It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are a great time to enhance your toy closets with fun toys that promote the most important developmental skills.  Here are some great ideas from our OT department at PediaSpeech Services, Inc. Happy giving! Squigz-  These are a favorite in the clinic!  They are suction…

By Cayla Woodburn As surprising as it might sound, fine motor skills impact nearly every aspect of life. Without fine motor skills, we wouldn’t be able to button our pants, brush our teeth, open our lunch, write our name, and so many more everyday activities. Many children struggle with their fine motor control, precision, grasp,…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  The start of the school year is upon us, which can be great for maintaining consistent schedules, but can be daunting due to the amount of ‘new’ for those that have difficulty with change and transitions. It is essential to manage sensory needs in the classroom for…

Toe walking occurs for various reasons which could involve children with Autism who seek certain sensory input or can be caused by spasticity in the calf muscles in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Toe walking is often overlooked, however, it needs to be addressed due to the physical limitations the can come from it. Is…

Weighted blankets are growing in popularity.  They claim to reduce anxiety, stress, sleep disorders, sensory disorders, ADD, and the list goes on.  So do they really work?  The answer is not as simple as ‘yes’ or ‘no.’  It truly depends on each individual’s sensory needs. What is the science behind weighted blankets? Weighted blankets provide…

By Carly Davis M.Ed. CCC-SLP Early intervention (for everything!) has exploded in the past 10-15 years regarding getting additional help for our little ones in whatever they may need. That being said, you have probably been at your child’s checkup where the pediatrician went through the checklist of developmental milestones. One milestone that sticks out to…

By Maria Keely M.S. OTR/L Halloween is almost here! While Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday for children, it can be very overwhelming for children with sensory processing difficulties. Here are a few tips to make Halloween a sensory friendly, and fun day! Costume Tips Some children prefer specific fabrics and types of materials…

by Jennifer McCullough M.S. CCC-SLP As a pediatric feeding therapist I get asked this question often. Many toddlers ranging in age from 10 months to 24 months come in to see me because they refuse to transition from their bottle/breast feeding and purees to chunky and chewable solids. They refuse by turning their heads, pushing…

By Renee Cayer B.A. Did you know that children need to have a strong understanding of spoken language before they can understand written language? This article discusses the importance of phonemic awareness—-the ability to differentiate and manipulate letter sounds— that will surely lead your child to reading success! What is Phonemic Awareness? Phonemic awareness is…

As an occupational therapist, I get a lot of referrals to address handwriting.  There are several factors that relate to handwriting success, many of which can be practiced and developed at home! Upper extremity support: Developing the scapular muscles and upper arm strength will allow the child to improve his or her posture and have…