With the cold weather taking over Chicago, and the ebb and flow of the pandemic, it’s important to know that Teletherapy is a useful and viable option for all families looking for help for their children from the comfort and safety of their homes. But did you also know that all insurance plans (as of January 2022) are still covering Telehealth…
Halloween is around the corner and we have three fun and festive crafts that focus heavily on fine motor development and sensory play! Each of these crafts has an emphasis on development of pincer grasp, tripod grasp, and index finger isolation. Explore touch senses and messy play with glue, paint, and tissue paper to promote sensory integration all while making something festive or the whole…
It is an exciting time for a parent to hear their child say their first word, no matter when that happens! As a speech-language pathologist, we often have caregivers state that their young child uses words but that they are using the same word for so many different things. Something heard quite often is “He…
Hopping on one foot is a tricky skill to learn. A child has to first be able to balance on one foot but also be able to jump. In typical development, a child learns to stand on one foot and balance independently for up to 4 seconds by age 2 ½! Hopping forward with ease…
Your child is just starting ABA therapy and you are meeting your ABA team for the very first time, but who is part of this team? As many families first begin ABA therapy, there are many questions that arise. One of those questions being, “who is going to be working with my child and what…
Ways to Help Your Child With Memory & Recall – From a Speech Pathologist Perspective Does it sometimes feel like pulling teeth when asking your child what they did at school or what they did during a play date with a friend? Does your child have a hard time remembering a lot of things? As…
Does your child walk on their knees instead of on their feet? Here’s a rundown from a pediatric physical therapist of the ramifications, causes, and the potential treatments of knee walking. What is Knee Walking? Knee walking is a pattern of locomotion where a child “walks” on their knees in a tall kneeling position. The…
What are the benefits of Multi-Disciplinary ABA? Let’s find out! Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy works on a variety of areas with a child, from language, to feeding, to transitions, to self help skills, the list goes on and on! The speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists that may also be on your child’s…
For some children, standing on one foot can be challenging – especially if they’ve struggled with motor control, coordination, or strength in the past. If your child relies on handrails for going up or down the stairs, sits down on the floor to put on their shoes, or fall or lose their balance often, then…
An important technique to help enhance your child’s language skills is known as “Parallel Talk.” Many parents and caregivers naturally use this type of technique during their daily routines and activities with their child without even knowing it! What is Parallel Talk and what does it do? Parallel talk is a technique used to narrate…
Do you have a child that could possibly fall into the category as an “open mouth breather?” If your child’s lips are constantly apart and their mouth appears open at rest, they are considered to be open mouth breathers or have habitual open mouth posture. Here are some reasons as to why your child may…
Stuck inside and looking for some creative ways to play with playdoh with your child? Are you looking for some fun things to do that will both keep your child’s attention as well as challenge their fine motor skills? Playdoh provides so many opportunities to develop fine motor skills, expand pretend play skills and support…
Most language facilitation strategies focus on helping your child begin to talk. Parents are ultimately hoping for verbal communication first, so we do everything in our power to encourage the use of words. But, what if we told you there is more to communication than just the use of words? In fact, there are numerous…
What do weighted Pencils Do? Who do they help? Does your child struggle with handwriting tasks? Is your child’s handwriting often messy and hard to read? One possible solution may be a weighted pencil. A weighted pencil can help a variety of children, including children with both motor and sensory challenges. A child with…
Do you ever feel like when your child is active that they look awkward running or that something is off when they are walking? Does your child duck walk or walk pigeon toed? Maybe they also run in that position? You may be curious what on earth can physical therapists really do about it. Well, this blog post is…
