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…
Get a (Pencil) Grip! Does your child hold a pencil in an awkward manner? Does your child struggle with fatigue or pain with drawing, writing, or coloring activities? If so, you may be wondering: “Should I get a pencil grip for my child to help with their grasp on a pencil?” The short answer: maybe.…
The Sleepytime Struggle: 5 Sleep Tips for Children Sleep is a vital part of a child’s life to promote growth and development. Optimal sleep impacts a child’s readiness to participate in Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Oftentimes, a child will have difficulty with the skills of going to bed and getting enough sleep, resulting…
Are You Ready to Play? Impulse control is the ability to control oneself from engaging in behaviors that are often harmful to oneself or others. Having good impulse control is an important skill for individuals of all ages and for a variety of daily activities. What does poor impulse control, or lack of impulse control,…
8 Fun Handwriting Activities for Kids Summer is an opportune time to hone in your child’s handwriting skills. Handwriting can be a difficult skill for children to learn. If your child tends to have difficulty focusing during writing activities, try to switch up the activity. Here are fun activities to help your child stay engaged when…
