Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Creative Uses for Extra Halloween Candy

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.…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy halloween activity

Halloween-Themed Outdoor Activities for Children

Fun and Developmental Halloween-Themed Outdoor Activities for Kids Halloween is here, and in Arizona, that means beautiful weather and a perfect chance for outdoor fun! This season, let’s mix Halloween excitement with activities that help children grow their physical and motor skills. Here are some Halloween-themed games that are easy to set up, engaging for…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy pumpkin washing

Pumpkin Washing Station: A Fun and Easy Sensory Activity for Kids This Fall

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…

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Pediatric Speech TherapyPediatric Occupational Therapy sensory regulation

Why Sensory Regulation is Important for Language Development

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…

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Physical Therapy fall prevention

Fall-Proof Your Life: Exercises That Reduce the Risk of Falling

Preventing Falls: Essential Exercises and Tips for Older Adults September is Fall Prevention Month! As the weather cools down and we become more active, it’s crucial to take proactive steps to safeguard our health—especially when it comes to preventing falls. Falls are a common risk, particularly for older adults, and can lead to serious injuries.…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy child foot muscle

Foot Muscle Development in Toddlers: Why Shoes Can Wait

The Importance of Foot Muscle Development Before Wearing Shoes Our foot muscles, particularly those that assist in developing the arch, play a vital role in providing stability during standing, walking, and other movements. These muscles, when developed properly, help increase load capacity during running and provide joint stability during single-leg stance activities. During typical child…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy first verbs

How Children Learn Their First Verbs: A Parent’s Guide to Early Language Development

Understanding How Children Learn Their First Verbs Watching your child learn to talk is one of the most exciting parts of parenting. You may hear your child use their first words around 10-16 months. These first words are typically nouns, such as mama, dada, doggy, and ball. Starting as early as 8 months of age,…

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Pediatric Feeding Therapy feeding therapy

A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Feeding Therapy

What is Pediatric Feeding Therapy? Pediatric feeding therapy is designed to help children who have difficulties with feeding, eating, or swallowing. Feeding challenges can arise from a variety of issues, including medical conditions like gastroesophageal reflux, developmental disorders like autism or cerebral palsy, sensory processing difficulties, or behavioral issues. Pediatric feeding therapists, often speech-language pathologists…

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Physical Therapy

The Hidden Benefits of Plyometrics Training

The Hidden Benefits of Plyometrics Training We all know the benefits to staying healthy through exercise. However, knowing what specific exercises are needed to accomplish our goals is often challenging. A quick online search is overwhelming, with results varying from cardio to lifting weights to body weight and stretching exercises. It’s confusing to figure out…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy vertical play for infants

The Importance of Vertical Play During Early Infancy 

Vertical Play During Early Infancy  During the early stages of infancy, many parents are educated on the importance of “tummy time”. Playing on their stomach is a crucial activity to improving muscle strength in an infant’s neck and trunk. However, this is not the only activity parents can facilitate with their little one! Although tummy…

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Physical Therapy knee pain

7 Stretches and Exercises to Reduce Knee Pain

7 Stretches and Exercises to Reduce Knee Pain Have you ever experienced knee pain?  There are many different causes of knee pain – fractures, overuse injuries, arthritis, imbalances, instability, and more. The knee is a complex body part that works with muscles surrounding the knee in conjunction with the joints above and below the knee…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Baby Wearing: Safety Essentials and Postural Guidelines

Baby Wearing – Safety and Postural Considerations Baby wearing is a common practice that involves carrying a baby close to your body using a carrier, wrap, or sling. In the last decade, baby wearing has become increasingly popular and has shown benefits including improved success with breastfeeding, improved infant to parent bonding, and improved attentiveness…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy orofacial myofunctional disorder

Learning About Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD)

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) Ever wonder why your child drools?  How about why your child’s teeth are crooked?  Why your child isn’t able to say the “s,z,ch,r,” or “sh” sounds correctly? If you answered yes to one or all of the questions above, your child might have an orofacial myofunctional disorder. What is an orofacial…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy boosting early language skills

Boosting Early Language Skills

Boosting Early Language Skills This May, we celebrate National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, raising awareness about communication disorders and the role of pediatric speech language pathologists in providing life-altering treatment. Did you know by the age of two, the average child can say between 200-300 words? If your little one has not reached this milestone, try these…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy hand manipulation skills

Hand Manipulation Skills in Child Development

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…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy Preschool stuttering

Using Indirect Treatment to Overcome Preschool Stuttering

Using Indirect Treatment to Overcome Preschool Stuttering Indirect treatment is an approach that focuses on teaching the family strategies to enhance fluency through environmental modifications. It involves making changes in the environment rather than making any changes in the child’s speech. The message is always that stuttering is okay. Here are some suggestions on how…

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Physical Therapy Tendon and Ligament Pain

Surprising Benefits of Vitamin C and Collagen Supplements for Tendon and Ligament Pain

Surprising Benefits of Vitamin C and Collagen Supplements for Tendon and Ligament Pain.  Tendon and ligament pain are commonly seen in the physical therapy profession. Treatment of tendon and ligament injuries consists of manual therapy, exercise, and modalities for pain relief with good outcomes. However, nutrition is often neglected when encompassing the whole patient during…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy potty training

How Can A Pediatric Occupational Therapist Help in Potty Training?

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…

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Physical Therapy R.I.C.E.

Managing Your Injury with R.I.C.E.

R.I.C.E. – Rest | Ice | Compression | Elevation R.I.C.E. is a fundamental principle for the management of various injuries, particularly those related to soft tissues like muscles and joints. This approach is commonly employed to address acute injuries such as sprains, strains, and minor fractures. Understanding the benefits of each component provides valuable insight…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy raising active kids

Raising Active Kids: Encouraging Physical Activity at Home and Beyond

Raising Active Kids: Encouraging Physical Activity at Home and Beyond Look around your house and find your kids. What are they doing right now? Are they watching TV, playing on an iPad, playing with toys, or are they running around? Clinical guidelines for general activity from the CDC state that children should get 60 mins…

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Physical Therapy pelvic floor physical therapy

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What is Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy? Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy is a specialized form of physical therapy (PT) directed at treating pain, weakness, and/or dysfunction associated with the muscles within and around the pelvis (especially the pelvic floor). Currently, pelvic floor therapy is offered exclusively by Genevieve…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy pediatric speech therapy

A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Speech Therapy

What is Pediatric Speech Therapy? Pediatric speech therapy focuses on evaluating and treating children with communication challenges, including speech, language, social communication, and feeding/swallowing disorders. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with children from infancy through adolescence, addressing issues such as delayed speech, articulation disorders, stuttering, voice disorders, and difficulties with understanding or using language. Additionally, SLPs…

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Physical Therapy mountain biking

Mountain Biking Mastery: Elevate Your Ride with These 5 Essential Exercises

Elevate Your Mountain Biking Performance with These 5 Essential Exercises There’s no doubt that mountain biking has exploded in popularity in recent years. Living in Arizona, there is no shortage of trail variation and difficulty resulting in a wide range of skill levels who participate in the sport. Whether you are a weekend warrior or…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy gift guide for kids

A Holiday Gift Guide for Kids by Pediatric Occupational Therapists

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…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy types of play

5 Important Types of Play for Developing Children

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…

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Pediatric Feeding TherapyPediatric Physical Therapy effects of sugar

The Effects of Sugar on the Growing Human Body

The Effects of Sugar on the Growing Human Body Did you know that the daily maximum amount of added sugar that the American Heart Association recommends for children ages 2 to 18 years old is 6 teaspoons or 25 grams? That is equivalent to 1 mini can of coke (7.5 ounces), 3 regular-sized Reese’s Peanut…

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Pediatric Occupational TherapyUncategorized sensory overload

How to Cope with your Child’s Sensory Overload

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…

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Physical Therapy ryann roberts

Q&A with Ryann Roberts – AzOPT Owner

Q&A with Ryann Roberts, PT, DPT, & AzOPT Owner Arizona Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AzOPT) was established in 2007 in Goodyear. After working many years for other physical therapy practices, Ryann believed there was a better approach to physical therapy than packing a therapist’s schedule and using techs to guide his patients’ experience. Ryann wanted a…

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Physical Therapy vestibular therapy

What is Vestibular Therapy?

What is Vestibular Therapy? People often don’t realize how large the scope of physical therapy practice can be. There are many different domains including orthopedics, geriatrics, cardiopulmonary, pediatrics and more. One unique niche of physical therapy is vestibular rehabilitation. What is vestibular therapy exactly? It’s an exercise-based treatment program that works to improve your sense…

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Physical Therapy PT month

Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month with Activity

Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month with Activity! This October, we celebrate National Physical Therapy Month (NPTM)!  NPTM is an awareness celebration held each October by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) to recognize the important roles physical therapists play in restoring and improving motion in people’s lives.  Nobody understands this more than the “Active Adult”…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy Sleep Tips for Children

The Sleepytime Struggle: 5 Sleep Tips for Children

  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…

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Kids Place NewsPediatric Physical Therapy Kids Place Prescott Pediatric Therapy

What to Expect at My Child’s First Pediatric Physical Therapy Session

We understand that starting any pediatric therapy at Kids Place is challenging and slightly intimidating. Parents and children alike are nervous. This is normal – and ok! To better prepare you for your first visit, let’s talk more about what you can expect at your first pediatric therapy session. What to Expect at my Child’s…

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Physical Therapy PT

Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists – What’s the Difference?

Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists – What’s the Difference? There are many misconceptions regarding the similarities and differences between physical therapy, chiropractors and massage therapy. Patients often believe they are the same thing. In fact, the three professions have very different theories regarding the preferred method of treatment, the benefits of each treatment, and the…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy summer activities for child development

10 Fun Summer Activities to Promote Child Development 

10 Fun Summer Activities to Promote Child Development  by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist As summer rolls around, finding activities to keep your kids busy and entertained seems daunting. Luckily, there are hundreds of activities for your home that are both fun and help with various developmentally appropriate skills and occupations.…

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Pediatric Occupational TherapyKids Place NewsPediatric Feeding Therapy overstuffed mouth

How to Prevent an Overstuffed Mouth in Your Child

It’s dinner time. You’re all eating around the table, and suddenly your child’s plate is almost empty! But alas… all of the food is still in their mouth, stuffed to the brim. How do you prevent an overstuffed mouth in your child? Read on to find out! What is Overstuffing?  Overstuffing is when your child…

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Pediatric Speech TherapyKids Place NewsPediatric Feeding TherapyPediatric Occupational TherapyPediatric Physical Therapy supporting healthy media use

Supporting Healthy Media Use For Children

What is a Healthy Amount of Media Use for Your Child? Media, including TV, computers, smartphones, tablets and video games, can affect how your children learn, feel, think, and behave. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages you to help your children develop healthy media use habits. “Nudges” to consider that help with healthy media…

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Physical TherapyAquatic Therapy Physical Therapy Before Replacement Surgery

Physical Therapy Before Replacement Surgery

Ask the Therapist: Do I Really Need Physical Therapy Before Replacement Surgery? “My surgeon is going to remove all the arthritis from my bone-on-bone knee and replace it so I am pain free! What’s the point of physical therapy before surgery?” True – during most replacement surgeries, patients often have great success removing the arthritis…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy Targeting Speech and Language Skills Through Everyday Life

Targeting Speech and Language Skills Through Everyday Life

Targeting Speech and Language Skills Through Everyday Life  By Stephanie Celaya, CCC-SLP Kids Place Central Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist The first three years of a child’s life is crucial for speech and language development.  Their brains are developing and maturing rapidly. It is very important for children to be consistently exposed to environments that…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy The Differences Between School and Outpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy

The Differences Between School and Outpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy

My child qualifies for occupational therapy at school; should I stop coming to the clinic? NO! (Although this may vary based on family circumstances). A child is able to receive occupational therapy at school and in the clinic at the same time. This can actually be incredibly beneficial for the child, and we highly recommend…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

What is Occupational Therapy? Celebrating OT Month

What is Occupational Therapy? Celebrating OT Month By Jessica Tallent, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist Since 1980, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has recognized April as occupational therapy month.  But what exactly do occupational therapists, specifically pediatric occupational therapists, do? The World Federation of Occupational Therapy (OT) defines occupational therapy as a “client-centered…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy?

Is Occupational Therapy Right For My Child? Pediatric occupational therapy (OT) is a specialty designed to help individuals with developmental, physical, and cognitive delays.  Occupational therapists help develop, recover, or maintain skills needed to perform their everyday activities (occupations).  A child’s occupation is to play, dress, groom, bath, and perform school work.  Factors that may…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy Our Kids Place location in Goodyear

Understanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy

At Kids Place, our pediatric occupational therapists are dedicated to helping children develop the skills needed for everyday tasks. Whether it’s at home, school, or in the community, we aim to enhance each child’s ability to participate fully and independently. What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy? Pediatric occupational therapy focuses on helping children gain independence in…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy speech therapy activities

Creative Speech Therapy Activities To Do at Home

Creative Speech Therapy Activities To Do at Home Are you looking for creative speech therapy activities to do at home? Speech and language can be targeted anywhere, any time. The best and easiest way to target speech and language without interrupting your day is to target them during daily activities. Some examples of daily activities…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy what is occupational therapy for kids

What is Occupational Therapy for Kids?

What is Occupational Therapy for Kids? by Thomas Stevens, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist Your pediatrician has referred your child to occupational therapy and you’re thinking to yourself – “my child doesn’t have a career, what in the world is his occupation?” Not to worry, we won’t be building your two-year old’s resume just…

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Physical Therapy A young man showing you an exercise on how stabilizing your core

The Importance of Stabilizing Your Core

The Importance of Stabilizing Your Core By Brooke Smith, DPT, PT AzOPT Goodyear Clinic Manager You have some pain and your doctor tells you to strengthen or stabilize your core. What does strengthening your core even mean? Where do you start with strengthening/stabilizing your core? And how can you strengthen your core without causing more…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy concerns over the revised developmental checklist

Concerns Over the Revised Developmental Checklist

Concerns Over the Revised Developmental Checklist by Lauryn Bates, M.S., CCC-SLP Kids Place Speech and Language Pathologist Research has indicated that 80% of brain development occurs in the first 3 years of life. The brain is more flexible during this time because it must learn to accommodate new environments, interactions, and experiences. A child is…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy valentine's day activities

Four Valentine’s Day Activities that OT’s LOVE

Four Valentine’s Day Activities that OT’s LOVE by Amalia Garcia, OTR/L Pediatric Occupational Therapist We are always looking for fun ways to enhance our activities for the kiddos while still working on important developmental skills. We love to use holidays as inspiration and Valentine’s Day is here! Try these Valentine’s Day themed activities with your…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

The Importance of Addressing Bilateral Coordination Skills at Home

The Importance of Addressing Bilateral Coordination Skills at Home by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist Bilateral coordination skills are essential for successful participation in school activities, self-care tasks, participation in play activities, and so much more!  Upper extremity bilateral coordination is being able to use both your left and right arms/hands…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy child doing heavy work on monkey bars

How is Heavy Work Beneficial for My Child?

How is Heavy Work Beneficial for My Child? by Marisa Fiorentino, OTR/L Kids Place North Pediatric Occupational Therapist Are your kiddos constantly running, crashing, and jumping around the house? Do they have difficulty sitting still and sustaining attention to activities at school or home? Does their constant need for movement prevent them from partaking in…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy toys to develop visual motor skills

Five Toys to Develop Visual Motor and Fine Motor Skills

Five Toys to Develop Visual Motor and Fine Motor Skills by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Slot Toy Slot toys help to improve wrist dexterity, precision with visual motor tasks, object manipulation skills, and problem solving. These toys also address object permanence, or the ability to know that an object…

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Physical Therapy benefits of physical therapy

10 Benefits of Physical Therapy

10 Benefits of Physical Therapy What is Physical Therapy? Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a health profession that uses evidence-based assessment, exercise, joint mobilization and education. Physical therapy treats conditions such as chronic pain, acute pain, soft tissue injuries, arthritis, physical impairments and gait disorders typically of musculoskeletal and neurological origins. We…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

What to Expect During Your Baby’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Evaluation

What to Expect During Your Baby’s Pediatric Physical Therapy Evaluation Your doctor recommends a pediatric physical therapy evaluation for your baby. We understand this can feel overwhelming. We hope this blog will help calm your fears so you can approach your evaluation with less anxiety and stress. Your licensed physical therapist will begin the evaluation…

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Physical Therapy importance of strength training for endurance athletes

The Importance of Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

The Importance of Strength Training for Endurance Athletes by Taylor Rock, PT, DPT AzOPT Goodyear Doctor of Physical Therapy Strength training and weightlifting are imperative to maintaining good health and reducing injury risk in all athletes. But while strength training is crucial for all athletes throughout every sport, the benefits are still debated by many…

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Kids Place News

Improving Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Improving Sleep in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Everyone needs sleep and rest to support their health and participate fully in their daily lives. When a child is experiencing sleep difficulties, the sleep quality of the entire family can also be affected. Poor sleep can lead to challenging daytime behaviors and negatively impact daytime function.…

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Pediatric Speech TherapyPediatric Occupational TherapyPediatric Physical Therapy play games together

6 Important Reasons We Play Games Together at Kids Place Pediatric Therapy

6 Important Reasons We Play Games Together at Kids Place Pediatric Therapy Parents often ask us why we will place two children together during a therapy session to play a game. This is a great question that has an even better answer! When two children are playing together, we are able to build several social…

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Pediatric Feeding Therapy

Pediatric Feeding Disorders

Pediatric Feeding Disorders by Jacque Kujath, M.S. CCC-SLP Kids Place Central Speech Language Pathologist Our amazing team of speech-language pathologists are qualified to treat a variety of speech and language deficits including expressive and receptive language delays, articulation skills, and phonological skills. Did you know they are also qualified to evaluate and treat pediatric feeding…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy teach your child to dress themselves

12 Effective Tips to Teach Your Child to Dress Themselves

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,…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy fitness for children with cerebral palsy

Benefits of Cardio Fitness for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Benefits of Cardio Fitness for Children with Cerebral Palsy by Danielle Burke, PT, DPT Kids Place West Doctor of Physical Therapy Cerebral palsy is a complex neurological disorder affecting approximately 1.5 to 3.8 children per 1,000 births. Children diagnosed with cerebral palsy often present with developmental delays as a result of muscle weakness, impaired balance,…

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Physical Therapy should you do physical therapy

4 Common Misperceptions About Physical Therapy

Common Misperceptions About Physical Therapy By: Brooke Smith, DPT AzOPT Goodyear Clinic Manager Should you do physical therapy? There are many common misperceptions about what physical therapy entails.  Let’s discuss a few common misperceptions and explain how physical therapy can help you get back to the activities you love, without pain! Myth #1: Physical therapy…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy language skills

3 Practical Strategies to Improve Receptive, Expressive, and Social Language Skills

What are some strategies to improve my child’s language skills? Kids Place Pediatrics Therapy celebrates Better Hearing and Speech Month. Check out this video from Lauryn, Stephanie, and Paige, Speech Therapists at Kids Place Central, to learn more about how you can improve your child’s receptive and expressive language skills at home. For more information,…

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Physical Therapy

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month

April is Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, degenerative neurologic disease that affects the brain’s ability to produce specific chemicals that allow normal, smooth movement and motor planning. It affects approximately 50,000 people in the United States every year with about 1 million people currently affected. The average age of onset for…

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Aquatic TherapyPhysical Therapy

Using Aquatic Therapy to Treat Knee Osteoarthritis

Using Aquatic Therapy to Treat Knee Osteoarthritis by Blake McDonald, DPT AzOPT Buckeye Doctor of Physical Therapy Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is an irreversible condition that will eventually require surgery.  So why bother treating the knee with physical therapy if it is just prolonging the inevitable, right? WRONG! Oftentimes, knee replacement surgery is only…

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Pediatric Physical TherapyPediatric Occupational Therapy

How Hippotherapy Is Used with Pediatric Therapy

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…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Debunking Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Myths

Debunking Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Myths by Lauryn Bates, CCC-SLP Kids Place Central Pediatric Speech Therapist The average person speaks approximately 150 words per minute. In a typical day, most of us will express more than 15,000 words for a variety of communicative intents. We use language to maintain social relationships with others as…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy mobility for children with disabilities through GoBabyGo

GoBabyGo: Providing Children with Disabilities the Gift of Mobility

GoBabyGo Provides Children with Disabilities the Gift of Mobility By Courtney Gerhart, DPT Pediatric Physical Therapy, Kids Place West During the first few years of a child’s life, they begin to explore their environment and make crucial connections that will inevitably set them up for success mentally, physically, socially and emotionally. A typically developing child…

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Aquatic TherapyPediatric Physical TherapyPhysical Therapy

Potential Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Specific Diagnoses

  Potential Benefits of Aquatic Therapy for Specific Diagnoses by Morgan Wilhelm, Student Physical Therapist Below we look at specific diagnoses that have benefitted from participating in aquatic therapy. This is, of course, not an exhaustive list. There are many adults and children who can benefit from therapy in an aquatic environment. Follow this link…

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Physical Therapy nutrition in physical therapy

Nutrition and Physical Therapy: Does What I Eat Affect My Physical Therapy?

Ask the Therapist: How Does Nutrition Affect My Physical Therapy? Often time’s patients will ask if the food they eat before and after their physical therapy appointments will affect their rehabilitation results.  Regardless of whether you are healing from a surgery, recovering from a sprain, or managing chronic pain – yes, the food and drink…

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Pediatric Feeding TherapyPediatric Occupational Therapy

I am Struggling with my Selective Eater, What do I do?

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…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Three Household Items to Promote Grasp Development

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.…

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Pediatric Feeding TherapyPediatric Speech Therapy

How a Tongue Tie Can Affect Your Child

How a Tongue Tie Can Affect Your Child by Kacie Bartlett, CCC-SLP Kids Place West Pediatric Speech, Language and Feeding Therapist According to the Affiliation of Tongue-Tie professionals (IATP), “tongue tie is an embryological remnant of tissue in the midline between the undersurface of the tongue and floor of the mouth that restricts normal tongue…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Pediatrics: Hippotherapy vs. Adaptive Riding

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…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Adaptive Sport and Recreation Resources for Children

Adaptive Sport Programs and Recreation Resources for Children with Disabilities Individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities experience problems with their overall health including higher rates of obesity when compared to their typically developing peers. Obesity is a worldwide health concern that is not often tracked in children and youth with disabilities over their lifespan. Children…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Holiday Gifts to Promote Development – Part 2

Holiday Gifts to Encourage Improvements in Gross Motor Skills by Danielle Burke, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Infants Pop Up Toys: Encourage reaching in multiple developmental positions such as quadruped (hands and knees), tall kneeling, and standing. (pictured toy $25 on Amazon) Floor Activity Mirror: Encourages child to look up while on their…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Maintaining Attention During Remote Learning

Maintaining Attention During Remote Learning By Kristi Knight, OTD/S Kids Place Student Occupational Therapist Online school can be hard for any child, especially if that child has a short attention span due to ADHD, developmental delay, or traumatic brain injury (TBI). Helping your child maintain focus on their schoolwork proves to be difficult for many…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness

Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness by Lauren Bacsalmasi, DPT Kids Place Central Pediatric Physical Therapist Pitt Hopkins is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a gene called TCF4 in chromosome 18. While this disorder is considered to be very rare, diagnosis is becoming more common with increased access to genetic testing. It is associated with other disorders…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Strategies to Promote Comprehension and Encourage Language

Strategies to Promote Comprehension and Encourage Language by Lauryn Bates, M.S., CCC-SLP Kids Place Central Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist Daily routines and activities are the perfect time to help your child learn early language skills. Language refers to the words/signs/gestures that we use and how we use these to express our wants and needs…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Easy Ways to Increase Language Input During Daily activities

Easy Ways to Increase Language Input During Daily activities by Pauline Munoz, CCC-SLP KP Central Speech and Language Pathologist The amount of language children are exposed to from birth to three years of age significantly affects their learning and language abilities. Most parents understand the importance of talking to their children. However, it is easy…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Using Your Backyard Wall for Improving Coordination

Using Your Backyard Wall to Improve Your Child’s Motor Coordination By: Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist At Kids Place, we are always looking for new activities to keep our patients moving and learning at home. The following activities will help to work on eye teaming, bilateral coordination, problem solving, frustration…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

How to Improve a Child’s Body Awareness

How to Improve a Child’s Body Awareness by Hannah Whitty, Occupational Therapy Student Children with poor body awareness have increased difficulty knowing where their body is in space. Body awareness is an essential skill needed for children to properly participate in everyday tasks. Without appropriate body awareness, a child is unable to safely navigate their…

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Aquatic Therapy

Aquatic vs Land Therapy – What is the Difference?

Aquatic vs Land Therapy – What is the Difference? by Bobbi Michels, PT, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Aquatic physical therapy, like land-based physical therapy, is part of the physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty involving the expertise and knowledge of a licensed physical therapist. Land-based therapy incorporates rehabilitation of an individual using therapeutic…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

The Importance of Crawling for Babies and Older Children

The Importance of Crawling for Babies and Older Children by Lauren Bacsalmasi, DPT Kids Place Central Pediatric Physical Therapist Frequently, we hear from parents of children who start walking without crawling, or they only scooted on their bottoms. It is important that children, even ones who are already walking, learn the skill of crawling and…

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Physical Therapy

Staying Active While Maintaining Social Distancing

Staying Active While Maintaining Social Distancing by Taylor Rock, DPT AzOPT Goodyear Physical Therapist COVID-19 is causing major disruptions to all areas of life and currently presents a serious threat to our health. We support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for staying safe and avoiding unnecessary exposure – staying home to self-isolate…

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Kids Place News

Student Therapists at Kids Place

Student Therapists at Kids Place by Jeanette Mangano, DPT, PCS Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist At Kids Place, we are active within the educational communities for therapist’s education. We seek to assist speech language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy students with advancing their education and completing clinical rotations in order to obtain their…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

My Child is Constantly Putting Things in His Mouth

My Child is Constantly Putting Things in His Mouth by Tracie Dahl, OTR/L Kids Place Central Pediatric Occupational Therapist You may have heard your child’s therapist talk about proprioception and the importance of providing proprioceptive input, but what is it? The proprioceptive system helps tell us about the movement and position of our joints and…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

The Developmental Benefits of Chores

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…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Physical Therapy

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…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy handwriting tips

Your Child’s Progressions in Handwriting

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.…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Upper Body Weight Bearing

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,…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Promoting Fluent Speech for Children Who Stutter

Promoting Fluent Speech for Children Who Stutter by Alexandra Pagel, M.A., CF-SLP Kids Place West Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist You’re staring at a large audience, delivering an important speech. You find yourself starting sentences over, taking long pauses, and repeating parts of words or entire words. You’re nervous and your words just aren’t coming…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Tools to Manage Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors

Tools to Manage Your Child’s Challenging Behaviors by Kristen Henderson, M.S., OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Children misbehaving or testing the limits is a normal part of childhood development.  Most challenging behaviors emerge between the ages of 3—6 when the child is developing a sense of autonomy. However, these behaviors can reach a…

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Physical Therapy

How Yoga Challenged This Crossfitter with Unrealized Benefits

How Yoga Challenged This Crossfitter with Unrealized Benefits By Brooke Smith, DPT, FAAOMPT, CERT DN, CCI AZOPT Goodyear Clinic Manager As an avid Crossfitter, I enjoy a challenging workout with immediate results. So, I was skeptical when I was invited to participate in my first yoga class. Would it be difficult enough? Would I even…

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Physical Therapy

Increasing Strength Through Blood Flow Restriction

Increasing Strength Through the Use of Blood Flow Restriction By Matt Flanigan, DPT, Cert BFR AZOPT Goodyear Doctor of Physical Therapy What is Blood Flow Restriction? In a rehabilitation or exercise setting, blood flow restriction (BFR) can be very useful to improve strength and increase muscle mass. Essentially, we use a specialized blood pressure cuff…

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Physical Therapy

Identifying Common Injuries in the Weekend Warrior

Identifying Common Injuries in the Weekend Warrior by Ryann Roberts, DPT, Cert DN Owner, Doctor of Physical Therapy Many of us fit the pattern of a weekend warrior – work and family throughout the week restrict our ability to participate in fitness and activities. So instead, we complete vigorous workouts and recreational activities on weekends. The…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Ask The Therapist – What is Visual Motor Integration?

Ask The Therapist – What is Visual Motor Integration? by Amanda Mazerall, OTR/L Kids Place Central Pediatric Occupational Therapist Visual Motor Integration, or ‘VMI,’ is a form of coordination that allows us to accurately control our hand movements based off of vision. Poor VMI skills may impact a child’s ability to write their name, catch…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

How to Keep Your Wandering Child Safe

How to Keep Your Wandering Child Safe by Jennifer Gile, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Wandering is common in children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Approximately half of children with ASD will wander from a safe environment.  While this is more common in children with ASD, it can affect other children as…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Spring Break Activities That Challenge Your Children

Spring Break Activities That Challenge Your Children By Brittany Ricciardi PT, DPT, PCS Kids Place Central Clinic Manager and Pediatric Physical Therapist Spring break is just around the corner! Are you nervous? Many parents are often challenged with ideas and activities to keep their children busy. Here are a couple that are not only fun…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Try Playing on a Vertical Surface

Try Playing on a Vertical Surfaceby Melissa Engelhardt, SOTKids Place West Student Occupational Therapist Most writing, drawing, coloring, and playing occurs on a tabletop or floor, both horizontal surfaces. While these surfaces are convenient because toys stay in place, they also encourage poor posture. Playing on horizontal surfaces can lead to poor posture from slouching,…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Utilizing Yoga for Therapy has Multiple Benefits

Utilizing Yoga For Therapy has Multiple Benefitsby Sarah Koppenhoefer-Little, OTR/LKP West Pediatric Occupational Therapist For those of us who practice yoga regularly, we are aware of its many benefits. But did you know that it’s good for children, too? Utilizing yoga in therapy sessions, as well as the home, has many benefits for your children,…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Pediatric Orthotics – Why the Heel?

Pediatric Orthotics – Why the Heel? by Kids Place Central Pediatric Physical Therapists As pediatric physical therapists, we often recommend a child be evaluated and fit for a pair of ankle-foot orthotics or AFOs. AFOs are plastic devices created by a certified orthoptist, custom made to control certain parts of an extremity, guide specific movements,…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Promoting Better Sleep Habits in Children

Promoting Better Sleep Habits in Children by Kyla Johnson, M.S., OTR/L KP West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Sleep has such an important impact on your child’s mental and physical development. Poor or inadequate sleep can also affect a child’s behavioral responses. Sleep, or lack thereof, can affect your child’s ability to self-regulate and make it difficult…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Costume Ideas for Kids with Sensory and Mobility Concerns

Costume Ideas for Kids with Sensory and Mobility Concerns By Sarah Koppenhoefer-Little, OTR/L Kids Place West Pediatric Occupational Therapist Most children love Halloween! But for parents of children with special needs, Halloween can be stressful. Will my child tolerate a costume with their sensory concerns? How can I customize a costume for my wheelchair-bound child?…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Encouraging Early Developing Social Language Skills

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…

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AzOPT News

My #SuccessStory – Layne

My #SuccessStory by Layne S. Layne is an active, busy, and care-giving 62 year old woman who enjoys golf, photography, walking her dogs, and was just starting to learn Pickle ball.  Her husband was a couple months removed from getting much of his life back after completing an intensive physical therapy program called Big and Loud,…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

What is Typical Leg Alignment in Early Childhood?

What is Typical Leg Alignment in Early Childhood? by Jeanette Mangano, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Your child will go through many significant changes in the structure and alignment of their legs throughout their development. Alignment is an important contributing factor to your child standing and walking. Often, parents will ask me if…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Taekwondo’s Positive Impact on Child Development

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…

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Pediatric Speech Therapy

Reading Books to Children with Language Delays

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…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Handwriting – Pediatric OT Video

AZOPT Kids Place pediatric occupational therapist, Amanda, define the skills necessary for strong handwriting and how pediatric occupational therapy intervenes to positively impact children with developmental delays. For more information, please visit: Correct Children’s Handwriting Grips Helpful Tips for Your Child’s Handwriting Your Child’s Progressions in Handwriting A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Reflexes Role in Child Development

Reflexes Role in Child Development By Jenn Gile, OTR/L; Jessica Tallent, OTR/L; Amanda Mazerall, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapists A reflex is an automatic, instinctual movement pattern that occurs in response to a stimulus. There are several primitive reflexes that are present at birth or emerge shortly after birth and integrate within the first…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Self Care Skills and Child Development

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…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Visual Motor Skills – Pediatric OT Video

AZOPT Kids Place pediatric occupational therapist, Sarah, defines visual motor skills and how pediatric occupational therapy intervenes to positively impact children with developmental delays. For more information, please visit: A Guide to Understanding Pediatric Occupational Therapy Defining Visual Motor Skills and Visual Perceptual Skills Improving Your Child’s Visual Skills

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Orthotic Friendly Shoes

Orthotic Friendly Shoes By Brittany Ricciardi, DPT Kids Place West Pediatric Physical Therapist Finding fashionable shoes that fit over a Supra Malleolar Orthosis (SMO) and Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO) easily is a daunting task.  When looking for shoes, it is recommended to find a wider shoe.  But frequently, these shoes are bulky in order to accommodate…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Sensory Boards and The Importance of Play

Sensory Boards and the Importance of Play by Sarah Koppenhoefer-Little, MS, OTR/L Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist One of the main jobs or “occupations” of a child is to play.  As they play, they learn about their environment, gain essential skills, and have a fantastic time doing it.  The poet Diane Ackerman once said, “Play…

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Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Considering a Service Dog to Assist Children with Disabilities

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…

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AzOPT News

What is Direct Access to Physical Therapy?

What is Direct Access to Physical Therapy? By Ryann Roberts, DPT, Owner Arizona Orthopedic Physical Therapy (AZOPT) It is beneficial for you to receive physical therapy first – before other types of interventions like surgeries or injections.  Physical therapists not only reduce pain and improve function, but we provide long-term solutions at a significantly lower…

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Pediatric Physical Therapy

Idiopathic Toe Walking and Bracing

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…

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