/agitation over seemingly minor events, sleep that isn’t very deep or very long for their age, and difficulty switching between locations/activities. Often…… Continue reading Self-Regulation in Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder: Boost Skills By Creating Routines and Limits
Are Babies Addicted to White Noise? Yes….and No
White noise helps colicky newborns calm and sleep. It can help newborns develop essential self-calming skills in the first 3 months of life. It can help older babies tolerate teething and their first colds. It can even help babies transition to a shared bedroom with a toddler sibling. The magic of white noise is not…… Continue reading Are Babies Addicted to White Noise? Yes….and No
When Kids Climb Into Mom’s Bed at Night
I recently chatted with a single mom who works long hours. Her 5 year-old wakes in the middle of the night and climbs into her bed. She wanted some suggestions and some reassurance that the “snuggle time” they got (and the loss of sleep for both of them) wasn’t a bad idea. Her son’s behavior…… Continue reading When Kids Climb Into Mom’s Bed at Night
Toddler Demands? Give it in Fantasy!
When a toddler wants pizza for dinner every night or to stay home and play on the iPad instead of going to school, you have to decide what to say. Your basic choices are: ridicule: “That’s silly! “I’d like a fancy car, but this is reality.” reason and clever repackaging: “If you want to grow…… Continue reading Toddler Demands? Give it in Fantasy!
Develop Pincer Grasp With Ziploc Bags
Toddlers love snacks. OTs love refining a child’s grasp. Mash the two together and you get….the Ziploc snack bag. Try serving a tiny portion of your child’s fave crunchy snack in a small bag that has a zipper closure and watch their fingertip control take off! Here are the important points to make this safe…… Continue reading Develop Pincer Grasp With Ziploc Bags
Toddlers and Holiday Decorations: Another Approach to “Don’t Touch That!”
I watched a toddler laugh in unbridled glee yesterday, amazed at the garland and lights draped on his staircase. You don’t get more holiday cheer than that sound! He wanted to touch every nutcracker and every candle. I had to think on my feet when answering his grandmother’s question: “How do I get him to…… Continue reading Toddlers and Holiday Decorations: Another Approach to “Don’t Touch That!”
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
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
Halloween With Sensory Sensitive Kids: The (Sensory) Tricks of the Holiday
Sensory sensitive kids aren’t always able to handle the excitement of Halloween without a little support. Here are some strategies to help parents create as much fun as possible, and what to do when there are more bumps in the night (or day) than expected: Costumes, especially masks and hats, aren’t always willingly worn. Your…… Continue reading Halloween With Sensory Sensitive Kids: The (Sensory) Tricks of the Holiday
Prepare Your Toddler Before Bringing a New Baby Home
Look at it as if your spouse announced that a new, younger, and more vulnerable wife was joining your family: ” She will need a lot of my close attention at first. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you just as much, sweetie, but I won’t be as available to you as I used to…… Continue reading Prepare Your Toddler Before Bringing a New Baby Home
Kids With Low Muscle Tone Can Sit For Dinner: A Multi-Course Strategy
Low muscle tone can create so many different issues during mealtime. Staying still and safe in a chair can be a real issue for these kids, and yet many are seen to be just “behaving badly”. They are probably not given the motor and sensory support they need. Here is your roadmap to navigate mealtimes…… Continue reading Kids With Low Muscle Tone Can Sit For Dinner: A Multi-Course Strategy
How To Get Your Toddler To Wait For Anything (Hint: They hear the Word “Wait” as “No”)
Telling your toddler to wait for anything can be almost counterproductive. You say “In a minute” and they start whining more, not less. I think that is why so many parents just hand over the cookie, iPhone, car keys (just kidding about the keys; wanted to make sure you were awake!). Toddlers do not…… Continue reading How To Get Your Toddler To Wait For Anything (Hint: They hear the Word “Wait” as “No”)
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