Why Is Play Important for Child Development? We often hear parents ask, “What can I do with my child to help him or her grow and develop?” Now, if someone came to you and said, “Just play with your child” would you believe them? What Is Play? According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2008),…
12 Effective Tips to Teach Your Child to Dress Themselves Dressing skills are a vital part of child development. Not only does learning to dress themselves help support children’s growing independence, but it also promotes the development of many other valuable skills including, but not limited to sequencing, motor coordination, balance, bilateral coordination, dexterity, attention,…
How can you teach your child to tie shoes? Tying shoes is a complex self-care tasks that requires adequate visual motor skills, fine motor-coordination, task sequencing, and motor planning. Most kids learn to tie their shoes around age 6, but this can take longer due to the complexity of the task as well as environmental…
How Hippotherapy Is Used with Pediatric Therapy by Martina Tannahill, DPT Kids Place Central Pediatric Physical Therapist The term hippotherapy originates from the Greek word, “hippos” meaning horse. Hippotherapy involves using the natural gait and movement of a horse as a treatment tool and strategy that can be incorporated and integrated into an occupational or…
A Few Tips for Car Seat Safety by Elissa Casey OTR/L, ATP, CPST There is a lot to know about car seats and all of it can seem very overwhelming. Time to take a deep breath, as we are here to help. My name is Elissa Casey and I am a pediatric occupational therapist and…
Why Does My Child Repeats Everything I Say? Have you noticed your child is repeating words or phrases consistently? Do they repeat what you say instead of answering a question, or watch one of their favorite movies and speak lines from it over and over for the next week? It is ok to feel confused,…
I am Struggling with my Selective Eater, What do I do? It is common for families, parents, and or caregivers to have a child that is a “picky” eater. “Picky” eater may seem insensitive, so let’s call your child a selective eater. Often times parents and families may ask themselves, what in the world do…
Three Household Items to Promote Grasp Development by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist As a child grows and progresses with new skills, their grasp is developing as well. Adequate grasp development is important for age appropriate pre-writing and handwriting skills, manipulation of everyday items, and proper fine motor coordination.…
Pediatrics: Hippotherapy vs. Adaptive Riding by Justine Gonzales, OTR/L Kids Place Central Occupational Therapist The terms hippotherapy and adaptive riding (formally known as therapeutic riding) are commonly misused. While both approaches incorporate the benefits of riding a horse, there are various differences among the two. To ensure children are receiving the most appropriate horseback riding…
Midline Crossing Activities by Jessica Tallent, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist The midline is the term used to describe the invisible line at the middle of the body which goes from the head to the feet. When children participate in activities that require them to cross the midline, connections in the brain are…
