Playing Ball Is a Great Way to Build Skills and Spend Time with Your Child In this age of computer apps, video games, iPods, and all manner of electronic equipment vying for children’s attention, parents often wonder if their kids are getting enough physical activity. Some struggle to find ways to connect and spend time […]
How Can we Help our Children Stress Less?
Dealing with stress is an everyday reality for many of us. While we realize that this is often a part of being an adult, we forget that it is an everyday reality for our children too. It is important to be aware of the level of stress our children are experiencing and help them learn strategies to […]
Understanding the Internal Senses
When we think of our senses, we typically think of five: taste, touch, vision, hearing, and smell. But did you know that there are 3 additional sensory systems that make significant contributions to our ability to develop basic skills and maintain emotional stability in our everyday lives? They are our sense of movement (vestibular), our […]
Introduction to Occupational Therapy, Part 3: Bilateral Integration
This is the third in a series of articles about the kinds of skills addressed by occupational therapists working with children. This article will focus on bilateral integration which refers to the ability to use the two sides of the body (and the brain) together effectively to execute skilled and precise actions. A child who […]
Introduction to Occupational Therapy, Part 2: Eye-hand Coordination
This is the second in a series of articles about the kinds of problems addressed by pediatric occupational therapists. The ability to use the eyes and hands together in a coordinated way is the foundation for many skills children need to be successful. It is an integral part of learning to play with toys, gaining […]
It Looks Like They’re Just Playing: Are Activity-Based Social Skills Groups Worthwhile?
As parents and as therapists, we are always looking for ways to help our children build skills while they have fun, through participation in activities that are affordable and that fit with our family culture. Some children are lacking in social skills which makes it hard for them to make and keep friends. The good […]