When is the right time to transition away from bottle drinking?
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 2. Many parents ask why the bottle needs to go, here are a few reasons to transition to cup drinking: Bottles can interfere with appropriate oral development and alter palate […]
Making Mealtimes More Successful: The Division of Responsibility in Feeding – The Ellyn Satter Model
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, however, that children need autonomy in this process. When parents take too much control during feeding, though with good intention, mealtimes become more stressful– parents feel the pressure of getting […]
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 […]
Explaining Meltdowns After School
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 on? Is it hard for your child to communicate why they’re upset and find it hard to calm themselves down? Well, the information provided in this post can help explain […]
What are fidget tools and why are they important for kids?
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, chewing on pen caps, or tapping fingers on the table. While this may be thought of as distracting, these actions are used as a form of self-regulation, and if directed […]
Sensory Strategies to Make Bath Time a Breeze
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 being tipped backwards, having water poured on their face, or they’re just having too much fun and refuse to get out. Try the following strategies: 1) For the kid who […]
Sensory “meltdown”, or behavioral “tantrum”?
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 are some ways you can determine whether it is sensory or behavioral, and how to treat a sensory meltdown. Sensory “meltdowns” are a biological reaction, and they are typically caused […]
Toddlers Biting: Reasons and Recommendations
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 or preschool? Are they biting you at home or their toys and furniture? Biting is common for toddlers; however, this sounds to be more excessive, and it’s important to parse […]
Picky Eating – When should I be concerned?
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 can think of others who are very selective in their food choices. For children, it may seem as if your kiddos food preferences change weekly, even daily! But how do […]
Preparing for a Haircut
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 with sensory processing may have difficulty getting a haircut. This post will help shed some light as to why children with sensory processing issues struggle with haircuts and offer some […]