10 Fun Summer Activities to Promote Child Development by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist As summer rolls around, finding activities to keep your kids busy and entertained seems daunting. Luckily, there are hundreds of activities for your home that are both fun and help with various developmentally appropriate skills and occupations.…
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…
What is a Healthy Amount of Media Use for Your Child? 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…
My child qualifies for occupational therapy at school; should I stop coming to the clinic? NO! (Although this may vary based on family circumstances). A child is able to receive occupational therapy at school and in the clinic at the same time. This can actually be incredibly beneficial for the child, and we highly recommend…
At Kids Place, our pediatric occupational therapists are dedicated to helping children develop the skills needed for everyday tasks. Whether it’s at home, school, or in the community, we aim to enhance each child’s ability to participate fully and independently. What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy? Pediatric occupational therapy focuses on helping children gain independence in…
What is Occupational Therapy for Kids? by Thomas Stevens, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist Your pediatrician has referred your child to occupational therapy and you’re thinking to yourself – “my child doesn’t have a career, what in the world is his occupation?” Not to worry, we won’t be building your two-year old’s resume just…
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…
