It’s dinner time. You’re all eating around the table, and suddenly your child’s plate is almost empty! But alas… all of the food is still in their mouth, stuffed to the brim. How do you prevent an overstuffed mouth in your child? Read on to find out! What is Overstuffing? Overstuffing is when your child…
Supporting Healthy Media Use For Children Media, including TV, computers, smartphones, tablets and video games, can affect how your children learn, feel, think, and behave. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages you to help your children develop healthy media use habits. “Nudges” to consider that help with healthy media use: Media Diet Ideas TV-free…
A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) This is the primary focus of occupational therapists. We aim to help our clients become as independent as possible in areas of self-care including playing, dressing, bathing, grooming, eating, brushing teeth and cooking, to name a few. With children, we are often teaching…
4 Benefits of Play Based Speech Therapy By Kaileigh Nall, M.S. CCC-SLP Kids Place North Speech & Feeding Therapist What is Play-Based Speech Therapy? Play-based therapy is a client-led approach in which the child chooses a toy or activity and the speech-language pathologist uses the activity to effectively target the skills the child is working…
Four Valentine’s Day Activities that OT’s LOVE by Amalia Garcia, OTR/L Pediatric Occupational Therapist We are always looking for fun ways to enhance our activities for the kiddos while still working on important developmental skills. We love to use holidays as inspiration and Valentine’s Day is here! Try these Valentine’s Day themed activities with your…
The Importance of Addressing Bilateral Coordination Skills at Home by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist Bilateral coordination skills are essential for successful participation in school activities, self-care tasks, participation in play activities, and so much more! Upper extremity bilateral coordination is being able to use both your left and right arms/hands…
How is Heavy Work Beneficial for My Child? by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist Are your kiddos constantly running, crashing, and jumping around the house? Do they have difficulty sitting still and sustaining attention to activities at school or home? Does their constant need for movement prevent them from partaking in…
8 Tips to Support a Positive Mealtime Environment by Kaileigh Nall, CCC-SLP Kids Place North Speech and Feeding Therapist Are mealtimes stressful at your home? Here are 8 tips to help support a positive mealtime environment for the whole family! 1. Involve your child in food preparation and clean up. Parents can do this by…
Haircuts are sometimes KNOT fun! Many people associate going to the salon or barber with a fresh start, a time to wind down, or to be pampered. It can be a relaxing experience for most individuals; however it can also be a scary and uncomfortable place for children with sensory processing difficulties. What is sensory…
14 Gift Ideas to Promote Child Development It’s that time of year to start shopping for your little ones! Are you looking for gift ideas to promote child development? Let us make it a little easier for you. Read on to to find the best gifts for gross motor skills, crawling, walking, endurance, and more!…
