Promoting Better Sleep Habits in Children by Kyla Johnson, M.S., OTR/L KP West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Sleep has such an important impact on your child’s mental and physical development. Poor or inadequate sleep can also affect a child’s behavioral responses. Sleep, or lack thereof, can affect your child’s ability to self-regulate and make it difficult…
The Halloween Conundrum – What to do with Extra Halloween Candy By the Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapists Many parents struggle with what to do with all the leftover candy their kids have from trick-or-treating. Candy can be used in many fun activities that do not involve actually eating it, but rather promote the development…
Enjoy Halloween Candy with a Challenge By the Kids Place Pediatric Speech Therapists What’s a parent to do when your child has a three-pound bag of candy after trick-or-treating? While some families allow candy consumption in moderation, here are some other ideas for limiting your child’s candy intake: Agree in advance on a set number…
Costume Ideas for Kids with Sensory and Mobility Concerns By Sarah Koppenhoefer-Little, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Most children love Halloween! But for parents of children with special needs, Halloween can be stressful. Will my child tolerate a costume with their sensory concerns? How can I customize a costume for my wheelchair-bound child?…
Newborn Tummy Time by Nicole Campbell, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist As a new mother to a beautiful baby boy born January 9, I understand the difficulties parents have incorporating tummy time at the home. If you have not already heard by now, tummy time is very important for your child’s development, even…
What’s That Sound? by Kacie Bartlett, CCC-SLP Kids Place Pediatric Speech Therapist In the world of speech, sounds made verbally are classified using a system called the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This is a written alphabet that represents sounds using symbols (just like the A, B, C’S). For example, let’s look at the word “that.”…
Tips and Tricks for Learning how to Ride a Bike By Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT and Megan Schwengler, Student Physical Therapist Teaching your child to ride a bike is very exciting but very challenging. Each child learns differently. Often we are asked, “When is a good time to start?” Or what is the best way…
Encouraging Early Developing Social Language Skills Kids Place Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist “Pragmatic language” refers to how we interact with others in a socially appropriate manner. It not only includes what we say but also nonverbal cues, such as the tone of voice we use, facial expressions and body language. Social language skills begin developing…
Pool Play for Active Movement By Bobbi Michels, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Active movement in water, also known as aquatic therapy, is used to reduce pain, improve joint range of motion, provide cardiovascular conditioning, improve strength, and assist balance skills. As an added benefit, water provides support for low impact exercises…
Tips for Successful Potty Training by Bailey Boss, Occupational Therapy Student Potty training is a major milestone for kids and parents alike. Just like other daily skills, children with and without disabilities need to practice to learn how to properly engage in toileting. Independence in toileting requires that the child be able to get on…
