What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)?
By Rouzan Dishoian, MS, CCC-SLP Communication is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. For some individuals, articulating their thoughts verbally may pose a challenge. This is where Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) comes into play, offering a lifeline to those facing communication challenges. What does AAC stand for? Augmentative and Alternative Communication AAC encompasses all […]
When to seek PT services
By Francesca Resurreccion PT, DPT Parenthood is a journey filled with joy, wonder, and sometimes, unexpected challenges. For some parents, the realization that their child may need additional support in the form of pediatric physical therapy services can be both daunting and confusing. However, seeking early intervention is crucial in addressing developmental concerns and ensuring […]
The Power of Imitation: How It Boosts Speech and Language Skills in Children
By Pranali Shah MS, CF SLP Imitation is a remarkable ability that plays a significant role in a child’s development. From their earliest days, children are natural mimics, imitating the sounds, gestures, and expressions of the people around them. This innate tendency to imitate is more than just cute behavior; it’s a crucial building block […]
The Connection between Autism, ADHD, and Sleep
By Christine Hemelians, MS, OTR/L Quality sleep is important and beneficial for everyone; however, it’s especially important for babies and toddlers. Sleep plays a crucial role in the development of mental and physical health for children. It impacts alertness and attention, cognitive performance, language and vocabulary acquisition, and learning and memory (Pacheco & Vyas, 2023). […]
Tummy Time
By Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L Tummy time is a foundational time for your infant to be on their tummy while awake. Why is it important? While in utero, you might think about how your infant is growing in the fetal position, curled up in what is a flexed position. Tummy time helps the body […]
Seasonal Sensory Bins
By Erica Gliga MOT, OTR/L ‘Tis the season for sensory bins. This post shares 2 different seasonal sensory bin ideas to inspire some of your own creations to incorporate into play routines during the holiday season. Generally speaking, sensory bins can support development in a variety of ways such as providing tactile, visual, auditory, and […]
Should I Buy a Baby Walker?
By Francesca Resurreccion PT, DPT As a pediatric physical therapist, parents often ask if baby walkers help babies take their first steps. I’m here to tell you, sadly, they don’t. Let’s look into it together. To prepare for walking, babies need to meet several milestones: Rolling Prop sitting Independent sitting Army crawling on their tummy […]
Encouraging Utensil Use
By Christina Martinez, OTR/L As exciting as it may be for children to begin transitioning to solid foods, it can get messy! Little ones learning how to feed themselves is an important part of development, but it can also end up with food all over their chair, on the floor, and on themselves. No need […]
Social Stories
By Christine Hemelians, MS, OTR/L Social Stories are used as a learning tool to explain and illustrate certain social situations and problems and how people deal with them. Carol Gray, developed the concept of Social Stories, to help individuals with Autism navigate certain social situations. They help describe what might be expected during a specific […]
Baby-Led Weaning
By Deborah Lee MS, OTR/L What is baby-led weaning? Is a popular approach to starting solid foods. It skips over purees and jumps into finger foods that baby can self-feed. While it is inevitable and common for parents to spoon-feed their babies until a certain age, baby-led weaning places the independence on babies to take […]