Brushing teeth with Sensory Processing Disorder
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, many parents feel helpless. Aside from having to brush their teeth, some children may even resist putting things into their mouth such as food or anything with texture due to […]
Oral Sensory Seeking Behavior
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 their mouth. The sensory receptors in the mouth provide them with information about the item, such as texture, size, taste, temperature, shape, etc. Mouthing items, or oral sensory seeking behavior, […]
Benefits of Sensory Bins
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 sensory experiences, help calm a child, and even engage a child in play. Sensory bins are large containers filled with materials and objects, which promote various developmental skills in a […]
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 […]
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 […]