Planning/Tips for a Sensory Friendly Halloween

Halloween is an exciting holiday for plenty of children, with pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and fun costumes. However, these same activities can be stressful and overstimulating for other children. Halloween can mean loud noises, bright lights, scary costumes and decorations, unexpected movements, and crowds of unfamiliar people. Children with sensory processing challenges or difficulty adjusting to change may have an especially hard time in this environment. A sensory-friendly Halloween can make the holiday less overwhelming and more enjoyable for all children! Try incorporating some of these tips to make this Halloween more sensory-friendly for your child.

• Let your child know what to expect: things they might see, noises they might hear, and activities they can participate in, if they feel comfortable. Show them pictures or videos online or from a previous Halloween. Read a book about a child going trick-or-treating! 

• Find a costume that is comfortable and avoid itchy or restrictive costumes. You can even create a costume from their everyday clothes or have them wear normal clothes underneath. Allow your child to get used to wearing their costume by wearing it for gradually longer periods of time.

• Consider smaller, local events such as “trunk-or-treat” if your neighborhood tends to get crowded.

• Practice trick-or-treating before the big day! Practice walking the route or invite familiar family and friends to practice with your child in their own house.

• On the day of:

• Go trick-or-treating early, when there are less people out and before it gets too dark.

• Bring noise reduction headphones or sunglasses if your child is sensitive to loud noises or flashing lights.

• If your child is nonverbal, print a “trick-or-treat” sign for them to take with them–make this its own activity and have them decorate it!

• Keep your child’s usual bedtime routine to maintain normalcy after the event.

• Lastly, follow your child’s lead. Your child may only be comfortable going to a few houses, and that’s okay! Don’t push them to participate in more than they are comfortable with.

If you have any questions more specific to your child’s needs, please reach out to your therapist! They all have so many great strategies to share with you!

Augmentative and Alternative Communication for Children

There are many ways we can communicate with the world around us, other than verbally speaking. These methods are helpful to individuals who may have trouble verbally or ‘expressively’ communicating.  Augmentative/Alternative Communication or “AAC” is one of those ways.  AAC methods allow individuals, especially children, to communicate. 

AAC devices range from low-tech to high-tech devices. AAC systems may be utilized for children with autism, apraxia, or other speech and language delays. The type of system or device your child may need may depend on their needs and what works best for them.

AAC devices/systems come in many forms.  There are low-tech or no-tech AAC systems that may consist of pointing to pictures on a piece of paper, sign language, writing or drawing, or even a binder with pictures that help them express what they need such as yes, no, help, eat, and more. 

On the other end, there are high-tech devices specially made for communication. They usually consist of touch screen devices that allow for customization and the ability to adapt to each user. 

For these high-tech devices, technology companies have designed programs and applications in order to implement communication programs.  This technology may be downloaded to tablets, computers or even phones. 

When choosing the proper system that will work for your child, you may be referred to a speech language pathologist (SLP). An SLP can help find the right system to help your child that is both an age appropriate system, and a developmentally appropriate system for your little one. 

When beginning to explore if an AAC device would be a good fit for your child, a speech language pathologist at Champion Pediatric Therapy would complete an assessment to help identify the child’s strengths, weaknesses and implement an AAC device that may best fit the child’s needs. 

Once a method is selected, the speech language pathologist will then help the child navigate their AAC device or system and show them how to use it through regular speech therapy sessions.  Together, they will review and explore the device, teaching them the functions of it.  For low-tech systems, the speech language pathologist and child will work together to implement use of printed pictures or even sign language to communicate their wants and needs. 

Along with this it is important to practice your AAC system with your child as well as becoming familiar with whichever system they use. This allows you to be aware of their communication device and allows you to communicate effectively with your child. This may consist of learning how to navigate their AAC devices and learning the different buttons or learning different signs if they communicate with sign language. 

In order to allow these devices and systems to be effective there must be effort put in from all those involved. Expanding a child’s ability to communicate opens a whole new world for their independence and learning. When AAC systems are implemented, they should be utilized as much as possible to encourage the use and learning. AAC devices are great tools to help children communicate and express themselves to the world around them! Talk to a Speech Language Pathologist at Champion Pediatric Therapy to help begin your child’s AAC journey!

How to play with your child and help develop their speech and language skills at the same time!

The beginning developmental years of your child go by so fast. Before you know it,  they’re making eye contact with you and talking to you! While you are soaking in these  special days with your child, there are skills you can model to aid in their speech and  language development, all during play! 

Within the first two years, your child should be attempting/developing sounds like: H, P,  N, D, M, B, and W. Also, they should be making requests, shaking their heads yes and  no, and identifying body parts! As a parent, what are activities we can do in order to  help provide a fun environment for our child to learn? 

Bubbles: this is a fun way to introduce new words like: more, again, please, go

Books: interactive books are a great tool to engage your child! Instead of asking, “What  is this?”, feel free to name the object and describe it! 

Farm animals and/or cars: you can model different environmental sounds (animal  noises, car noises) in order to expand your child’s ability to imitate 

Songs: sing with your child! Children can learn a lot through singing familiar nursery  rhymes (Old McDonald, Wheels on the Bus) 

The most important thing to remember is to have fun! Your child is not expecting you to  be perfect. These beginning years are so crucial to your child’s development, so  understanding how to play and teach your child is a great skill to practice.

W Sitting In Children

For little ones, play time is often on the floor! It is common for young children to position themselves in various sitting positions when playing with toys. “W sitting” is a sitting position little ones can assume and it looks like this: sitting on bottom with their knees bent at their sides. If you look at a child from above in this position it may look like a “W”.  If a child only does this momentarily or it does not become a pattern or habit of sitting then it isn’t normally an issue. If a child frequently sits in the W sitting position during play, it is important to take a further look as to why.

Sitting in this wider base of support allows them to slouch and limits the use of their core muscles. This position is often seen as a compensatory method of sitting to compensate for weak core muscle tone and limited core strength. In addition, this can lead to further muscle weakness in their core since this position inhibits a child from actively utilizing core muscles. 

When W sitting, trunk mobility is also limited. This is because when they “W sit” they don’t have as much range to reach around and rotate. Tight muscles in the lower extremities as well as tightness in hips, knees, and ankles are among other potential concerns to keep an eye out for. 

If you begin to notice that your child chooses a preference of sitting in this position it is helpful to model better sitting habits. This can be with criss crossed legs, legs straight out in front of them, and even just alternating the legs to one side which allows them to still sit on their bottom. With modeling better sitting habits you can also use verbal cues such as “cross your legs” and reminding them of better sitting habits when they are “W sitting”. 

Overall it is important to monitor your child if they take preference to this sitting method in the event that they begin to display balance challenges, walking pattern changes, or discomfort.  While intermittent sitting can be seen in children who are hard at play, consistent more frequent patterns of W sitting in children are important to keep an eye on in order to encourage sitting positions that encourage muscle development, rather than hinder muscle development.

Unsure If Your Child Will Benefit From Speech Therapy?

As your little one is growing, there are certain skills they will develop. There are so many changes! Just within the first year, your child is engaging more with you and starting to say a few words! So how do you know when your child needs an assessment? 

Here are some early signs that indicate your child may benefit from an assessment:

0-3 months: not smiling or making eye contact

4-7 months: not babbling

7-12 months: making only a few words. No gestures are present (pointing, waving)

7 months to 2 years old: not showing understanding of what others say

12-18 months: only saying a few words 

18 months-2 years old: not putting two words together

2 years old: saying < 50 words

2-3 years old: trouble playing and talking with other children

If you find the characteristics listed above apply to your child, it is okay! All this means is it will be beneficial to reach out to your health care provider or pediatrician. Understanding what simple skills your child will develop will help you determine if they can benefit from early intervention. Early intervention is important to ensure you can adapt strategies to introduce to your child to aid in their development. 

Core Strength & Stability... What It Is & Why Its Important

Your child’s core musculature contributes to the stabilization of many surrounding areas in their body. Being that the core is the center of the body, it is important to ensure that it is strong and ready to stabilize the body.

Core strength contributes to adding greater support for the spine in order to support different activities and overall help prevent injuries. Core strength is also important for balance when sitting, standing, walking, and even climbing.  Core strength is essential for all the movements of our arms and legs as well.

In your child's early development, a strong core helps with different movements such as rolling to explore their environment and later to support sitting. As they get older it will help with stability when standing and moving around. Ensuring that your child has a strong stable core at a young age will allow them to have continual benefits as they grow, such as age-appropriate coordination skills.

There are many activities that a child can do that can assist them with building up core strength. For example, in infancy, rolling is ideal with helping the core build up muscles to aid the rotating motion. Sitting independently/unsupported is also great with building up this strength and will allow them to build up proper muscles to catch themselves if they sway in this upright position. When doing this, allowing them to reach for toys in this position will also work on bending forward or to the sides.

As your child builds up these muscles, sitting them on a more dynamic surface such an exercise ball while rolling the ball slightly will force them to correct in an attempt to sit upright.

These are all great tools to allow them to build up the proper muscle to make for greater stability. Overall building up these muscles is necessary to allow for stability and strength of other muscles or areas of their growing bodies. It is also necessary to note any muscle imbalances or delays to allow for proper intervention and help to assist their muscles to continue to grow strong.

What Is The Difference Between Speech and Language?

For most, these words may mean the same thing. While they seem like they are the same, these terms have their own meaning. With this, it is important to understand what they are and how they are important to your child’s development. 

These terms are defined as:

• Speech is described as the specific sounds we use for talking. Along with the sounds we speak, speech includes the pitch and volume in our voices. 

• A child who trouble with their speech skills may say “tow” instead of “cow”

• Language includes how your child will put their words together, how they will understand words spoken to them, and decide what they will say when talking to a communication partner. 

• A language disorder is defined as either receptive (how your child understands words they hear) or expressive (how your child interacts and communicates with others)

Why are these words explained differently? Your speech therapist can use these words to help define which part of your child’s communication skills need help! Speech and language are the foundation to how your child builds their relationships along with how they will express their wants and needs to you.

An individual may find themselves having trouble with one of these or both at the same time. If you notice your child has difficulty with their speech and/or language skills, contact your pediatrician to receive a referral to a Speech-Language Pathologist at Champion Pediatric Therapy! 

Make Thanksgiving Sensory Friendly

As we are in the holiday season, there are many exciting things to look forward to. This season can also be very overwhelming for some children. As Thanksgiving approaches, here are a few helpful tips to create a sensory-friendly Thanksgiving!

1. Cook together: Prepare your child for the foods you may be cooking for Thanksgiving. Have them cook with you and explore, smell, touch, and maybe even taste some foods they may not be used to eating.

2. Contactless greetings: Because this time means seeing a lot of friends and family, this also means a lot of greetings. This can be overwhelming to some children, especially around people they are not used to seeing. To make your child feel more comfortable, try switching out a typical hug for something with less contact. This could include a casual fist bump, high five, or wave.

3. Establish a quiet zone: Holidays and gatherings often means that a lot of people will be together at once. This can easily be over-stimulating to children. Establish a quiet area (i.e., room) that your child can go to if they are feeling overwhelmed.

4. Think about food in advance: Thanksgiving can be difficult for picky eaters. If you are traveling to an unfamiliar place for Thanksgiving, try your best to have a few sides or dishes that your child will eat, especially if your child has specific food preferences, or food aversions.

Impact of Cursive Handwriting On Brain Development

Unfortunately, cursive handwriting is slowly diminishing in education systems. Limiting cursive handwriting in children has been shown to decrease their brain development. The correlation between brain development and cursive handwriting is that cursive emphasizes a rhythmic and continuous stroke, which specifically targets areas of the brain that relate to memory and absorbing new information.

So, writing in cursive actually allows a child to absorb information and memory recall at a more efficient rate than print handwriting. It also promotes fine motor and motor planning skills and facilitates the brain to integrate various forms of information at once. Some researchers have found that learning how to write in cursive can provide similar benefits as if a child were to learn a musical instrument. Cursive handwriting challenges a young child’s brain in ways that typical print handwriting cannot, which is why it should be encouraged in a child’s life.

Not only is cursive handwriting important but writing by hand (versus typing on a keyboard or tablet) is just as critical to implement for a young child. Due to societies increased digital activity, there are countless apps and tablet games that assist in handwriting; however, the effects do not compare to physically writing with a pencil and paper. This is because writing by hand allows the brain to remember information better.

Research has shown that physically writing with a pen/pencil has a direct correlation between reading acquisition in young children. By writing down information, your brain allows you to think and process what you are writing, whereas typing does not encourage processing the information in the same way. So, if you would like to encourage your child’s brain development, emphasize cursive handwriting and writing with the classic pencil and paper!

Importance of Creeping & Crawling for Gross Motor Development

For most children, crawling happens naturally. Crawling is an important milestone of gross motor development as it is the first stage where a baby is putting their own weight into their hands and knees. This first stage is very important as it allows for the baby to begin increasing the strength and stability of their upper body.

This foundational milestone will allow for further control over their body whether it be through feeding and dressing themselves or playing on the playground. Crawling is also the first time when the child is finally able to move and explore the places that were once unreachable without the help of mom or dad. This first stage of the independent movement is integral in the development of further stages of movement such as creeping.

Crawling is also very important because it allows them to begin to understand the way in which their body moves. Coordination of the left and right sides of the body is also an important part of gross motor development in children, and this can be progressed through a child finally beginning to crawl.

Most babies should begin to crawl by around 7-9 months, and if this milestone is not met then it may be beneficial to get it checked out. Creeping is the following movement milestone and is identified as having the belly off of the floor while moving. Creeping is also a major progressor of the baby's strength and coordination because it does all that crawling does and more. 

Creeping and crawling help the baby improve their body awareness, upper extremity stability, as well as proximal stability and strength. In addition, these skills play major roles in the overall gross motor development of the child for overall strength, body awareness, development of coordination and more!

Do you have questions about your baby’s crawling? Ask one of our skilled physical therapists!

Make Halloween Sensory-Friendly!

Halloween is a very fun-filled day that many children look forward to; however, it is important to realize that this holiday may be over-stimulating to some. This is a holiday full of many scary decorations, lights, loud sounds, people, and noises. Not to mention, most of this holiday is geared towards being spooky, which can add an additional level of sensation to an already over-stimulated child. Nonetheless, Halloween should be a day that all children get to enjoy.

If you know your child may get over-stimulated to Halloween activities, try these tips to make this Halloween one to remember: 

1. Go trick-or-treating early: An early route may have less people walking the streets and less flashing lights, making for a less stimulating environment. Also, try your best to trick-or-treat in an area your child is familiar with and feels comfortable in. 

2. Have sensory friendly costumes: Try to find a costume that your child feels comfortable in, rather than something that may cause tactile discomfort. This can be taking off any tags, avoiding head pieces/masks, or There are plenty of sensory-friendly costumes! 

3. Talk about Halloween events before they happen: Children do so well when they are made aware of what will happen. It is important to talk to your child before any and all Halloween events about what to expect, so they are not surprised. This will hopefully allow a child to mentally prepare for the fun night ahead!

4. Bring headphones or a fidget toy: Bringing an item that calms your child may be beneficial when trick-or-treating. This can help them regulate in a very chaotic environment, while still being present with their peers. 

5. Practice trick-or-treating: Practice walking the route you and your child will take to go trick-or-treating. Also, have your child practice going up to your dog or a family member's door and say, “trick or treat!”. If a child does not feel comfortable saying this, either you as a parent can, or even make a sign that your child can hold. 

Most importantly, have fun and stay safe! Happy Halloween!

Understanding Grasp Patterns

Grasp patterns refer to the way we hold and manipulate objects with our hands. There are different types of grasp patterns that develop as we grow and help improve fine motor skills. These grasp patterns are known as the palmar grasp, pincer grasp, lateral grasp, and the tripod grasp.

The palmar grasp is the earliest grasp pattern seen in infants, where they use their whole hand to hold objects. Activities that promote palmar grasp include grasping and shaking rattles, playing with soft toys, or exploring textured objects. As babies develop their fine motor skills, they start using their thumb and index finger to pick up small objects. Activities that encourage pincer grasp include picking up small beads or buttons, transferring objects between containers, or using tweezers to pick up objects. The lateral grasp pattern involves holding objects between the thumb and the side of the index finger. Activities that encourage lateral grasp include holding and using utensils for eating, manipulating small puzzle pieces, or playing with small construction toys. The most advanced grasp pattern is the tripod grasp. This is where the thumb, index, and middle fingers work together to hold objects. Activities that promote tripod grasp include writing or drawing with a pencil or crayon, using small tools for crafts or building, or playing musical instruments that require finger dexterity.

Engaging in activities that target specific grasp patterns can help develop and refine fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and finger strength. It is important to provide a variety of activities that challenge and stimulate different grasp patterns to promote overall hand function. It is always important to choose age-appropriate activities and provide supervision when needed. It is also recommended to consult with an occupational therapist for personalized guidance and recommendations based on individuals needs and goals.

Backpack Safety for Back to School

It’s about that time for all the kids to go back to school! Are you wondering how you can make better changes in your child’s belongings? A good place to start is the backpack. A lot of children often express concerns about how they carry a heavy load in their backpacks, or they wear them incorrectly. This can lead to severe shoulder, neck, and back pain, as well as posture problems.

The first thing you want to make sure is to select the right backpack for your child. It is important to have features such as two wide shoulder straps, a padded back, a waist strap, and of course the coolest design! To prevent injury when using a backpack, make sure your child uses both straps of the backpack to rest on their shoulders. Tighten the straps to keep it closer to their back to help with posture and prevent slouching. Pack lightly and make sure the heavy items such as binders or textbooks are placed in the center so that carrying these items will not affect the child’s balance. When picking up the backpack from the floor, lift properly by bending the knees.

Some tips for parents that can ensure their child’s safety is to have them express concerns of any pain such as any discomfort in their upper or lower body. Before attending school, have the child test out the backpack weight and see if they have any struggles with it. If so, remove some of the heavy belongings and suggest that they carry it. If the backpack load gets overwhelming for the child, then it is important to discuss with the teacher of what can be left at home or school. By following these guidelines and tips, it will make a huge difference for your child’s safety and muscle/joint health.

Everything to Know About Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder seen in children that have trouble planning and performing the muscle movements necessary to create speech sounds. Different from other speech disorders, CAS is not due to muscle weakness but a difficulty in sending messages from the brain to the tongue, lips, and jaw. Unfortunately, the cause of this disorder is unknown in most cases. It is crucial to remember that children with CAS know what they want to say! Even though it is challenging to get the right speech positions, the message is there, and they just need a little more practice and effort to form those shapes with the tongue, lips, and jaw. Sometimes CAS is also called developmental apraxia, verbal apraxia, or speech apraxia.

CAS looks different on everyone, but some symptoms that may be associated with CAS include:

• Groping movements of the mouth (trying to find the correct position for words)

• Does not say words the same way every time

• Only able to form a few consonants or vowels

• Difficulty moving smoothly from one sound or word to the next

If your child exhibits one or more of the above symptoms, ask your physician or speech-language pathologist about it. These characteristics are similar to those of other speech disorders, so it normally takes a full comprehensive assessment and multiple sessions to officially diagnose CAS. Along with speech, your child may benefit from occupational therapy as well! It is common for children with CAS to have other motor difficulties, and an occupational therapist can help with skills such as grasping, writing, or zipping up their jacket. Practicing the correct movements and positions for speech sounds (and other movements) will help children with CAS speak and live more confidently!

What is Crossing Midline? Why is it important?

Have you ever seen your child avoid reaching across their body to grab something, instead they just use the hand closest to that object to grab it? If so, then they might have difficulties crossing midline. There is an invisible line down the middle of our bodies that splits our bodies into two halves. 

Crossing midline is the ability to reach across the invisible line with an arm or leg to do something on the opposite side of the body. This is an important task that needs to be done because it tells us that they are using both sides of the brain to coordinate smooth, controlled, and complex movements. It is an important tool for doing daily activities like reading, writing, tying your shoes and it’s needed to complete activities that involve us using both hands. 

There are many different ways to identify if your child is having problems crossing midline. Some different signs include swapping hands when trying to complete a task like writing, drawing, and coloring, using your left hand for activities on the left side of the body and vice versa, poor pencil skills, kicks a ball with both feet and has difficulties with gross motor skills (crawling, skipping). 

To promote improved ability for your child to cross midline, there are different building blocks that are beneficial. Bilateral integration – using both sides of the body at the same time, truck rotation, hand dominance – allows for advanced movements across midline, planning/sequencing – ability to complete multi-step skills and body awareness – the body's joints and muscles tell information to the brain about the body’s position. 

There is an endless list of activities that you can do or that can be done at therapy to help your child improve their ability to cross midline.  A few different activities are:

• Balloon Tennis: hitting a balloon back and forth with a partner, tell your partner to hit it to both sides of the body but only let the child keep the racket in a single hand 

• Playing twister: this game makes you do different crazy things which will force the child to cross midline 

• Arts & crafts: drawing horizontal lines, threading beads, cutting & folding paper 

• Stickers: allow the child to place stickers on their body with one hand and then telling them to remove the stickers with the other hand 

• Playing Simon says: Whoever is in charge of telling others the task they need to do is encourage to make the others cross their midline 

• Trace/ draw figure 8’s: draw one and have the child trace over it or complete their own 

• Popping bubbles on the opposite side of the body 

It is important to seek therapy if you feel like this skill is not improving. Not seeking therapy can result in your child not being able to keep up in class because of their poor handwriting skills, not getting to play sports that require coordination (basketball, tennis) as well as causing anxiety for children at school. Our therapists are here to help you and your child strengthen this skill and get back to enjoying life to the fullest.

Tape Activities That Improve Skills in Kiddos

Kids love tape, parents love tape, we all love tape! What a better way to keep your little one entertained than with a simple roll of tape. They will not only be having fun for quite some time but this will help them improve motor skills and coordination skills. 

At Champion, we find painters tape to be a favorite! It is easy to peel, sticks well, and is easily removed from many surfaces. Not to mention, painters tape can also be found in fun colors like blue, purple or green!

These tape activities target a variety of skills to include: motor planning skills, coordination skills, visual perceptual skills, strengthening, endurance and more! These activities are tried and tested… enjoy these with your family or friends!

1. Tape Agility Ladder: Why buy an expensive agility ladder, when you can create your own with your tape. Create a variation of movements that they can perform challenge them in speed, agility and coordination. 

2. Hop Scotch: Create a bright-colored hop scotch on the carpet or outside with painters tape. You can get creative with the top shape - make it a half circle, star, rectangle or anything you choose!

3. Create A Maze: Pick out a maze picture and mimic it on the floor with tape, this will test how good their visual skills and attention are with copying what they see, then they will be able to perform the maze with problem solving to get to the end. 

4. Tic-Tac-Toe: Create a giant tic-tac-toe board with your duct tape. You can use any object for your marks, however, if you’d like to turn it into a gross motor game let your little ones use their body to clam their spot. It will get them moving with lots of fun! 

5. Numbers & Letters: Have them use the tape to create their numbers and letters, after they have a few ready have them trace them with their finger to practice their handwriting skills.

6. Crawling & Jumping Obstacle: Along a long hallway, place a strip of painters tape across from wall to wall. Repeat with another strip and place strips staggered - one lower to the floor and one a little higher. Then practice army crawling under the low strips and jumping over the higher ones.

Core Strengthening Through Play

Core strength is very important for overall health, fitness and mobility. Core strength enhances balance, helps with coordination, extremity function, proximal stability and endurance. A weak core can lead to having poor posture, making fine motor skills more challenging, and will end in making your little one become frustrated with certain activities or getting tired too fast.  Try these fun activities at home to encourage core strengthening!

Tummy play: Lay down on belly and hold your upper body up with elbows. Here you can have your little one do almost any activity they like. For babies get some of their favorite toys and have them reach for them or place a sensory mat, for older kiddos they can color, use playdough or play card or board games. Reaching will be more challenging but it will build endurance and increase strength.

Scooter boards: Kids love playing with scooters they won’t even notice they are building core strength; they will be too busy having fun! Have them lay on their tummy and use their hands to move around, or sit on their bottom using their legs to move. Place stickers or hide any other object around the house and have them travel around to collect them. Puzzles are another great activity - have them collect puzzle pieces from a distance and return to place them in the puzzle.

Animal walks: Have your little one pick a letter, come up with an animal that begins with that letter and have them mimic that animal walk from one side of the room to the other. For example, they pick “C” so they have to do a crab walk. Take turns with them and see how much fun it’ll be to mimic different animals walking! 

Push N’ Pull basket: Fill up a basket with objects, or use your laundry basket! Have them push the basket across the room and then pull on their way back!

Strategies to Help Children Make Friends

As a child attempting to make friends, this can oftentimes be very challenging for some, more so for children with special needs. In addition, parents may see it as challenge for themselves as well, because we naturally want the best for our kids as we are always looking out for them. We want them to be able to experience what it’s like to build a relationship and friendships with other kids. Friendships make life more fun!  Not to mention the importance of social-emotional skills that are created when building friendships.

It’s natural that as parents we want to slow down time from our kids growing up too fast, overprotecting them and at times holding them back from exploring the outside world. We can shift that and help our little ones open new beginnings through the skills they do have. 

Tips that can help your little one build new friendships: 

1. Help them get confident: Provide comfort to your child and let them know that the abilities they have should not set them apart, that there are also other kids who share the same abilities as them. In addition, they may possess natural talents that others may not. Talk with them about the importance and unique qualities of things that they are naturally really great at. Encouraging them, reminding them they are awesome and participating in fun activities with them can help them increase their confidence.  

2. Be encouraging!: Ask them what is it that they're interested in. Register your kids in some activities of their interest and let them participate extracurricular activities that can help them strengthen their social skills, as well as other skills that they might need to improve on. Helping them participate in extracurricular activities of their choosing will naturally give them an extra boost of confidence and sense of accomplishment.

3. Boost their confidence: Help your little one feel comfortable when trying to make friends, provide them with guidance on how to hold a conversation. A fun way to help your little one would be a role-playing game. Ask them what they want to be when they grow up and take turns asking questions about the profession.  Play games that encourage friendly competition and reciprocal play so they can gain exposure and awareness of different social situations they may arise with their friends, as well as learning how to deal with them.

4. Plan play dates, make building friendships FUN!: No one knows your child better than you. Build an environment you know they will enjoy and interact in. Invite some of your child’s peers/family and plan activities that will help them improve some of their social skills. Allow them to be kids and put the focus on all of their abilities and things they are doing well or are naturally good at. Remind them that everyone has their own strengths and challenges. As we work and play together, we learn from each other and help each other out in unique ways.

5. Make eye contact to show interest: Make sure to make eye contact with your little one when he/she is talking to you so they can build confidence and know that they are receiving your full attention. We are all busy - take time to talk with your child, show interest in what they learned at school, etc. As they build confidence with you, they will feel more comfortable when interacting with other kids. Note: One fun way to practice eye contact would be having a staring contest, try to maintain a fun conversation with your child whoever looks away first or blinks has to make a challenging movement or silly face.

Making friends can be challenging for some… help your child boost their confidence and social skills with these simple strategies! Don’t forget to be an example for them as you socialize with peers and family members… after all, they look up to you and are watching! Also, talk with your child’s therapist and ask for additional strategies to implement after you’ve tried these!

Handwriting Tips for Reluctant Writers

Motivating kids to write can be a challenge. Especially for kids who are not fans of handwriting tasks. In order to encourage kids to participate in handwriting it is imperative to make the activities meaningful and motivating. These writing activities will make handwriting fun so that even reluctant writers can work on the skills they need to master handwriting.

One idea to encourage handwriting is to plan a scavenger hunt.  The child can write out hints on slips of paper, plan the steps, and hide notes for family members or friends. Another fun idea is to look up jokes in a joke book and write them on index cards.  Send them to a friend in the mail or give one to teacher or friend. Writing letters can be another motivating way to entice kids to write. Write letters to the child’s favorite celebrities. Look up addresses to the child’s favorite artist, musician, or sports hero.  Kids can compose a letter and address the envelope. The child can also exchange letters with a pen pal.  Kids can exchange letters with friends and relatives in other states or towns.  Getting mail addressed to themselves is very exciting for a child. Writing lists can be a meaningful, purpose-driven activity for the child. Have the child write out a holiday or birthday gift wish list. Playing to the child’s interests is helpful. For example, if the child likes comics, making a comic book and writing in the thought bubbles would be a great activity.

Sometimes all it takes to motivate a child to write is making sensory/environmental changes. Try changing positions or locations. Sit on the floor and write on the chair seat.  Lay on couch cushions and write on the floor on a clipboard. Go outside or make a fort to write in. Some children are motivated by music. Try playing music while the child writes if it is not a distraction. Using colorful pens or pencils can visually encourage the reluctant writer to participate. Not only is stimulation of the visual senses important but also the tactile senses as well. Sensory writing without a pencil and using the child’s fingers in sand or shaving cream is an excellent way to stimulate the tactile senses. Most importantly don’t forget to take breaks. Every few minutes take brain breaks for jumping jacks or wall push-ups.

The following are some commercially available products that can assist in motivating reluctant writers. The Crayola Dry Erase Activity Center and Crayola See Thru Light Designer are fun ways for kids to practice letter formation and writing. Rory’s Story Cubes, is a fun storytelling game that helps to inspire kids to write. Play the game and write out stories as a family. This sounds like a great Family Night activity. Make writing fun with Washable Window Chalk Markers by writing on windows, glass, and mirrors. Completing mazes are a great way to practice pencil control and line awareness in handwriting. Try a maze book with the reluctant writer. Mad Libs Games are a great way to practice handwriting on lines and in smaller spaces. Spirographs have many handwriting benefits including pen control, bilateral hand coordination, and proprioceptive feedback. Creating these fun art pieces are motivating and fun.

Proper Sitting Development… Why Is It Important?

As your child grows and develops, they go through a timeline of gross motor development and achieve certain milestones. During their first few years of development, it is crucial that they gain certain gross motor skills. These gross motor skills allow us to do tasks that involve large muscles like the torso, legs, and arms. They are what help us move and become independent.

What you may not know, is that in order for your child to achieve these skills, other specific gross motor skills must be achieved first - think of it as building off of a solid foundation - these skills are the building blocks of motor development. Gross motor skills set a foundation for other new skills to develop. These gross motor skills include everything from moving, sitting, crawling, and walking, etc.

Postural stability and a correct sitting position are so important in development, to help your child achieve all the building blocks of gross motor development. We’ve discussed crawling before… and in today’s blog we are focusing on the importance of sitting. Here are some important things to keep in mind when your child is working on developing proper sitting, postural control and strength…

Babies begin to tripod sit (sitting while propping up on hands) between 4-6 months. Anywhere from 4-9 months, babies learn to sit on their own, unsupported by their hands and using their core muscles. In addition, during this time, from 6-10 months, babies will begin transitioning from sitting to prone (on hands and knees) in order to crawl.

When learning how to sit, babies often use their legs and feet as a base for support, and sometimes even their hands. The contact that is used to support them allows them to use their full body in various ways. As they use their full bodies, they also learn how to balance themselves to stay up-right. Their tummy and back muscles develop and learn how to work together to achieve successful upright sitting posture and in addition, they get stronger in the process!

Gross motor skill development is so important in order to allow other skills to develop and strengthen, such as bilateral integration skills (using both hands together) and fine motor skills. As a baby’s postural stability and sitting becomes strong and independent, other skills will begin to flourish. This is why they are so important to develop properly. When impaired sitting posture and weak torso muscle tone is observed, other factors should be taken into consideration and therapy intervention will be crucial in helping baby ensure all gross motor milestones are achieved.

Call us or talk to your child’s therapist if you have questions on your baby’s gross motor development and sitting posture/development. We are always happy to help!