Elm Tree Children’s Therapy

Join me on Thursday 27th June at 8pm to learn about picky eating and practical stages to help. Email me at [email protected] if you would like me to send you the link to register.

This summer I will be running a small summer group focused on gross and fine motor skills and sensory processing skills. It will be most suitable for 5-8 years old and will be lots of FUN! Please feel free to get in touch if you would like more information.

I am excited to share that I will be running a series of webinars over the coming weeks. The webinars will be free to attend but a donation to UNICEF would be greatly appreciated.

More information on each webinar will be shared shortly.

This is an appreciation shout out to all the teachers who try to co-regulate up to 30 children in a class every day.

In the parenting world there is lots of talk about the importance of being a co-regulator for our children, and how in order to do that we have to support our own regulation first. As a parent, I know that this is easier said and done- even with knowing my children and their triggers so well, staying regulated so I can be an effective co- regulator is difficult.

This week I have been thinking about how teachers are often expected to be able to co- regulate all the students in their class, in addition to all the other demands on their time.

Unfortunately, I do not have any wonderful advice on how to make this easier (other than saying to prioritise your own self care which can sometimes feel like a bit of a cliche) but this is just to say a big thank you- your role in supporting our children’s regulation is so important and very valued. Thank you!

-regulation

My son, and his lovely friend, had a birthday party at the weekend to celebrate turning 6. It was going to be busy with a bouncy castle and lots of noise so we included a chill out tent in the corner with some cushions, books and a weighted blanket. A space for children to go if things got a little too stimulating for them- and it worked really well.

This is a very well quoted quote but I was reminded of it again during half term. We tried to spend as much time as possible outside and it has such an impact on all of our regulation (I find I am such a better co regulator when I’ve had plenty of outside time). I worry less about making too much noise or creating too much mess. Picture is us in a forest park in ireland when visiting grandparents ❤️.

It’s Valentines Day (or Love Day as my two boys call it). A day to show love, so a good reminder that for many individuals with sensory processing differences, deep pressure hugs can be very calming and regulating. Feedback from people with sensory processing differences suggest that the most calming hugs are deep in pressure, consistent in pressure and at least 10 seconds long.
Happy Love Day everyone!!

This week is organised by . This years theme is ‘My Voice Matters’.

Place2be is a children’s and young people’s mental health charity working with pupils, families and staff in UK schools. They do amazing work. Go to www.place3be.org.uk to find out more.

I am proud to support . Nurturing our children’s mental health from a young age will lay the groundwork for their mental health throughout their life. Swipe for ideas on how to nurture a child’s mental health.

Snapshots from my working week:
1: Sensory pre writing activities
2:Making raised line paper using glue to support a student writing on a line
3:Making a button strip to support a child learn how to dress herself
4:Setting up an obstacle course focused on developing praxis and coordination skills
5:Sneaky tea and pastry break in between school visits

This is something that I have been asked about this week. It is so important to remember that active listening looks different for us all. For some children, in particular neurodiverse children, making eye contact feels very uncomfortable for them and when they do make eye contact this makes it MORE difficult for them to listen.

Expecting eye contact from children who find it uncomfortable can be considered as violating their bodily autonomy and should be avoided at all costs.

Let’s keep in mind that we all look different when we are listening best- some of us fidget, some of us sit still and make eye contact and some of us look away. All listening styles are valid and should be respected.

I couldn’t agree with this more ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

theimportanceofplay

Homework can be a battle in many homes so I am sharing some ideas here to make it more manageable for children and parents.

Firstly, going straight from school to homework time can be too much for many children. If they have spent a lot of the day sitting in class, then they will really benefit from lots and lots of movement before starting homework. This will support their focus when they get to their work. Any movement is good- running, jumping, swinging, ball games etc.

Sitting at a desk can be effortful for many children, especially after a day at school. Try other positions for homework. For writing tasks, lying on their tummy, propped up on their elbows can be a good alternative to sitting. For non writing tasks, try walking around when learning or reading (research suggests this can help us to retain the information we are learning).

If children tend to get anxious about homework, then making sure it is as predictable as possible can help- doing it at the same time every day.

If homework is causing a lot of distress for your child, it might be worth chatting to their teacher about it. If it is causing a lot of anxiety then it may be worth considering the volume of work for that child and weighing up the proc and cons of battling through.

This recent cold snap in the UK has got me thinking about how wearing extra layers, hats, coats and scarves can be tricky for individuals with sensory processing differences. Swipe to read some tips on how to support children with sensory processing differences to dress for this winter weather.

Any snippets of spare time this week has been used to watch some of the amazing presentations of the which focuses on neurodiversity and using a strengths based approach in therapy. So much food for thought with this. Lots of learning (and some unlearning- equally as important) and lots of reflections. Thank you for such an inspiring summit- I can’t wait to get through all the presentations.

Anyone who has followed me on here for a while will know that I am passionate about the importance and value of play- and free play in particular. In the Occupational Therapy world, we describe play as a child’s main occupation. Play is the main way children learn. Unstructured play helps children develop their motor skills, social skills, problem solving skills, creativity, regulation skills and more.

I was so happy when I saw that have a Play Works exhibition which focuses on supporting children to engage in unstructured play and encourages grown ups to sit back and just observe. I visited with my two boys last week and it was wonderful. Their imaginations ran wild and the space turned into a fire station, a house and a forest.

I highly recommend a visit- it’s a great exhibition and best of all its FREE (although they do advise booking for busy times).

Thanks for spreading the awareness of the importance of unstructured play- it’s never been as relevant as now with our busy, structured lives.

I am a bit late with my new years wishes (my excuse is I’m only back to work today!), but I wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2024.

Continuing to celebrate this week.

Occupations are any activity that we need, want or like to do to live and to look after our physical and mental health. They can be self-care, productive or leisure.

Happy OT week to all my amazing OT colleagues!