What is Sensory Integration? Sensory integration is the process where the nervous system organizes sensations from one’s body and from the external environment and makes it possible to use the body successfully in the environment. Children with sensory processing deficits may experience hindrances with their activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, eating, socializing,…
Creative Uses for Halloween Candy: Fun Activities to Boost Your Child’s Skills After a big night of trick-or-treating, many parents wonder what to do with all the leftover candy. Instead of just eating it, try using it for fun activities that encourage the development of fine motor skills, visual processing, cognitive processing, and sensory exploration.…
Pumpkin Washing Station: A Fun Sensory Activity for Kids Are you looking for a sensory-filled activity for children to enjoy during the holidays? During the fall, pumpkins are everywhere, so why not take advantage of these fall favorites for a therapeutic activity? You can easily add pumpkins to your list of sensory items and create…
Why Sensory Regulation is Important for Language Development in Pediatric Therapy The Role of Sensory Regulation in Pediatric Therapy Sensory regulation is commonly a goal in occupational therapy, but it is also an important concept in speech-language therapy. Occupational therapy assists in the participation and function of “occupations” and daily activities. A child’s job is…
Hand Manipulation Skills in Child Development Children are often referred to pediatric occupational therapy for concerns related to fine motor skills. Generally thought of as the movement and use of hands and upper extremities, fine motor skills include reaching, grasping and manipulating objects with your hands. Fine motor skills also involve vision, specifically visual motor…
How Can A Pediatric Occupational Therapist Help in Potty Training? Parents often ask our therapists if they can help children learn to use the toilet by themselves. Our therapists acknowledge that toilet training is a very important activity of daily living (ADL), but also know that countless factors contribute to toilet training success. Children are…
Using Sensory Strategies to Help with Self Regulation Do you feel like your child is more active than other kids? Does he or she have difficulty sitting down at meal time or to complete homework? Does your child seem to move about their day slowly or have trouble keeping their energy level up throughout the…
A Holiday Gift Guide for Kids by Pediatric Occupational Therapists It’s that time of year! Here are some holiday gift recommendations for your children by the Occupational Therapists here at Kids Place: *All recommendations can be found on Amazon or at Target and Walmart* Toys: We can use toys to develop fine motor skills, hand…
5 Important Types of Play for Developing Children Throughout development, children will participate in a variety of occupations like dressing, feeding, toileting, sleeping, and even watching television. One of the most important occupations that typically takes up the most of children’s time is likely play. Play offers physical and mental stimulation, not to mention it’s a lot…
How to Cope with your Child’s Sensory Overload by Amanda Mazerall, OTR/L Kids Place East Clinic Manager and Pediatric Occupational Therapist Anyone who has children understands that emotions are a part of everyday life. While upset behaviors can often be labeled as “tantrums” stemming from a child not getting their way, sensory overload can often…
