The Developmental Benefits of Chores by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist For many of us, chores are a normal part of childhood. What you may not realize is that common household chores can help children develop a variety of executive functioning skills that are beneficial later in life. Executive functioning…
Kids Corner – All about Caffeine by JP R. Freshman, Archway Trivium Caffeine is one of the world’s most popular stimulants. It is found in more than 60 different plants world-wide. Caffeine is in many items such as coffee, coffee beans, tea, soft drink products, energy drinks, chocolate, nuts such as kola and guarana, and…
Spinal Decompression through Position and Breathing Did you know that you can use deep diaphragmatic breathing to decompress your spine to help relieve pain? We all live with some form of spinal compression caused by gravity, ground reaction forces, ligaments, and muscular contractions. When a person stands upright, the lumbar spine can compress up to…
Temper Tantrums and Behavior Management by Amanda Mazerall M.S. OTR/L Temper tantrums are ‘behaviors’ that I see on a daily basis. Although Kids Place is an extremely fun and exciting place, it is common for children to get upset while present for therapy. There are a variety of reasons for these upset behaviors: Seeking a…
In our 11th edition of the AZOPT & Kids Place Pumpkin Challenge, we tested the creativity of the amazing provider offices who participated. And wow – what awesome results! Smaller pumpkins are definitely more challenging! Everyone who participated is a winner – because the kiddos who voted truly enjoyed seeing your creations! Thank you to all!…
What is pediatric physical therapy? Pediatric physical therapist work with a variety of children ranging from babies with torticollis or delay, orthopedic sports injuries, and children with delays due to diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and autism. Pediatric PTs help to improve gross motor skills, walking pattern, strength, balance, coordination, and motor planning through a…
Physical Therapists Treat Headaches by Daniel Cox, DPT AZOPT Glendale Physical Therapist Increased digital device use and ‘screen-time’ are becoming a major contributing factor to more frequent complaints of headaches. Recent studies actually estimate that one out of every 6 Americans suffer from headaches. This means the odds are that you, or someone you are…
Your Child’s Progressions in Handwriting by Jenna Zellner, OTS Kids Place Student Occupational Therapist Handwriting acquisition is a crucial learning process necessary to get children prepared for school and adult life. Similar to a child’s physical development, handwriting skills follow a sequential progression. First children develop precursor readiness skills which consist of drawing simple shapes.…
What Plumbers and Physical Therapists Share in Common By Genevieve Jenkins, DPT AZOPT Buckeye Doctor of Physical Therapy What do plumbers and physical therapists have in common? They can both fix leaks! While a plumber would be best employed for household leaks, a physical therapist can help you address a different kind of leak referred…
Upper Body Weight Bearing By Jessica Tallent, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist Occupational therapists assist in developing fine motor coordination and grasping skills needed for children to carry out everyday tasks. These tasks include playing with different sized, picking up pieces of food, learning to use utensils such as spoons and markers, tying shoes,…
