When Kids Play Pediatric Therapy

Researchers in Finland studied how adding play in natural surroundings affected kids: http://bit.ly/37vpIqd

So very important right now! 🌱

Please stay safe and warm. If your life or health is at risk, call emergency services.

Movement turns the brain on to pay attention 🏃❤

"Children’s ability to move and play are being restricted more than ever. We are trying to protect them by saying 'No climbing,' 'No running,' 'No spinning,' 'That’s too dangerous,' and 'Get down from there!' However, research shows that the drastic decline in 'risky' outdoor play in kids is creating behavior problems. By constantly hovering over kids, restricting their movement, and diminishing their time to play, we are causing more harm than good." - Angela Hanscom

Article Resource:
https://themilitarywifeandmom.com/why-kids-wont-listen/...

Book Resource:
https://www.amazon.com/Balanc.../dp/1626253730/ref=sr_1_1...

"It’s more commonly known today that toddlers should be learning to walk barefooted as much as possible so they can feel what they touch with their feet and develop muscle strength. However all children receive important sensory information from the soles of their feet touching the ground as they develop— and it may now be best advice for all children to be encouraged to ditch the shoes when they can, no matter what their age."

Read more here:
https://neurosciencenews.com/motor-skill-footwear-9552/

Myth vs Fact

Maybe helpful this season!

Skills and motor systems/sensory systems necessary for independent nose blowing...here are tips to help your little one: https://www.theottoolbox.com/tips-help-kids-learn-how-to-blow-their-nose/

Is cutting with scissors hard? Try these tips!

https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2020/08/13/how-to-teach-a-child-to-cut-with-scissors-2/

How to Teach a Child to Cut with Scissors - Your Therapy Source Here are steps on how to teach a child to cut with scissors and when these skills are accomplished developmentally.

https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-10-toys-to-help-your-child-learn-how-to-jump/?fbclid=IwAR2a9rCkH-Jc8BEF43WQc_T-7qwoUVbRaMWSpDl8PyIPQTl5g1CYL_HEtKk

How to Develop Your Child’s JUMPING SKILLS to Support VESTIBULAR INPUT, Attention and Focus Toys to Help Your Child Learn how to Jump This article provides helpful jumping toys to improve your child’s proprioception and gross motor development. Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is ...

Risk Assessment is a Skill that Requires Time to Learn — 1000 Hours Outside Childhood is the time to build this risk assessment skill set. Kids need ample time to explore and adequately learn both components of risk.

It's true! Cooking with kids is a learning experience in so, so many ways.

The power of play in the therapy setting is invaluable! Not only is play more motivating but the brain absorbs new concepts through play quicker and easier than with flash cards or drilling. So often therapists and parents can fall into the flash card rut but I encourage you to find target items around the house that represent your child’s targets! It’s quick and easy to put together a “therapy box” full of real life items to work towards your kiddos goals!

How could this help handwriting???

This simple switch (writing on the table from the underneath) is a great way to

➡️ engage reluctant writers
➡️ strengthen the large muscles of the upper arm and shoulders
➡️ promote wrist extension for proper writing grasp

BONUS: Mom said "He's READING now!!!" 🤩

Want to learn more??? JOIN OUR FREE HANDWRITING WORKSHOP ON OCTOBER 1ST!!!

Thanks for sharing this adorable picture of your wonderfully creative skills Miss Terri, OT!!

Link to event: https://www.facebook.com/events/576669512896141?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22page_admin_bar%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22page_id%5C%22%3A517432848300091%7D%22%7D%2C%7B%22surface%22%3A%22events_admin_tool%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22events_admin_tool%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22[]%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D

We have the evidence, let’s “shout it from the rooftops” so that both parents and practitioners can make the best informed choice for families!
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Preterm-born children are at higher risk for more developmental needs and delays when compared to full-term peers. Inaccurate understanding of bilingualism leads many to abandon their home language “to help” the child! 😳
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But research is suggesting otherwise so our decisions and recommendations should be otherwise.
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September is NICU awareness month - Would you please help spread this information, whether via social media or by word of mouth!? The more of us who know it, the better chance these kiddos and families will have of sustaining family languages 🤍
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Thank you to these researchers for advancing our evidence that bilingualism is beneficial and not harmful EVEN for those at higher risk or with delays and disabilities: Baralt, M., & Mahoney, A. D. (2020). Bilingualism and the executive function advantage in preterm-born children. Cognitive Development, 55, 100931.

A good reminder!

https://www.backwoodsmama.com/

Swinging is helpful for so many reasons 🌱

🖐🏻 Why is that babies & toddlers need to squish, wiggle & essentially play with their food? They do that to get important information! All the nerve endings in their fingertips
& palms sends signals to the brain, which in turn prepares the mouth for what’s about to happen next.
👄 In fact, the lips & the fingertips 🤚 are often considered to have the highest concentration of “receptor cells” to interpret tactile information.
‼️But wait, there’s more! The joints in the fingers, wrists & arm send information to the brain too. That’s called our sense of proprioception & it not only tells our brain where our arms, hands & fingers are in space as kids explore the food, but it interprets the weight of the food & the amount of pressure applied to get it to squish, wiggle, or whatever your little food explorer needs to do before giving it taste.
🧠More brain power: There’s also a joint in our jaw, the temporomandibular joint, that sends the same
sort of feedback to the brain. Now, it’s time to compare all the information & file it in that little growing brain, so that next time, baby has some info to compare to another new food.
🙌🏻Every time you let your child explore with all of their senses, especially the sense of touch, they are compiling files in their brain that will help them try that food (or a new one) next time. ♥️

So true 🤍

Great idea!

"It’s more commonly known today that toddlers should be learning to walk barefooted as much as possible so they can feel what they touch with their feet and develop muscle strength. However all children receive important sensory information from the soles of their feet touching the ground as they develop— and it may now be best advice for all children to be encouraged to ditch the shoes when they can, no matter what their age."

Read more here:
https://neurosciencenews.com/motor-skill-footwear-9552/

Swings are essential ❤️

This is just some of the fascinating research on screens and child development: https://www.theottoolbox.com/research-on-screen-time-for-kids/

File this under - why didn’t we think of that?! So smart.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2MAsZthHFN/?igshid=xre1ycsp407z

This illustration and explanation gives important details of why floor and tummy time are important for development and building strength. Here's what you can find on Mommy Academy:

Development, strength and milestones happens on the floor!⁠⠀
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Tummy time helps build so many muscles, sensory outputs and skills that they will need to get to the next milestones in their motor development journey.⁠⠀
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It’s the foundation for everything!⁠⠀
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Tummy time helps build:⁠⠀
✨Balance (vestibular sense)⁠⠀
✨Neck & back muscles⁠⠀
✨Visual tracking⁠⠀
✨Arm & wrist strength⁠⠀
✨Core strength⁠⠀
✨Flexor muscles⁠⠀
✨Spinal strength⁠⠀
✨Familiarity with gravity⁠⠀
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Mommy Academy goes into this in detail in Remarkable Infants with lots of tips on how to bring in more play to make this a more enjoyable experience for your little one. ⁠

www.mommy-academy.com ♥️