Fitness trainers always stress the importance of quality of movement in exercise performance to their adult participants. Completing more repetitions is not better if the quality of the exercise is poor. Poor exercise and lack of quality movement could cause damage in a variety of ways, including: Muscle Imbalances Torque on the Spine Increased Pressure…
Bottom scooting – or shuffling – is a way that many children use when first learning how to explore their environment. Even though it is effective, this position can exacerbate muscle weakness and asymmetry. Therefore a means of mobility that we want to discourage. What is Bottom Scooting? Bottom scooting is when a child sits…
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…
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…
Hand preference usually begins to emerge between 2-4 years of age. Many children have established a hand preference by 5-6 years old, and definite hand dominance can continue to develop up through 8-9 years old. These activities can help your child to develop a hand preference: Screwing On/Off Lids: Hide objects or stickers inside for the child to discover to make it more interesting and…
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…
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…
What to Expect and How Physical Therapy Can Help As a parent, hearing that your baby can benefit from helmet therapy may seem scary. This is an intervention used more and more often for young children who were born with or have developed an asymmetrical head shape as an infant. Just as older children may…
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…
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…
