BOO! Halloween is around the corner and our Occupational Therapy Team put together this blog that includes ten costume tips and tricks for parents of children with sensory processing differences. Halloween can be one of the best holidays of the year for trick or treaters of all ages, but the costumes can lead to some…
Interaction, Language Activities, & Development Whether it’s tucked away in your garage, covered in mud, or somewhere under your couch, we all have one of these in our house: a Ball! Read on to find out how to use it in a Language Activity! No matter what age, all children and adults alike find…
If your physical or occupational therapist has recommended hip helpers, you may be wondering about ways to use them to get the maximum benefit for your child. Here are 4 positions to try with this device to strengthen your child’s trunk and hips and build their functional skills! 1) Tummy time Hip helpers are a…
– How To Detect Trunk Weakness Throughout the Lifespan – Core strength is a popular topic for all ages. You may already know the importance of having a strong, stable trunk; it is necessary for effectively being upright against gravity, using your arms and legs efficiently, and preventing pain and discomfort later in life. Signs…
AKA: Tongue Ties, Lip Ties and Cheek Ties Firstly, tongue, lip and buccal (cheek) ties or tethered oral tissue can have a significant harmful impact on orofacial development. It can also cause issues witb sleeping, breathing and eating. Keep an eye out for these red flags. Do not hesitate to reach out for a myofunctional…
Valentine’s day is right around the corner! Here’s some craft ideas to wash those winter blues away and add some colorful decorations to your house, all while working on those love-ly fine motor skills! Heart Card – Great activity for children to work on hand strength, visual-motor skills including scissors and lacing. Materials: 2 different…
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…
In need of some ideas to get your kids away from screens at home? If you have painter’s tape lying around, you can develop some creative activities that will keep you and your kids entertained and engaged while helping to develop their visual-motor, fine motor, gross motor, and sensory processing skills. Adequate development of fine…
While kids are off school for the holidays, it’s important to continue working on their fine motor skills. Having a strong foundation of fine motor coordination and strength is vital for kids to be able to succeed with tasks throughout their day such as dressing (buttoning, zipping, etc.), eating (using utensils), school work (writing), and…
As your children begin to learn letter- and word-formation in school, they’ll likely have homework that focuses on this as well! Handwriting can be an extremely tricky task to master, which can make it even more aversive for your child to practice. Whether your child is just beginning to learn pre-writing lines or working on…
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…
We have eight senses (touch, taste, smell, sight, auditory, vestibular, interception, and proprioception). Our proprioceptive system provides feedback through our muscles and joints to figure out where our body is in space. Some proprioceptive activities are also referred as “heavy work” activities. Examples of Heavy Work Activities Heavy work activities add resistance during pulling or…
Purchased a body sock or plan to make one with some stretchy lycra fabric? This article has some great ideas on how to implement its use for your sensory-seeking child! First to check: the body sock should be about the same height as your child, or even a little smaller. You want your child to…
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…
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…
