Answering Parents Questions

Many times during my first appointment with new clients and their parents I am asked a lot of questions.  And rightfully so!  What is OT, why was I referred here, how is this going to help my child, I cannot make sense of all that is going on with them, how can I best support them?  These are very common questions.  I felt it appropriate to take some time and share the common answers to these questions to help parents out there who are considering therapy but don't really know what it is all about.  Especially given that I often hear right after they start services, I wish we had done this sooner OR this all makes so much more sense to me know.

1. What is OT?  Being an OT, I could write a book about that so I will try to keep it short.  Occupational Therapy focuses on the skills for the job of living.  Yep, that simple.  So what does that mean for a child?  What are their jobs?  Self-care, school and play.  Yes, I said play, because it is their job.  Play skills are the foundation for future development and growth in physical skills, social skills and executive functioning.  Occupational therapy looks at the different components that are required to complete these tasks, such as strength, coordination, sensory integration, motor planning, fine/gross motor skills, visual motor and cognition.  Once we identify the child's strengths and weaknesses in these areas we work toward building on the strengths, improving the weaknesses and providing compensatory strategies to allow for success where appropriate.

2. How is this going to help my child?  Occupational therapists are specially trained to break down tasks, manipulate activities and create safe learning environments that continually are modified and progress with your child's increasing successes.  OT's will provided compensatory strategies for activities that remain difficult until remedied.  We will work on areas that require specialized techniques to work towards the child's modulation, attention, social skills, self-regulation and ability to carryover skills in a variety of environment.s We provide take away activities and education for continued carryover and development at home.  OT's will collaborate with other healthcare professionals and teachers to allow for continuity of approaches and continued advancement in skills.

3. How can I best support my child?  I am a very strong believer of a therapeutic relationship between both the child and the parent with the OT.  You should have trust in your therapist and what they are asking you to implement and try at home.  Asking lots of questions is welcome and you should not feel that you are bothering the therapist.  Most therapists will allow for a meeting time at the end of the session for a review of the session, activities for home and time to ask questions.  Use this time.  I always encourage my families to email me in between sessions with any questions or concerns that may arise. If your child needs an IEP or 504 plan learn what your rights are and what you should expect at these meetings and plans.

These are just some of the questions that are asked by parents.  All answers will be more specific to your child, their needs and your expectations when you get started with therapy.  Hopefully this helps to take the mystery out of OT!

Preparing for Time Away from School

Spring Break is already upon us here in FL; a time when kids are elated to have some time away from school and are looking forward to not waking up early.  For some parents, this is an exciting time for them as well.  This could mean time off from work, a vacation or just some staycation time!  For other parents, this time can seem very daunting; break in routine, proper activity scheduling, etc.  Here are some tips for how to plan for a smoother Spring Break that both parent and child can enjoy!

Prepare to Stay on Routine
For some children, wavering from routine can lead to an all out meltdown or simply off put them for the entirety of the day.  Plan to keep your child on schedule.  Have them wake up at the same time daily, plan their meal times for the same time and include scheduled sensory breaks that they may have at school.  This should be done if at home or on vacation.  If you are somewhere with some strict dining times, such as a cruise ship, plan a small snack for the usual meal time.

Prepare Your Kiddo with a Itinerary 
For children who struggle in new and different situations being armed with the information ahead of time allows them to prepare.  Discuss with them the expectations of them, what they can expect and approximately how long they will be there.  Visual schedules can help remind them with this as well and allow them to feel more in control.

Sleep
Maintaining healthy sleeping habits will be key to helping your child stay in a better place to control their emotions.  Try to avoid skipping nap time at all costs, even if that means a nap in a stroller if they will go for it.  Trust me, you will thank me for this one later!

Have a Plan B
Sometimes no matter how well we think we are prepared things go awry.  Best laid plans, right?  Always have a Plan B in your back pocket.  Raining, too crowded, kiddo just not feeling it today?  If you are prepared for the "what if" it will assist in eliminating stress on you and allow you to help your child navigate through the situation.

I hope that some or all of these tips have helped you.  Enjoy your time and have a wonderful spring break!

Preparing for Handwriting

As our little ones get bigger we begin to get ready for them to be able to write. Wow!  Trust me, we have all been there when we look at their little hands and say "They can't do that!".  But they can and they will!

Developmentally, children should begin learning to write their letters and numbers in PreK.  There is a big misconception that just because they begin to learn to write them that they will be proficient and perfect!  Not the case.  We as parents often begin to feel that if they learned it they should be perfect after a little practice. Reality is they will continue to refine their writing up into second grade.

So what are some things you can be doing at home to get their little hands ready?  Here are some easy to do activities for you and your kiddo!

1. Coloring: Yes, I said coloring.  However, I want you to break the crayons in half.  I will give you a moment to get over the shock.  We historically have reprimanded our kiddos for breaking the crayons right?  Well, not anymore.  So the big question is why.  Here is the reason: smaller crayons promote better grip and help to increase the strength in the tiny muscles in their hands.  Start with large print pictures that allow for greater success and transition to smaller pictures to help with control and precision.

2. I Spy Letter Game: Sometimes the most difficult part of writing is identifying what the letter looks like.  Play the I Spy game and have your little one identify all the letter B's in a location and so on.  This will help with visual recognition.

3. Paint by Number: Using a paint brush will help work towards grip for when they transition to a pencil.  In addition, having them identify the numbers on the picture will assist with number recognition.  Painting in the lines helps them with attention to the starting and stopping of strokes as well as control of the utensil.

Happy Hands Help for Happy Handwriting!