Springtime Mindfulness
By Erica Gliga, MOT, OTR/L Springtime is just around the corner and this blog post is all about getting outside, enjoying mindful moments with your littles in nature, and engaging different sensory systems. Nature is filled with so many wonderful sensory experiences and time spent outside can support emotional regulation, for both adults and children. […]
Growing Language through Gardening
By Madison Gwizdalski MS, CCC-SLP With Spring around the corner, we are looking for ways to get outside and help our children learn! One of our favorite ways to help our kiddos learn and practice new skills is through gardening – here’s why: The world of gardening exposes children to a whole new world of […]
What is Motor Planning?
By: Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Most families that seek services are familiar with the terms fine and gross motor skills, or delayed receptive and expressive communication skills. However, fewer people understand motor planning and why it’s important. Motor planning is defined as “the ability to conceive, plan, and carry out a skilled, non-habitual motor act […]
Gross motor skills: Jumping!
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L “When should my child start jumping?” is one of the common questions asked by parents. All the more, when parents see their child’s peers jumping up and down, they cannot help but to compare and become concerned. According the research, children should be able to learn how to jump between […]
What’s heavy work and why does your therapist keep recommending it?
By Christine Hemelians, MSOT. OTR/L Heavy work is a commonly recommended sensory activity that occupational therapists oftentimes suggest to the families that they work with. Occupational therapists use heavy work activities for children that struggle with sensory processing issues. Heavy work refers to any activity that activates our proprioceptors. So what does this mean? Proprioceptors […]
Fun Games for Fine Motor Skills!
By Anahit Grigoryan, OTR/L What are fine motor skills? Fine motor skills involve the small muscles of the hands, wrists, and fingers. Children need to develop fine motor skills to be able to complete everyday activities such as brushing their teeth self-feeding writing/drawing getting dressed tying shoelaces typing on a keyboard Children begin to develop […]
Oral Motor Skills
By Deborah Lee OTR/L Does your child appear to have difficulties with feeding skills such as chewing their solid foods thoroughly or closing their lips securely when trying to utilize a straw? If you do notice these difficulties, there is a high possibility that your child is presenting with oral motor delays due to several […]