Camp Survival Skills
‘Tis the season for summer camps! For most children it is an exciting and fun filled time as they transition from home to a new environment filled with different adventures. But for a child with...
View ArticleUsing Fidgets for Focus and Attention
Attention! Finding the perfect fidget is not so hard, but understanding how and when to use them is important. Fidgets can be soft, hard, squishy and tactile. They can encourage motor play, motor...
View ArticleCool Pool Fun!
Summer fun for most kids usually includes pool time. Children with special needs may especially benefit for the following reasons: Water provides increased resistance which may help build muscle tone....
View Article5 Summer Blasts for Social Skills
School’s out for summer!….but so is the structured routine that many children with special needs so often need. The daily school tasks also provide the opportunity to practice social skills in...
View Article5 Fun Activities to Soak Up Summer!
Check out these fun ideas to beat the heat AND work on fine motor skills: 1. Squirt Gun Painting. Fill your favorite squirt gun with liquid watercolors, use an easel or secure a piece of watercolor...
View ArticleThe Pokémon GO Craze from a Special Needs Perspective
Just in case you have not heard…the latest mobile craze involves the Pokémon video game originally developed in the late 1990’s by Nintendo. Since its original inception it has grown and morphed into...
View ArticleBack to School Tips for Special Needs
It’s back to school time and that means looking for great supplies that will not only serve your student’s academic needs but their unique special needs and sensory needs as well. From clothes that are...
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Back to School Means Backpack Awareness
School is back in session and the backpacks are in full force! Remember that the 3rd Wednesday in September of each year is designated Backpack Awareness Day so this year it falls on September 21,...
View ArticleAccessibility Considerations for PE
We have already touched on the importance of physical activity in school as part of our Healthy Body Healthy Mind post. All children, including those with special needs benefit from physical activity...
View ArticleInclusion Includes Fairness in Discipline Too!
Did you know that students with disabilities are twice as likely to be suspended as their peers and that they account for over 2/3 of students that are secluded or restrained while at school? These...
View ArticleAddressing Sensory Challenges with Outdoor Play Activities
Remember those days when as a student you heard the bell ring indicating the beginning of recess. If this time gave you great joy, why? Was it just giving your brain a break from desk work? Was it...
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Time Out vs. Time In
Do you have a child that has a meltdown around the same time every day? Having trouble with that student who does not do well with schedule changes? Are you a parent that feels you have to overuse the...
View ArticleIntegrating a Student with Special Needs into the Classroom: 5 Tips for...
At any age, students ask themselves “Am I safe?” or “Are you safe to come close to?” One piece of the puzzle can include sensory processing challenges. Attention, behavior and learning are compromised...
View ArticleWorkouts for Special Needs: Let’s Get Creative!
Mike heads to the gym every morning….in his wheelchair. As he approaches the front door he sees Sam waiting for him, with a smile. They’ve been working out together for the past two years and like...
View ArticleHug a Physical Therapist Today!
If you know a physical therapist, you might want to give them a hug, or say “thank you!” This month is National Physical Therapy Month. “You can do it!” might be something you hear if you are working...
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Get Set and Go! The Importance of Positioning and Mobility
If you take a look at someone walking, what you may not realize is that our ability to move is comprised of two parts: a static phase: stance (the ability to balance and hold a position) and swing...
View ArticleDown Syndrome: Get Up and Move!
You might know them by their big smiles and hugs, or maybe their warm personalities. Most of us know or have met someone with Down Syndrome. It’s hard to forget their genuine love for people. But you...
View ArticlePhysical Needs of Individuals with Spina Bifida
Janie, age 8, uses forearm crutches to get around her school. Though it takes her a bit longer to make it down the hall, in general she can keep up with her friends and loves her school. Alfredo, age...
View ArticleSurviving the Holidays and Children with Sensory Processing Challenges
By: Diana Henry, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA The holiday season is here! Parents and caregivers who have children with sensory processing challenges need to have strategies to provide “sensory safe” environments...
View ArticleHelp for Picky Eaters
As the holiday season approaches we know that all children can get thrown off their regular routine of preferred foods, established mealtimes and rituals. For children with special needs, this time of...
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