What is Torticollis? By Andy Albrecht, DPT Kids Place Central Clinic Manager and Pediatric Physical Therapist Torticollis is a term used to describe a tight neck muscle. Congenital Muscular Torticollis occurs when a neck muscle, often involved is the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), is tight or shortened. This presents with a position of one ear towards the…
Child Development of Self-Care Skills By Jessica Holyoke, OTR-L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist Activities of daily living (ADLs) are a necessary part of our day and include various tasks such as getting dressed, bathing, brushing our teeth or hair, and feeding ourselves. Most of us place very little thought or effort when carrying out…
Sensory or Behavioral? How Do I Know? By Emily Pierson, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Sensory processing refers to a person’s ability to take information from the environment using their seven senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, movement, and position) and interpret that information to make sense of the world. When any part…
The Benefits of Co-Treating By Amanda Bruce, MS, OTR/L and Stacy Taylor, MS, CCC-SLP Kids Place Pediatric Therapists Many parents new to pediatric therapy are unfamiliar with the term “co-treat.” Short for co-treatment, this refers to two different therapy disciplines working with one child at the same time. For example, your child may receive treatment…
Reading Strategies for Increased Speech and Language Skills Kids Place Pediatric Speech Therapists Reading. This word generally carries an automatic association with school and academic learning. However, many parents may not realize that in addition to academic growth, reading can also help develop a child’s speech and language skills. Here are some of the ways…
The Benefits of Crawling (Before Walking) By Nikki Robinett, PT, DPT and Amanda Bruce, OTR/L AZOPT Kids Place Central Therapists In the ever changing world of pediatrics, where new evidence and opinions are constantly telling us what our children should (or should not) be doing, parents can be understandably confused. One recent discussion revolves around…
Animal Walking: Building Strength, Balance, and Coordination By Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Gross motor skills are an important aspect of child development. When participating in gross motor activities, children are able to release their energy in addition to building strength. A fun and easy way to incorporate gross motor…
Encouraging Effective Communication and Discouraging Negative Behavior By Katy Moakley, CFY-SLP Kids Place Pediatric Speech Therapist When children are learning how to communicate, they learn that their actions influence your actions (cause and effect). This is the basis of communication. In order to get what they want, children will use the simplest, most effective option.…
Springtime Gross Motor Activities for Children By Nikki Robinett, DPT Kids Place Pediatric Physical Therapist That perfect time of year for us Phoenicians is just about upon us. The daytime temperatures are perfect! Nighttime isn’t too cold. We can finally enjoy some fresh air without sitting in shade. Let’s use this time to encourage our…
