The Developmental Benefits of Chores by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist For many of us, chores are a normal part of childhood. What you may not realize is that common household chores can help children develop a variety of executive functioning skills that are beneficial later in life. Executive functioning…
What is pediatric physical therapy? Pediatric physical therapist work with a variety of children ranging from babies with torticollis or delay, orthopedic sports injuries, and children with delays due to diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and autism. Pediatric PTs help to improve gross motor skills, walking pattern, strength, balance, coordination, and motor planning through a…
Your Child’s Progressions in Handwriting by Jenna Zellner, OTS Kids Place Student Occupational Therapist Handwriting acquisition is a crucial learning process necessary to get children prepared for school and adult life. Similar to a child’s physical development, handwriting skills follow a sequential progression. First children develop precursor readiness skills which consist of drawing simple shapes.…
Promoting Fluent Speech for Children Who Stutter by Alexandra Pagel, M.A., CF-SLP Kids Place West Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist You’re staring at a large audience, delivering an important speech. You find yourself starting sentences over, taking long pauses, and repeating parts of words or entire words. You’re nervous and your words just aren’t coming…
Messy Face, Empty Plate by Kacie Bartlett, CCC-SLP Kids Place West Speech and Feeding Therapist Parents have been taught that when their child is hungry, they will eat. This may be true for some children but not all. Many children have difficulty consuming adequate nutrition orally, whether it is due to a medical diagnosis, motor…
The 8th Sense by DeNell Dykstra, OTS Kids Place West Student Occupational Therapist Most of us are aware of the five main senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Some of us have also heard of the two ‘hidden’ senses – proprioception and vestibular. Proprioception is the ability to sense joints and muscles. The…
Tools to Manage Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Children misbehaving or testing the limits is a normal part of childhood development. Most challenging behaviors emerge between the ages of 3—6 when the child is developing a sense of autonomy. However, these behaviors can reach a…
The Risks of Prolonged Use of a Pacifier by Paige Luetkemeyer, MS, CF-SLP Kids Place Central Speech Language Pathologist It’s in your nature to comfort your baby when in distress. Pacifiers are a helpful tool that not only soothes a crying baby but also satisfies her natural sucking instinct. In fact, several studies have shown that…
Kids Place celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month. Check out this video from Morgan and Allie, Speech Therapists at Kids Place West, to learn more about strategies to encourage your late talker to effectively communicate. For more information, please visit: Encouraging Early Developing Social Language Skills Parentese: What Is It and Why You Should Do…
Kids Place celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month. Check out this video from Lindsey and Brandi, Speech Therapists at Kids Place Central, to learn more about the benefits and strategies for teaching your child sign language. For more information, please visit: Should I Teach My Child Sign Language? Jump-Start Your Baby’s Language Learning with…
