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…
Holidays are great times to have your child participate in novel fine motor and sensory activities. Here are some fun Fourth of July crafts and activities to do this summer with your kids, while getting an extra bonus with some OT-themed activities! For Younger Children: Popsicle Stick Flag – great fine motor activity! Glue 7-8…
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…
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…
“They’re getting into everything!” As a physical therapist, one of my favorite phrases to hear from parents of toddlers is “they’re getting into everything!” Toddlers are little explorers learning to walk, climb, and navigate their environments. They are working on motor planning, or the connection between the brain and the body that allows a toddler…
Introduction to Deep Pressure Stimulation Weighted blankets are therapeutic blankets that are weighted with plastic beads and prescribed according to a child’s weight. The pressure from the extra weight helps apply a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation. Deep pressure stimulation typically uses hands-on pressure to relax the nervous system to lessen anxiety or improve mood,…
Reflux, Constipation, and Movement – The Relationship Between Reflux, Constipation, and Gross Motor Skills Parenting… It’s a Dirty Job When registering for a baby shower, there is a reason expecting mothers register for bibs, burp cloths, and changes of clothes: spitting up is a typical part of infancy. However, there is a point when spitting…
9 Signs Your Child Is Ready for Potty Training – A Pediatric Pelvic Health Physical Therapist’s Perspective Potty Training can be a stressful, yet exciting experience for both the child and the caregiver. It is a period of time where your child is exploring a new level of independence! But, how do you know that…
Time For Tupperware Long gone are the days of using containers purely as food or toy storage. You can click them, snap them, and pop them into place. Now…you can use them for language development! Storage containers are a fantastic language facilitation tool. Studies have shown that children enjoy looking at and playing with things that adults use frequently. Below, find some ways that…
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…
Does Your Child Have Weak Hip Muscles? For some reason or another, you may have been told your your child’s hip muscles are weak. Maybe you were given this information at a school assessment, or perhaps you have noticed your child having difficulty with running and jumping. Either way, it may be time to incorporate some hip…
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…
Bringing Home and Raising Preemie Babies – The First Steps Congratulations! If you are reading this, you may have had a scary birth and delivery with your premature baby. Things may not have gone as you originally planned. However, the most important thing is that your baby is healthy and ready to come home with you! So…now what? This article discusses your…
Let’s do an Experiment Note what position your baby is in. Close your eyes for 30 seconds, and then open them. Is your child in the same position? Have they moved or shifted? Did you already know what position they would be in before you opened your eyes? Variety in movement and positioning is the hallmark of typical development. Babies, toddlers, and kids are wiggly…
Putting the PT (Physical Therapist) in PT (Potty Training) There are many physiological things that need to happen before a child is ready for potty training, such as awareness and the ability to hold/void voluntarily. They will also need higher level fine motor and sensory skills. Here are some of the factors involving the gross motor skills such as strength, balance, and coordination needed to ensure…
