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…
Five Toys to Develop Visual Motor and Fine Motor Skills by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Slot Toy Slot toys help to improve wrist dexterity, precision with visual motor tasks, object manipulation skills, and problem solving. These toys also address object permanence, or the ability to know that an object…
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…
Tips for Introducing Solids When is my child ready for solids? By six months, most children are ready to be introduced to solids. Regardless of age, it is important to consider your child’s gross motor skills before introducing solids. There is a direct relationship between gross motor development (e.g., sitting up, crawling, walking, etc.) and…
What to Expect During Your Baby’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Evaluation Your doctor recommends a pediatric physical therapy evaluation for your baby. We understand this can feel overwhelming. We hope this blog will help calm your fears so you can approach your evaluation with less anxiety and stress. Your licensed physical therapist will begin the evaluation…
Does My Baby Need Knee Pads for Crawling? by Nicole Campbell, PT, DPT Does your baby need knee pads for crawling? The short answer – probably not! While as an adult, it can hurt to crawl on hands and knees due to pressure on the patella (commonly called the ‘kneecap’), a baby’s patella is made…
Improving Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Everyone needs sleep and rest to support their health and participate fully in their daily lives. When a child is experiencing sleep difficulties, the sleep quality of the entire family can also be affected. Poor sleep can lead to challenging daytime behaviors and negatively impact daytime function.…
Shoe Recommendations for New Walkers and Toddlers Those first steps your child takes is an exciting time – watching them develop from those first, uneasy steps to eventually running! As your child begins walking, parents will need to begin purchasing shoes to help your little ones. Below are recommendations based on where your little one…
