Many children struggle with dysgraphia or trouble with handwriting. Learning some pre-writing skills is important for your child to get them ready and prepared for writing. Your child’s pediatric occupational therapist may recommend a few ways in which your child can improve their handwriting skills, but typically the learning process should start even before your […]
Author: Danielle Shulman
Problems with Oral Sensory Processing
Typically, children with healthy oral sensory processing enjoy trying a variety of foods, such as a vegetable soup and cereal with milk, with a range of textures and tastes and both known and unknown— although of course, they will have their preferences. They also put up with brushing their teeth and visiting the dentist without […]
Explaining Proprioception
Simply put, proprioception is the body’s ability to sense itself. Proprioception dysfunction is a sensory processing disorder that has been observed in children with issues like Asperger’s and ADHD. It shows as difficulties in a child understanding boundaries when interacting with others, as well as not knowing where their physical body is in space. Proprioception […]
Shoe Tying Tips for Children with Motor Difficulties
For an adult, shoe tying is an easy task. But for children, tying shoes isn’t exactly a cake walk. Shoe tying is a skill that needs to be mastered. You can’t just give your child a pair of shoes with laces and expect that he’s going to know how to tie them. It takes time, […]
Healthy Oral Sensory Processing
The senses play an integral role in day-to-day life. In order for each of the five senses to serve their intended purposes, they must effectively communicate with and receive from the brain. For some people, including children, however, this communication is askew and leads to sensory processing disorder (SPD.) Any one of the five senses […]
Cutting Activities for Hand Separation
As an adult, it may seem easy to use a scissor, but scissor skills are something that needs to be developed. No child picks up a pair of scissors and instantly knows how to use them. It takes time and patience. In order to master the art of cutting with scissors and to develop fine […]
Types of Pencil Grasps
You pull out some crayons and paper to have some craft time with your 2-year-old. He’s super excited to let his creativity flow, but when he grabs a crayon, places it in the palm of his hand and wraps all of his fingers around it, you can’t help but want to correct how his grasp. […]
5 Ways to Encourage Children to Write
From jotting down notes to communicating ideas, writing is an invaluable skill that is used on a daily basis. The earlier children master this skill, the more successful their writing will be, and the more they will enjoy it. If thinking of ways to encourage your child to write leaves you scratching your head, here […]
Sensory Processing Challenges and Childhood Hygiene
Getting kids to brush their teeth, take a bath, brush their hair, and perform other basic hygiene tasks can be a challenge. Let’s face it: Soaping up in the sink is nowhere near as fun as playing with toys! However, while performing hygiene tasks can be difficult for all children, it is especially challenging for […]
How to Encourage Muscle Development During the Toddler Years
The toddler years are such an important developmental period for all areas, including the muscles. Gross motor skills are those skills that allow a person to successfully complete big movements— rolling over, jumping and throwing, for example. Fine motor skills are the skills that allow a person to successfully complete tasks using the muscles in […]
3 Autism-Friendly Activities in San Diego
There’s nothing more fun than exploring with your child. Whether it’s swimming, getting in touch with animals or adventuring into space, there are plenty of sensory integration therapy activities for children with autism that your child will adore exploring in the San Diego area. Here are three activities that are sure to please! Swim Away […]
4 Tips to Encourage a Disorganized Child
If you have a disorganized child, you might describe them as messy and forgetful. You might say they struggle to use their time efficiently or keep track of things. Or that they forget their homework. During a school consultation, a teacher may have said that your child lacks organization skills. Sound familiar? You can get […]
5 Sensory Processing Strategies to Use in the Classroom this Fall
Everyone has sensory processing. This is your brain’s capability to take in, organize, and comprehend sensory information. We are able to respond and react to different environment demands because of this internal process. In the classroom, some students are able to filter out competing stimuli effectively while others, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), […]
How Occupational Therapy can Benefit Children Diagnosed with Autism
Autism is a general term used to define a group of complex disorders of brain development. It is a spectrum disorder, meaning that the symptoms vary from person to person. Generally, autistic children experience some degree of difficulty with social interactions, communication, and behaviors. A recent study conducted by occupational therapists at the Jefferson School […]
The Importance of an Occupational Therapy Assessment
Occupational Therapy (OT) is a form of treatment that aims to help adults and children who are experiencing physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, improve their quality of life and become as independent as possible. Occupational therapy assessments and occupational therapy evaluations play an important role in determining the specific areas a person is experiencing a […]
How Occupational Therapy can Benefit Children Diagnosed with ADHD
Occupational therapy (OT) therapy aims to help people who have been diagnosed with cognitive, physical, or sensory processingdisabilities become independent in various areas of their lives. This type of therapy can help children with different needs develop cognitive, sensory, physical, and motor skills. It can also help to boost self-esteem by instilling a sense of […]