Getting your children to go outside can be challenging. Either it gets too dark after your kids eat dinner to go outdoors, they say they’re too old to play outdoors, or they prefer to play with toys or electronic devices inside. It’s even harder when your child is struggling with sensory processing problems. With the social communications […]
Author: Danielle Shulman
5 Summer Play Date Tips for Kids with Autism
All children can benefit from play dates, but this is especially true of kids with autism. Play dates enable children to build future relationships and practice important social skills. They allow your child to not just be a quiet observer, but to actually take part in the action. The benefits of play dates for autistic […]
Fun Ways to Practice Handwriting with Preschoolers
When your child is at preschool age, they will begin learning to form their letters for handwriting. You can play a big part in this by exposing your younger preschooler to activities that encourage using pre-writing strokes and line they need for handwriting. They also will benefit from activities that help support their fine motor skills […]
Tips to Help Left-Handed Children Improve Their Handwriting
Left-handers may have more difficulty with handwriting than right-handers and for various reasons. For one, our culture simply favors right-handers and left-to-right progression. Pulling a pencil or pen across the paper is easier than pushing it. And, as your child moves their left hand across the paper, it covers the words they’ve already written and it often […]
Does Hand Flapping Mean My Child Has Autism?
Self-stimulatory behaviors or “stimming” are commonplace in autistic kids or those with a sensory processing disorder. But, even a typically-developing child may display these types of behaviors as well. And, even if you notice your child hand flapping or showing other types of these behaviors, it isn’t a definite indication your child has autism. These behaviors […]
How Can the Ann Arbor Visual Training Program Help My Child?
The benefits of visual training for children go well beyond the initial benefits of helping children develop reading and writing skills. It improves visual discrimination, allowing children to discern things like letter size, capital versus lower cases letters, words, and sequence. About the Ann Arbor Visual Training Program and Its Benefits The Ann Arbor Visual Training Program offers […]
Traveling Tips for Kids with Autism, ADHD, or Sensory Processing Disorders
Traveling with kids is tough. Traveling with kids who have special needs or considerations because of sensory processing disorders, ADHD, or autism adds new dimensions to the difficulty. Flying with Children Who Have Sensory Processing Disorder and Similar Special Needs There are a variety of things you can do. First, make sure your child is well fed […]
Why is My Child Biting and What Can I Do About it?
Biting is a common behavior in young children and this means there are probably a lot of parents out there concerned about this. If you’re one of them, don’t worry — you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce biting, even eliminate it completely. Why Your Child is Biting Biting is a natural part of […]
Benefits of a Weighted Blanket for Kids with Autism or ADHD
There are many benefits to weighted blankets to help children with special needs. They provide a calming effect since they provide kids with a sense of deep pressure — something children with ADHD and autism crave. Weighted blankets also help with: Stress Nerves Mood Anxiety When bombarded with their senses, these blankets (and weighted vests) […]
Recognizing the Red Flags for Dyslexia
Your child may show signs of dyslexia as early as their preschool years. Children with dyslexic dysgraphia have handwriting work that’s spontaneous and illegible. While they have fairly good copied work, they typically have poor spelling. As a parent, you may have heard dyslexia or a reading disability can’t be diagnosed until your child is in the […]
What is Callirobics and How Can it Benefit My Child?
Callirobics are a distinct set of handwriting therapy exercises. This type of handwriting therapy consists of having your child practice simple writing patterns that are repetitive (curved and straight lines) along with listening to music. Your child is relaxed by the music and it also adds rhythm while they are practicing their exercises. When you combine music […]
Holiday Fine Motors Activities for Your Child
Fine motor skills are the coordination of movements of your child’s small muscles — typically involving fingers and hands synchronization with their eyes. These skills require your child to use these small muscles to perform different activities or tasks. If your child has attention and learning disabilities, they may have difficulty with these essential skills. You […]
5 San Diego Festive Activities Involving Sensory Processing and Visual Perception Developmental Skills
Winter wonderland may not be the first phrase that comes to mind when thinking of San Diego, but these festive activities bring the spirit of winter to the city while stimulating the senses. That makes them ideal choices for developing sensory processing and visual perception skills in children who have sensory processing issues. 1. Holidays at LEGOLAND From the […]
The Importance of Screening Children at an Early Age
Sensory processing disorders (SPD) are where you have impairment in responding to sensory stimuli like a disability in modulation, detection or interpretation of stimuli. SPD problems impact children’s responses to daily life sensory events. When you realize your child may be struggling with SPD, your next step is to seek the help of an experienced professional […]
The Importance of Screening Children at an Early Age for Signs of Fine Motor Issues
Many people think kids automatically acquire motor skills like jumping, running and throwing while their bodies are developing. They feel it’s just the “natural process” that children go through along with physical maturation. However, maturation is only one part of the whole scheme. It’s the part that allows children to implement most movement skills at […]
Cursive vs. Print: When Should You Consider One Over the Other?
As a society, many of us falsely think print handwriting is easier to learn than cursive handwriting for students. Adults progressively discard cursive, but, when it comes right down to it, which type of handwriting is better: cursive vs. printing? Cursive Handwriting Since the time when many U.S. states adopted the Common Core State Standards, many schools have […]