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…
Taekwondo’s Positive Impact on Child Development by Jessica Raykovich, SPT Student Physical Therapist Taekwondo is a form of martial arts that has been around for hundreds of years. It stands for Tae=foot/leg, Kwon=fist/fight, and Do=way or discipline. It incorporates various forms of kicking, punching, and blocking all while teaching discipline and respect. So should it…
Reading Books to Children with Language Delays By Pam Cooper, CCC-SLP Kids Place West Speech and Feeding Therapist A language delay is the slow or late acquisition of language abilities in comparison to their same-aged peers. Children with language delays often lack exposure to vocabulary and environments that allow for learning and understanding. Reading books…
Self Care Skills and Child Development by Egle Majute, Student Occupational Therapist The role of an Occupational Therapist is to support children of any age in participation of their daily occupations. One of those occupations is self-care skills. Self-care skills are everyday tasks such as toileting, bathing, grooming, and dressing, commonly referred to as activities of…
Considering a Service Dog to Assist Children with Disabilities by Cindy Ewert, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist When you feel like you have exhausted every option, and are still looking for the one thing that could change your child’s life, a service dog therapy dog may be your answer! It is important to note…
Mirror Neuron Therapy in the Pediatric Setting by Hailee Baryshnikov Student Physical Therapist Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that respond equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action. They were first discovered in the early 1990s, when a team of Italian researchers found individual…
The Value of Vision by Toriann Maddux, OTS Midwestern University Occupational Therapy Student Did you know that vision accounts for as much as 80% of an individual’s learning process? If there’s a vision problem it will impede learning and development. Vision is not fully mature at birth but continues to develop through a learned process…
Idiopathic Toe Walking and Bracing by Andy Albrecht, DPT, PCS Kids Place Central Clinic Manager Idiopathic toe walking has long been a diagnosis pediatric physical therapists have difficulty treating. On the surface, it seems straight forward. A child has tight gastrocs (calves) and therefore walks on her tippy toes. By stretching out the calves, the…
