Fidgeting has gone mainstream over the past year with the rapid rise of Fidget Spinners and Cubes. However, it has been and always will be a mainstay for children with neurological challenges — Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), ADHD and others.
Fidget toys are self-regulation tools to help with focus, attention, calming, and active listening. Fidgets come in all different shapes, sizes, and textures and are often referred to by various different names. Stress balls, tangles, and squigglets can all be used as fidget toys to promote movement and tactile input that is critical for some student’s learning.
When thinking about equipment to purchase for your growing infant, it can be overwhelming with so many options out there. As parents, you may have questions like, what equipment is appropriate for my child? What equipment is safe for my child? How often should my child be using their equipment?
Kelly Steiner is a Physical Therapist with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Ohio University in Athens. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Malone University in Canton.
Sensory integration, or the way in which the mind communicates with the senses, begins developing before birth and shapes the way that a person interacts with the environment. Children with over-responsive sensory profiles or sensory processing disorder can struggle in environments that are too stimulating for them, like the child who is stressed by noisy surroundings. Under-responsive sensory profiles, meanwhile, …
Being a speech therapist, we work closely with children and their parents and often get asked about helping their child navigate the big milestone of potty-training. There is not one way that seems to work for every child, but here are some things to consider when it’s time to start potty training regarding speech and language.
Swimming in the pool is a fun summer activity but it can also be a fun opportunity to work on improving your child’s balance, strength and coordination.
Summer is officially here! For all the kids who are on break this is the best time of the year, however, for parents it can be a stressful time. Many parents can relate to a child’s signature phrase “I’m bored.” They also can relate to the irritation faced after the 100th activity suggestion they give does not interest their children. …
I know, I know… how can we be talking about back to school already, well, the transition from summer to school year can be tough for most children, and for some children, there may be more preparation involved in the transition. We have a few tips and tricks to help make this transition a bit smoother and they would be …
Ever find yourself in a situation where you place a demand on your child, and he or she says, “No!” throws a tantrum or flat-out refuses to comply? I’m sure every parent has! Maybe even multiple times a day.
