By Karnie Babikian, Nutrition Educator Offering new foods consistently is critical in expanding a child’s diet to include foods from all important food groups. A
Nicole Tutaj, MA, OTR/L Managing screen time in this digital age is something many of us struggle with. What’s the right amount of screen time
Rouzan Dishoian MS, CF SLP Does your child repeat long phrases after you but will not use words to communicate? This is called Echolalia. By
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L How can you make the most out of your occupational therapy sessions? Simple, get involved in sessions! Parent involvement leads to
By Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L April is here and with that, we celebrate all the wonderful things about occupational therapy and occupational therapy practitioners. This
By: Christine Hemelians, MS, OTR/L Play is an important part of a child’s development. However, in children presenting developmental delays or diagnosed with autism, play
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L In light of April being Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, here are some early signs and characteristic traits of Autism
In honor of April being both Occupational Therapy and Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month we would like to highlight the importance of occupational therapy for
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
By Karnie Babikian, Nutrition Educator Many significant dietary changes occur in the first years of life as children transition from milk/formula to soft solids and
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP Sometimes as adults it can feel almost impossible to find time to play with your child. Between rushing to get
Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L Let’s break down what it might look like if your child is sensitive to loud noises and how to support them
By Nicole Tutaj, MA, OTR/L The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests getting rid of bottle drinking by 18 months, and sippy cups by age
By Karnie Babikian, Nutrition Educator Parents play a big role in feeding their children and teaching them how to eat. It is important to recognize,
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
By: Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Does your child have difficulty transitioning during school pick-up? Are pick-ups met with crying, screaming, yelling, pushing, hitting, and so
By Karnie Babikian, Nutrition Educator at Uplift Therapy Center The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are nutrition recommendations that help us follow a dietary pattern
By Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L We all fidget in some way shape or form. For example, shaking our legs, twirling our hair, biting our nails,
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP Play-dough is an all-time favorite toy at Uplift Therapy Center. Curious about why this toy is a staple for our
By Nicole Tutaj OTR/L Do you dread bath time because your kid rules the place or doesn’t like their hair washed? Maybe they don’t like
By Madison Gwizdalski MS, CCC-SLP Do you ever have a difficult time understanding what your child is saying? Do you find them making mistakes for
By Isabella Hakobian OTD, OTR/L It can often be difficult to determine whether your child’s actions are rooted from a behavioral or sensory issue. Here
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L When children appear to have poor sustained attention to task, they typically attend to an activity for only several seconds
By: Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Toddlers biting can be a daily struggle. Are you constantly stressed out for playdates? Does your toddler bite at daycare
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L Many people have never heard of pediatric occupational therapy (OT) or may have heard about it and are still a bit
By: Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Did you know that difficulties with sensory integration can negatively impact sleep? Close to 30% of children have trouble sleeping;
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP Picky eaters…. It seems like all of us know someone who can fit inside this category. Even as adults we
By: Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L Sensory processing disorder affects participation in everyday self-care tasks such as grooming, feeding, and getting dressed. Children who have difficulty
By Angela Kurdzhukyan MS, OTR/L A common question parents ask is whether or not their child is ready to switch to a toddler bed. Although
Participate in a group of parents and babies to play, learn, and connect with each other. Parents and babies can expect a 60-minute-long session one
By Christine Hemelians, MSOT, OTR/L It is crucial to pick out toys that are multi-purpose for children to develop and grow. This is especially important
As a parent, you know that few things are more rewarding than seeing your child happy. But….parenting is a lot of work! It can be
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L Have you heard about the interoceptive sensory system? It’s the 8th sensory system that is most often overlooked and is considered
By Angela Kurdzhukyan MS, OTR/L 1) The first step in the early intervention timeline starts with the identification of a problem: A problem is identified
Does your child having a difficult time focusing? Are they always on the go? Climbing furniture, seeking touch, crashing into objects, placing inedible items in
As children develop, they start using both verbal and nonverbal communication for a variety of purposes like requesting, commenting, and sharing. By observing and participating
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.
By Angela Kurdzhukyan MS, OTR/L Have you ever wondered why your toddler refuses to eat certain foods? Or why they have a limited repertoire of
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP All of us experience moments of disfluency in our speech. Do you remember a time when you felt stuck or
The brand new and state-of-the-art sensory gym at Uplift Therapy Center will be opening this summer. We will provide occupational therapy and speech therapy services
By Anahit Grigoryan, OTR/L Sensory overload is what happens when you get more input from all of your senses than your brain can process. It
By Russell Strause, MS-CCC, SLP Have you ever wondered why adults talk to babies as if they were one? Have you caught yourself exaggerating your
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L Play is a child’s main and most important occupation. Through play, children progressively develop skills within various domains such as
By Deanna Sargsyan MS, CF-SLP As a parent, you are your child’s interpreter. You know when they’re hungry, when they want to take a nap,
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” ~ Mr. Rogers Flashcards, quizzing, educational television shows… it
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
As occupational therapists (OT’s), one of the many areas that we target during intervention is promoting and enhancing self-care/ adaptive skills. Mealtime success can be
By Deborah Lee OTR/L It is common for children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) to resist tooth-brushing activity day and night and as a result,
By Madison Gwizdalski MS-CCC, SLP In 2021, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 44 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L Children use a multitude of their senses to learn about the world. Sometimes they might put food or other items in
By Angela Kurdzhukyan, OTR/L As parents, teachers, and caregivers we are often under the impression that we must always guide children. We tell them what
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
One of the most common questions we get as speech therapists is… “is my child normal?” Between the internet, social media, and talking amongst your
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L Every therapist strives to educate parents, caregivers, and/or teachers of the skills being addressed during their sessions to promote long-term
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L Outdoor play is an important occupation for many of our children. Children in general are very active and could benefit from
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L Sensory bins provide an opportunity for hands-on tactile play while engaging the senses. They can stimulate a child’s senses, create new
What Does Your Child Need? When looking at your child, it may be hard to distinguish them from the little bundle of joy that you
Deanna Sargsyan SLP, CF Ever wonder why children tend to pick up on singing nursery rhymes so easily? Or have you noticed that your child
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L When a child is fighting his or her sleep constantly, not only is their overall quality of life being impacted
By Ani Oganesyan OTR/L What are brain breaks and why are they so important to an individual’s learning? A brain break is a short, planned
Tel: 818-864-6602
contact@uplifttherapycenter.com
1975 Verdugo Blvd., Suite D
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
