Recent research was conducted to determine the effects of exercise programs in improving the balance skills of children with intellectual disabilities. Deficits in balance abilities can results in an increased risk for falls. A meta-analysis from 10 studies was completed to investigate the most effective programs on balance ability in children with intellectual disabilities. Results […]
Recent research was published in Brain Sciences about body representation in children with cerebral palsy. The researchers explored Body Semantics, Body Structural Representation and Body Schema 33 children with cerebral palsy compared to 103 typically developing children. What is Body Representation? In this study the researchers defined body representation as three parts: Body Schema – […]
Calendar skills are an important skill that young children learn in the classroom. It helps them to learn about the days of the weeks, months, numbers, counting, grouping, and so much more! Sometimes though it can be hard since children have varying levels of abilities. Perhaps some can write the numbers with ease and others […]
Yeah! FREE back to school printables and forms for school-based therapists and teachers! Yes folks, the time has officially come for back to school again! It is always helpful to be prepared and stay ahead of the curve. In reality though, being organized and prepared are not some of my strengths. Being creative and […]
It is truly amazing how the brain works. More and more research continues to be published regarding how various skills develop. Previous research has indicated that handwriting automaticity is related to the development of effective writing skills. Recent research published in Reading and Writing, explored how handwriting predicts writing and reading skills. Does Handwriting Predict […]
Often times as therapists, teachers, and parents it has been past practice to discourage children from w-sitting. We often recommended alternative sitting positions other than w-sitting. The negative effects that we often describe do not have research to support it. Examples of these negative effects that are not evidence based are the following: hip muscle […]
As pediatric therapists, we constantly utilize motor learning strategies to help children acquire new motor skills. One motor learning strategy that has been heavily researched is Singer’s Five-Step Approach. Motor Learning Strategies: The Five Step Approach This approach to learning a new motor task consists of the following five steps: Readying The learner adopts a […]
There are many different sensory calming activities that children can do to help themselves self-regulate. Each child (and adult) has unique sensory preferences that can help them return their mind and body to a regulated, calm state. You can download a FREE 2 page Calm-O-Meter packet too! Look for the green box. 10 Suggestions for […]
Here is a cute, easy letter A maze for children for a quick, fun activity. You can download it for free at the bottom of the post. It is from the complete Printable Easy Mazes – Letters Aa to Zz. How to Complete the Letter A Maze The great thing about free printables is that […]
As our schools become more and more technology based with 1:1 devices, keyboarding has become an even more important skill for ALL students to master and this skill is sometimes addressed in occupational therapy. When students struggle with handwriting such as decreased legibility or slow writing speed, Occupational Therapists may recommend using computers and keyboarding. […]