Computers offer many advantages. They provide a wealth of information and they keep people connected around the globe. However, despite these benefits, there are certain disadvantages that exist in the computer age. Typing has all but replaced handwriting, which can be detrimental for children. Benefits of Handwriting Handwriting provides many cognitive benefits, and in the digital […]
Author: Danielle Shulman
Signs that Behavioral Problems May be Related to Sensory Processing Issues
Sensory processing disorder is a condition in which a person has difficulty processing the information that his senses sends to his brain. The condition is typically identified in children and it can cause a number of challenges. For example, a child with sensory processing disorder may: Retract or pull away when touched. Hide when he […]
Crossing Midline and its Significance
When professionals like pediatric occupational therapists talk about “crossing midline” when referring to your child’s development, they are talking about an imaginary line that goes from your child’s head to his feet and separates the right and left halves of his body. It is where your child’s foot or hand can move over to his […]
Signs of Sensory Processing Problems
The sensory process (also known as sensory integration) is the process in which the central nervous system receives messages from the senses. The central nervous system reacts to those messages with appropriate motor and behavioral responses. When the central nervous system has difficulty receiving and responding to the information that the senses send, the result […]
What are Visual Perceptual Skills?
Visual perceptual skills are needed for helping kids to gather and organize visual data from the everyday world and move on to decipher what they see. These types of skills are essential for day-to-day skills like writing, reading, drawing, cutting, drawing, and other skills. The pediatric occupational therapist has probably talked to you about visual […]
What is ‘Crossing Midline’ and How Can you Tell if Your Child is Having Difficulty with this Skill
You know that there is a left and right side of your body, but did you know that in order for your left and right side to work together, they have to cross an imaginary line that runs down the middle of your body. The term “crossing the midline” is used to describe an individual’s […]
Signs Your Child May be Having Difficulty with Motor Planning
Motor planning refers to the ability to think about, prepare, and successfully perform a non-involuntary action in the proper order, from start to finish. A child needs to properly integrate perceived stimuli in order to properly develop the appropriate and coordinated motor responses. Typically, an individual learns motor planning during childhood and this skill is […]
The Importance of Movement in Order to Improve Attention
Paying attention is something that children often struggle with, but if you give them a task that appears hard or challenging to them, they’re often more likely to give up without even trying. Fidgeting may also be a sign that your child isn’t getting enough movement in their day. There are some movement activities that […]
How Sensory Integration Can Treat Vestibular Dysfunction
From day one, your neurological systems have been developing and processing a great deal of sensory information. Your system then takes this information and interprets it to make it ready for use for specific purposes. For children to mature and build their core foundational skills, proper intake and use of this sensory information are vital. […]
What is the Vestibular System and How Does it Affect Learning?
The vestibular system, situated behind the mastoid bone, is essential for motion tolerance, normal movement reactions, motor control for postural balance, alignment, and vision. If it is damaged by an injury or disease during childhood, it can seriously affect your child’s development. It enables your child’s muscles to adjust instantly so they do not lose […]
Why Handwriting is More Beneficial than Typing Alone
If you think having your children trade in their paper and pencils for their computer keyboard, think again. Handwriting is a skill that is just as important as it was generations ago, and if children are not learning this valuable skill, they are missing out on the essential developmental process. It requires more brain power […]
Why Early Intervention from a Pediatric Occupational Therapist Is Important
Pediatric occupational therapy practitioners play an important role in early intervention. They promote the engagement and function of toddlers and infants and their families in day-to-day routines by recognizing and working in areas of occupation which include daily living activities, play, rest and sleep, social participation, and education. The way a family can care for […]
Signs My Child May Have Dyspraxia and Why Testing Is Important
Dyspraxia is a brain-based disorder that leads to difficulty in coordinating and planning physical movement. It is not a sign of low intelligence or muscle weakness. Children with this condition often struggle with posture and balance. They might appear to be ‘out of sync’ or clumsy with their environment. Signs of Dyspraxia Dyspraxia signs can […]
How to Tell If Behavioral Problems Are the Result of a Sensory Processing Disorder
Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) which is also referred to as ‘sensory integration dysfunction’ is said to occur when a person (usually a child) has difficulty with processing sensory information. Children might find physical contact, sound, light, food, certain clothing or other sensory stimulus intolerable. Other children may have no reaction at all to stimulation or very […]
Why Is Cursive Easier Than Printing For Some Children?
Research has shown that kids who learn to write in cursive receive brain benefits they don’t get from keyboarding or printing letters. Writing in cursive trains the brain the capacity for optimal efficiency or functional specialization. As children learn how to read and write in cursive through repetition, consistency and practice, they need to integrate […]
Warning Signs that your Child is Having Difficulty with Fine and Gross Motor Skills in Kindergarten
Regardless if your child is already in school or working on kindergarten readiness skills, they can sometimes present difficulties with tasks that require fine motor skills. Although most children are not challenged with gross motor skills like jumping and running, it is the fine motor skills that need more precise smaller muscle movement and control […]