Raising children is hard. Period. End of story. Raising a child with a medical condition is really hard, but not the end of the story. Many parents go to sleep at night and wake up each morning wondering just how we can take our precious babies from childhood, into an adulthood where they might not […]
Category: Therapy Vault
Does my child need Occupational Therapy?
At every age of childhood, there are a certain set of milestones that medical professionals look for to see if your child is developing in a typical pattern. (You can visit our last blog about development here). It is fairly common for children with NF1 to demonstrate signs of developmental delay. But have no fear! […]
New Parent Guide to Childhood Development
Whether you grew up around children or never held a baby in your life, becoming a new parent can be overwhelming. In the blink of an eye your entire life has changed, and you now need to figure out how to care for this little, tiny human. Then, just when you think you might be […]
Nurturing Health and Happiness: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Maintaining Routines and Schedules During the Winter Months
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – right? Or does it feel like the most chaotic couple of months out of your year? As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy for routines to take a backseat to festivities. While it’s important to celebrate and enjoy this special time of year, maintaining a structured […]
Bike Safety
Many families are enjoying the benefits of outdoor activities, including walking, running, biking, and using scooters and hoverboards. All of these activities provide extensive physical and mental health benefits. However, we want to take a moment to discuss safety. As always, follow your local state/county social distancing guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]
Tantrums vs. Sensory Meltdowns
Tantrums and sensory meltdowns may sound similar, but they are vastly different. Knowing the difference between the two can help you decide how to intervene when your child is having an emotional behavior/outburst.
Putting it All Together
Motor coordination is the ability of a person to move multiple parts of their body or their entire body together through their environment.
“Touching” on another Sensory System
One of the most common tactile challenges for children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), is known as tactile defensiveness.
Winter Wonderland at Home
10 fun activities to do with your children while at home over winter break.
Thanksgiving for Picky Eaters
For many people, Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together, focus on what they are thankful for, and eat some amazing food. However, for children with food aversions, Thanksgiving dinner can be challenging.
Vestibular: “The Seventh Sense”
The vestibular system has an important role in the development of postural control, muscle tone, bilateral coordination, and stabilizing an object in your visual field while you are moving. Additionally, when this sense is not regulated, difficulties with attention, behavior, and communication can occur.
The “Sixth” Sense
Sensory processing is our ability to organize and interpret sensory information we receive from the environment. Most people are aware of the five sensory systems – gustatory (taste), auditory (hearing), visual (sight), tactile (touch), and olfactory (smell). However, there are three additional systems that are equally important. These three include proprioception (body position in space), vestibular (balance), and interoception (perception of sensations from within the body).
Does Your Child Struggle in School?
What if there was a way to help your children overcome those academic difficulties? Actually, THERE IS! The Federal government has mandated public school systems have a program in place to assist children with academic challenges. This program, known as the Individualized Education Program (IEP), stems from the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
Let Us Eat
Mealtimes in any household with children can be challenging. Trying to get the right food on the table, at the right time, while balancing tired and hungry kiddos can turn into total chaos very quickly. Factor in a child who is picky about what or how they eat and all bets are off. Get whatever […]
Meet Madeline Scherr
Maddy is a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) who received her Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University in 2020. She brings a wealth of experience in outpatient occupational therapy and the care of children with autism, attention deficits, and childhood developmental delays. Maddy joined us in March 2022 as our new Washington University […]
Feet are Neat!
Feet are incredibly important – they are literally the foundation for everything we do. And of course, no one is perfect, so many of our feet require a little help to be the foundations we need in order for us to function at our best.
Sensing Your Senses
If we can identify our children’s sensory needs, we may be able to help them have better days, better sleep, and even better behavior.