Your proprioceptive system is one of the most organizing and regulating system in our bodies. Case in point, Temple Grandin’s squeeze machine, “a device that delivers deep touch pressure to help her learn to tolerate touching and to reduce anxiety and nervousness”. When I think about things that are relaxing to most people, I think of things like massages, weighted blankets, and being swaddled. All of which give you proprioceptive…
One of the very first things we learned when I was in my first semester of OTA school was to use “person-first” language rather than “identity-first” when referring to our patients. We were told that to use “identity-first” (identifying a person by their disability first, as in “an autistic person”) was insensitive and demeaning to that person. They should be referred to using “person-first” (i.e: “a person with autism”), because…
When I type in a quick google search for “local special needs resources”, I get loads of hits for little ones. However, when I search for resources for teens and adults, the results are scarce. It seems like people forget that kids with autism become adults with autism, and as a community we should be supporting them throughout their life. Thankfully, after some extensive detective work, I found some great…
This great and versatile game is called Stack Up! by Peaceable Kingdom. The game comes with a game board, 12 blocks, 12 challenge cards, 2 stack sticks, a Stack Smasher and stand, and a spinner. The gameplay is pretty straightforward: you spin a color and stack a block. The object of the game is to stack all 12 blocks before the Stack Smasher gets to it and knocks it down.…
There are multiple reasons an occupational therapist chooses the frequency and duration of therapy. In my experience, the common consensus among parents is that if their child has more sessions, they’ll see progress sooner. I’m here to tell you that that’s not always the case. More sessions doesn’t always mean faster progress, and vice versa. It’s a constant balancing act of quality vs. quantity. Here are some situations when each…
When most teachers and parents think of OT, they immediately think “handwriting”. If they see a child who is having difficulty writing legibly, or keeping up in class, or sometimes not even able to write at all. They come to the OT and expect there to be one specific quick fix to solve the problem. However, there could be some underlying foundational skills that need to be worked on, and…
Let’s say one day you decide you want to become physically healthier. So you get a personal trainer, but every time you get home you eat nothing but junk food. Would you expect to see or feel any results? It’s the same with occupational therapy. Most kids get a few hours a week, or even as little as 30 to 45 minutes a week of OT. That’s less than 25%…
The first toy I decided to review called the Catch and Count Fishing Game by Melissa and Doug. It’s great because it can be used in so many different ways that target all kinds of skills, which is something I absolutely LOVE as an OT practitioner. The game comes with a set of 10 magnetic fish, of different colors and numbers which can be used for matching, counting, sorting…the possibilities…
Now that you know the eight senses, I’m going to give you a quick vocab lesson about arousal levels. Arousal can be defined as the fluctuating level of alertness of the nervous system, and is extremely affected by sensory input. If your arousal level is too high or too low, then it could throw off your day and make it hard to focus. Think about being in a really long…
Throughout my career both as a Behavior Interventionist, and as an OT Assistant, I’ve seen a wide variety of uses for reward charts. I’ve used them mostly in schools, but often in homes as well, and for so many different reasons, I’ve lost count. Everything from completing homework assignments or doing chores around the house, to using “nice words”. Even outside of work, I’ve seen my friends successfully using them…
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