Bad Behavior or Difficulty Regulating?
By Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Emotional regulation allows children the ability to self-calm during stressful or overwhelming situations. In children, issues with emotional regulation are oftentimes labeled as “bad behavior.” Almost all children have tantrums from time to time; however, children with emotional regulation issues often tantrum more frequently, and for longer durations, than their […]
The Importance of Gestures
Few things are quite as joyful as when your baby starts to become an active participant in your conversations and games. Think about a game of peek-a-boo, high fives, or tickles. When your baby starts to reach for your hand to initiate more of that game, you know that they are saying “I want more […]
Building Fine Motor Skills
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L Occupational therapy stresses the importance of fine motor skills and here is why! Almost every activity or task that we partake in our daily lives, such as self-care tasks (i.e., self-feeding) and grasping objects to engage in play (i.e. Legos, building blocks) or for handwriting, involves the use of the […]
Strategies for Smoother Transitions for Kids
By Christine Hemelians MS, OTR/L Transitions, like preparing for bedtime, or switching from one activity to another, can be a common trigger for children with sensory processing challenges. Rather than view the child as difficult and inflexible, it’s important to understand the why. Here are some challenges kiddos might be struggling with when they have […]
How the Pandemic has Affected Children’s Development
By Madison L. Gwizdalski, MS-CCC, SLP Parents and providers know that the early experiences a child has can greatly shape their development. “Typical development” is fostered by a combination of nature and nurture, both the child’s genetic environment and their social environment. So, what happens when a child’s primary social experience is one that may include […]
Let’s Pretend!
By Christine Hemelians MS, OTR/L Picture the younger version of yourself. Now, picture all the times you participated in pretend play as a child; whether it was by yourself, with your friends, or with your parents. Children grow and learn through play. Pretend play provides children opportunities to build a plethora of skills including, but […]
7 Senses of the Sensory System
By Talin Yacoubian OTD, OTR/L, CAS Did you know that there are 7 senses that make up the sensory system and not just 5? You may be familiar with the following: vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. What about the other 2 senses you ask? The other two are the proprioceptive and vestibular senses. Let’s […]