Back to school is a time for an array of emotions. From nervousness to excitement, to depths of despair, everybody has feelings surrounding the transition. Below are a few things that can help make the beginning of the school year go smoother while everybody is learning new routines, new information, and learning about new people. No pressure to do all of them! Do what works best for you and your family, knowing that the most important thing you can do is show up with love and support for your child as they embark on a new school year.

1. It is helpful for children to be able to know where they will be spending their time the next several months. If possible, visit the classroom ahead of time, or look at a picture of the classroom with your child to help alleviate some anxiety.
2. Meet the teacher ahead of time. If this isn’t possible, consider having a picture and text/email exchange.
3. Find out exciting/interesting things your child will get to participate in at school. It is a good idea to ask the teacher about 1-2 first day activities. Try to talk about these activities with your child prior to school starting to help build excitement.
4. Recess can be challenging for some kiddos. Going to the school playground can give your child an opportunity to get familiar with the space and get comfortable navigating the equipment.
5. If your child is riding the bus, know the number or picture of the bus and make sure your child knows what it is too. For extra confidence, clip a picture to their backpack, so they can reference it if needed.
6. Will your child go to before or after school care? If so, make sure they know these routines. Consider creating a visual for them. It’s a good idea to meet and talk with this teacher and visit the space as well.
7. It can be helpful to start your child on their school sleep/wake cycle about a week ahead of time.
8. Try to practice the morning routine prior to the first day of school.
9. Consider creating a visual schedule of the day to ease anxiety. If your child is seen by Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist, these professionals are a great resource to support with visuals!
10. If you pack your child’s lunch, try to pack at least 1 or 2 things you know they really like on their first few days. Eating in a cafeteria or even having a snack in a classroom can be overwhelming. If the child is familiar with the texture, shape, color, and size of the food they will be eating, it’s more likely they will eat it and get nutrition in and bellies filled.
11. Set yourself up for success- having premade and/or easy meals ready to go can be helpful in reducing at least one additional demand on you, the caregiver, that week.
12. Count on big emotions and challenging transitions! The transition back to school can be overwhelming for so many of our kiddos. The sensory experience alone, including new sights, sounds, and smells, can really add up! Keep this in mind and try to build in decompression time after school. Have a preferred snack and a downtime activity ready. Keep in mind that your child may not want to talk or do much as they unwind and recharge, especially those first few days.

As your family navigates the exciting, and often challenging, journey back to school, remember that a little preparation can go a long way in easing anxieties and building confidence. By taking the time to address potential worries, foster excitement, and establish clear routines, you’re setting your child — and yourself — up for a smoother transition. Embrace the unique emotions that come with this time of year, and know that with these strategies, you’re well-equipped to make the beginning of the school year a positive experience for everyone.

We’re Here for You This School Year!

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we’re more than just therapists, we’re your partners in helping your child thrive. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, behavior, communication, or school readiness, don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can make this a great school year for your child.

Want to check in before school starts? Contact us to schedule an Occupational or Speech Therapy evaluation today. We also offer free phone screenings to determine if your child could benefit from a full evaluation.

Phone: (407) 322-3962

Email: info@pediatricpotentials.com

This article is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, psychological, or professional advice nor does it establish a therapist-patient relationship. The content provided should not be interpreted as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment, or care.

The post Easing the Transition Back to School appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

The following information was provided by The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation.

Finding and selecting an occupational therapist to help your child, yourself, and/or your family is an important decision. Like all professionals, OTs differ in training, philosophy, and personality. The best choice is an OT who is a good “fit” for your child and yourself – someone you and/or your child likes and with whom you feel connected.

You will also want to look for an OT who follows methods known to be associated with effective treatment. These include:

• Provides direct 1-to-1 treatment in a sensory-rich setting that has unique equipment that provides a wide range of sensory opportunities
• Includes a diagnostic evaluation before you begin treatment and delivers it in easily understandable, written form. (If there are sections with jargon that you don’t understand, ask for an explanation before agreeing to treatment.)
• Makes parent education an integral part of the treatment program, and we don’t mean five minutes at the end of a treatment session! Parents need and deserve much more than that! Several dedicated hours for parent feedback and education should be built into the treatment plan.
• Provides written goals for treatment before you begin treatment to assure that everyone is “on the same page” about priorities
• Documents changes with post-treatment testing so everyone knows how treatment is working. Typically, OTs who provide excellent pre-treatment testing also provide good post-treatment testing.
• Provides intensive treatment (at least twice times a week and preferably three) over a shorter time duration rather than once-a-week treatment. Weekly treatment can produce behavior changes, but research suggests that intensive treatment produces lasting neurological changes as well as changes in behavior.
• Uses play and success to produce change and foster self-esteem. In good, sensory-based OT, children think they are playing. If a child is crying during treatment sessions, the OT may not be skilled in providing challenge with success, which is a keystone to treatment effectiveness.
• Uses purposeful sensory stimulation to work on “occupations” such as eating, dressing, playing with others, social participation, self-regulation, and self-esteem.
• Asks questions that will lead to effective understanding of you, your child, and your family. Don’t be afraid to ask questions yourself either! If you don’t understand what your OT is doing, it is crucial to confirm that his or her methods and activities are grounded in sound therapeutic concepts and part of a well-defined strategy. If the therapist cannot clearly answer your questions, it may be a red flag that he or she lacks the training or understanding to provide effective intervention.
• Listens to you, believes you, and fully believes in the potential of your child to change. The outcomes of OT are functional changes – differences that you, your child’s teacher, and others can see. If you can’t tell if your child is improving, he or she is not improving enough!

For over 20 years, parents have answered a resounding “yes” about the exceptional specialized therapists at Pediatric Potentials, Inc.

The post Choosing an Occupational Therapist for Your Child appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

When parents of children with learning and behavioral difficulties are asked if their kids experience problems with sensory processing, chances are many of them will answer “yes”! Many children have difficulty regulating sensory input, which can be anywhere from mild to severe in nature.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), also called Sensory Integration Dysfunction, is a condition that affects how your brain processes sensory information. Sensory information enters your body through what you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch, and how you respond to movement and pressure sensations in your body. SPD can affect all of your senses, or just one or two. Having sensory processing disorder usually means you’re more or less sensitive to sensory responses than others. Difficulty with processing sensations correctly can result in overly hyper or shy behaviors. These children are often bright and capable, but have a hard time getting through the day.

Signs of Sensory Processing Disorder:

SPD can affect one sense or multiple senses. Children who have SPD may overreact to the feeling of clothes, touch, sounds and food textures. They may also underreact to sensory input. This causes them to crave more intense thrill-seeking stimuli. Some examples include jumping off tall things, spinning excessively, or swinging too high on the playground. Children with SPD often have a combination of oversensitive and under-sensitive responses.

Signs of sensory processing- hyper sensitive (over sensitive):

• Clothing feels too scratchy or itchy.
• Lights are too bright.
• Sounds are too loud.
• Soft touch feels adverse.
• Food textures make them gag.
• More clingy than others/overwhelmed.
• Afraid of swings.
• Intense emotional outbursts.
• Bothered by sounds others don’t hear.
• Avoids hugs and cuddling on most occasions.

Signs of sensory processing- hypo sensitive (under-sensitive or sensory-seeking):

• Can’t sit still, constantly touching or “on the go”.
• Seek thrills (jumping, rough play, heights, and spinning).
• Can spin without getting dizzy.
• Not attentive to social cues.
• Not aware or respectful of others’ personal space.
• Chews, licks or mouths things.
• Difficulty settling to fall asleep no matter how early you start.
• Messy face, hair or twisted clothes.
• Clumsy, uncoordinated, falls out of chairs.
• Very high pain tolerance.

The Impact of Sensory Processing Difficulties

Sensory processing difficulties lead to stress responses in the child. When sensory systems do not provide accurate information to the body, it can result in other responses. It can affect a child’s motor skills, attention, coordination, language skills, and independence. Your child may have trouble performing well in school and keeping up with peers. These symptoms left untreated often result in low self-esteem in school-age children. Anxiety and depression can also result. With understanding, support and the right activities, your child can mature his or her nervous system to no longer have to struggle with sensory processing disorder.

How to get help for Sensory Processing Disorder

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to regulate all of the senses. Sensory Integration, developed by Dr. Jean Ayers, involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and lots of physical activity) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, greater coordination, and even lowered anxiety and a balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

The post Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): Signs and Symptoms appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

Halloween is a very sensory-rich holiday for children in general, and sensory-sensitive children are going to be more sensitive than others during the many festivities of this holiday. With thoughtful planning and preparing your child in advance, they should be able to enjoy the parts of this holiday that they are interested in. Here are some suggestions to help get you organized for Halloween fun.

1. Talk about what happens when you carve pumpkins, visit a pumpkin patch, dress up in costumes, have holiday parties and trick-or-treat in advance so they are not surprised or disappointed in the moment.
2. Make a social story book that your child can relate to, if running through the process of trick-or-treating is beneficial. Find children’s books on trick-or-treating and read them with your child. Pre-read each book, to know if it will be at your child’s level and appropriate for what you are trying to teach.
3. Look for costume ideas that are soft, comfortable, do not have a lot of attachments, do not feel bulky when wearing, or make your child feel too hot or cold. These factors can easily set off a tantrum or a meltdown, and some children will completely opt out of trick-or-treating last minute when everyone’s ready to walk to the neighbor’s house. This causes bigger family stress and disappointment than needed.
4. Have a backup plan for a costume if the one they want causes a problem. I love the idea of themed pajamas for children to wear, for example, your child can wear skeleton pajamas or superhero onesie zip-up pajamas as their costume. They may prefer a mask drawn on their face instead of a real mask on their face annoying them throughout the night, or vice versa.
5. Plan to separate from other siblings or friends in a group if your child is overstimulated, or over tired, to prevent a meltdown. This will require a minimum of 2 adults in the group to start, so you can divide and conquer when needed. Don’t wait until the meltdown happens to call it an evening either. These plans should be worked out between parents in advance too, so there are no surprises or arguing along the way.
6. Bring a light-weight backpack to dump candy into so your child’s basket doesn’t get heavy or spilled between homes, to prevent frustration. You can transfer most of the candy to your backpack after every few houses if needed to minimize your child having a problem and getting upset.
7. Make sure to feed your child healthy food before heading out for trick-or-treating. This will help maximize their mood and tolerance for all the sensory experiences coming their way.
8. Do not push your child to approach a house or scary area for fun. If they don’t think it’s going to be fun, make them feel secure. You can hold them or just hold hands and encourage them to watch from a distance so they can learn what happens when the other children approach scary houses.
9. Plan how many houses you are going to go to in advance and talk to your child to prep them for the expectations. If you start out early, at dusk, it will be less overwhelming and scary, and your child may want to just go to a few homes and be done. Make sure you are okay with that in advance, as you may want to do a lot more personally, but they are just not ready yet.
10. Do physically regulating activities prescribed from your OT before getting ready and before leaving the house for trick-or-treating, so they are best prepared for the excitement and having to wait, or stay with a group vs running freely from door to door.
11. Limit the sugar they eat throughout the day, to prevent sugar overload behaviors throughout the day and evening.
12. Try to keep to a similar bed time routine that night, so your child can feel like the holiday has come to an end, and the excitement doesn’t carry over into not sleeping well.
13. Determine how much candy is appropriate to keep in your home after trick-or-treating and come up with a plan in advance to tell your child, so they know what will happen with all the candy. Some of my favorite suggestions are to buy the candy off your child, and then let them use their money to buy what they really want (i.e.- a toy) or donate the candy locally to be sent to our troops. You can look up online where to donate candy. There’s usually a dentist in town also willing to take your candy off your hands too!

Sensory therapy, sensory diet activities, and setting the expectations in advance for all, are the best ways to help your child in general, to have the most fun trick-or-treating experience that they can handle this year. Most sensory-sensitive children learn the process and mature over time, so it will get better each year. Don’t feel discouraged, just plan for simple strategies in the meantime so this holiday can be enjoyable for you too! Sometimes less is more. Happy Halloween!

How to get help for Sensory Processing Disorder:

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to regulate all of the senses. Sensory Integration involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and lots of physical activity) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, greater coordination, and even lowered anxiety and a balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner. Kelli also has presented on various topics at conferences, public and private schools and physician practices.

The post 13 Sensory-Friendly Tricks and Treats for Halloween appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

It can be extremely difficult and frustrating for parents and caregivers when children are having difficulty with negative behaviors. Let’s say that you receive a call from your child’s school reporting that they often seem distracted and don’t pay attention in class, bump into kids in the lunch line, can’t hold a pencil correctly, become upset when asked to switch from one activity to another, or melt down during circle time. Although these seem like behaviors that are caused by the child seeking attention or not getting their way, sometimes it can root from difficulty with sensory input. It is important for parents to work with a pediatric occupational therapist to determine the root of the problem. Sensory integration therapy or a sensory diet may be the key to diminishing these behaviors. Sometimes simple routine changes can allow the child to regulate themselves and feel calmer, safer and more in control of themselves throughout the day. It is important to have an occupational therapist on your team to help make appropriate recommendations.

Sensory Integration

Sensory Integration, also sometimes called Sensory Processing, refers to how your body recognizes, processes, and responds to information received by our sensory systems on an individual and combined level. This includes our traditional 5 senses of sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing; however, we also have proprioceptive (the awareness of our muscles and joints and body in space), vestibular sensory systems (the awareness of our body position as we move through space) and interoception (our awareness of deep body sensations such as hunger and the need to use the restroom). Occupational therapists use sensory integration therapy by exposing a child to sensory stimulation in a structured and organized way. The goal of sensory integration therapy is to mature the child’s brain and nervous system to process sensory information more efficiently. The OT may use a sensory gym to engage the child in these repetitive and stimulating/calming activities.

Sensory Integration Strategies

• Messy play – mud, dirt, water, food play, finger paints, shaving cream, bath bubbles, etc.
• Noise cancelling headphones or ear plugs
• Window shades or adjustable lights
• Include your child in the meal preparation process – encourage them to help with their hands or by using cooking utensils to interact with the many food textures and smells.
• Food play – Encourage your child to interact with new foods in the most basic manner; the SOS Feeding Approach, used commonly by Occupational Therapists, encourages the following progression with new foods: See –> Touch –> Kiss –> Lick –> Taste –> Chew & Swallow. It is important to allow your child to move at their own pace and allow them to clean off their hands or spit out food at any point along the continuum.
• Sensory toys – check out Ark Therapeutic, a leading manufacturer of innovative therapy tools and special needs products! They have great sensory toys, chews and fidgets that can help your child deal with sensory overload.
• Finger painting – also try bathtub paint or shaving cream/foam soap play to reduce the mess and give your child control over cleaning off his/her hands.
• Listening to music
• Having a clear visual schedule posted with plenty of preparation for transitions.
• Providing sensory breaks such as walking in circles, jumping on a mini-trampoline, completing animal walks around the house or chewing on chewy foods/water bottle tops.
• For the child who needs to move a bit, you might try an inflated seated cushion or a pillow to sit on so they can both wiggle and stay in their seat at the same time.

How to get help:

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to regulate all of the senses. Sensory Integration involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and lots of physical activity) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, greater coordination, and even lowered anxiety and a balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory integration therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner. Kelli also has presented on various topics at conferences, public and private schools and physician practices.

The post How Sensory Processing Difficulties Affect Behavior appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

This updated Sensory Pyramid was developed by Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Sensory Expert Kelli Arnone. Her modern-day Sensory Pyramid is an easy-to-understand illustration that depicts a general idea of a child’s foundational skills, and what other skills build upon those.

Think about it: You can’t place stones on the top until the foundation stones are in place. Every block relies on the ones underneath to be strong and stable. This sensory pyramid explains why the sensory systems are so incredibly important to support academic learning. In other words, kids NEED routine sensory input for their bodies and their brain! Our central nervous system processes and organizes the sensory information we put into it each day. Adequate sensorimotor development for things like motor planning, postural security and body awareness are built on adequate modulation (sensory regulation) and processing of sensory information that we take in every day! Sensory input can be anything such as, smells, tastes, sounds, movements, pressure, and textures. Some children need a lot more or a lot less of these sensations to function optimally and to feel good throughout each day.

When a child is referred to occupational therapy, it is usually for things like attention to task, handwriting difficulties, picky eating, self-care tasks, tolerating routine changes, or school related performance. These functional difficulties are in the “Cognition and Intellect” categories which are integrated at the top of the learning pyramid. The role of an occupational therapist is to determine underlying causes of these issues and utilize specific interventions to address them. Often times, it is hard for parents to fully understand why their child is not performing at the level at which they would like them to be. Some parents may see their child become frustrated when they are trying their best to be compliant, listen and learn, but their sensory processing abilities are hindering them. These frustrations root from the child working throughout the day just to do the simple things, the things that should be automatic and effortless for their bodies. This may include things like listening to the teacher, keeping their balance on the stairs, standing close to their friends in line, trying a new snack, or engaging in messy play. It all begins at the bottom of the pyramid!

Understanding Our Sensory Systems

• Proprioception is our ability to sense the location, positioning, and movements of our body and its limbs. It allows us to navigate a crowded area without bumping into people and objects in our path.
• Vestibular sensation is housed in our inner ears and uses gravity to sense spatial orientation and movement. This system is responsible for maintaining balance, posture, attention and coordination during movement. This system has to work efficiently for children to function throughout the day.
• Tactile sensation comes from receptors in our skin found all over the body. Tactile sensation includes sensations of pain, temperature, pressure, and textures. Some children need a lot more touch stimulation to have good body awareness, control and motor skills. Other children need help balancing this system to not be over-reactive, which causes challenges with self-care skills, engaging with peers and focusing / feeling calmer when their nervous system is on high alert.
• Gustatory includes specific tastes (spicy, sweet, minty, bitter) and specific textures (crunchy, chewy, mushy). Taste also involves knowing the difference between food items and non-food items. Children need this system to work well in order to eat and manage a variety of foods.
• Olfactory or smells involve the ability to distinguish, detect and tolerate certain scents. This system is needed for safety in our environment.
• Visual includes noticing and tolerating visual patterns, colors, shapes, bright and dimmed lights and moving objects. This system may need help calming down or waking up for good focus and eye-hand coordination skills.
• Auditory involves the ability to distinguish and tolerate loud sounds (fire alarms, sirens or loud music) and soft sounds (finger snapping, repetitive tapping, hearing others breathing). This system may also need help to calm down or wake up, so a child can attend and follow directions without additional difficulty or support.

How can Pediatric Potentials, Inc. help?

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., we specialize in Sensory Integration, Sensory Processing Therapy and play-based treatment interventions that are specifically designed to stimulate and challenge all of the senses. Sensory Integration involves specific sensory activities (swinging, bouncing, brushing, and more) that are intended to help your child regulate his or her response to incoming sensory input. The outcome of these activities may be better focus and attention, improved behavior, and even lowered anxiety and balanced activity level.

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how sensory processing therapy and occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner.

The post The Sensory Pyramid appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

Occupational Therapy is a skilled health care profession hat focuses on maximizing each person’s skills, abilities and independence for their age and life stage. Pediatric Occupational Therapy is geared toward helping children achieve/master skills equal to their age and ability level. This type of children’s therapy is fun and developmentally appropriate and rewarding to the child’s self-esteem.

How Can Occupational Therapy Benefit Children? 

Pediatric Occupational therapy can benefit children of all ages with a variety of needs and diagnoses including:

• Autism Spectrum Disorders / Asperger’s Syndrome
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD & ADHD)
• Sensory Processing Disorder
• Sensory Integration Disorder
• Learning Disability
• Developmental Delay
• Attachment Disorders
• Downs Syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy
• Feeding Disorders
• Neuromuscular Disorders
• Behavioral and Emotional Disorders
• Orthopedic Impairments

At Pediatric Potentials, Inc., our occupational therapists provide screenings, assessments, consultations, and treatment for those concerned about: 

• Sensory Processing / Self-regulation abilities
• Visual processing and perception
• Gross and fine motor skills
• Self-care tasks
• Social skills
• Self-feeding tasks

How can Pediatric Potentials, Inc. help?

Our pediatric occupational therapists will complete an initial evaluation to become familiar with your child’s strengths, weaknesses, daily routine and the family’s overall concerns and goals. Following the evaluation, they will create an individualized treatment plan and goals to address any concerns that require therapeutic treatment sessions. We take pride in making therapy enjoyable and fun for your child, so that they can be motivated to live their life to their greatest potential.

We use evidence-based treatment approaches including:

• Sensory Integration Treatments
• Positive Behavioral Interventions
• Therapeutic Listening®
• Handwriting Without Tears®
• Beckman Oral Motor Approach®
• Astronaut Training
• Neurofeedback Training
• School-Related Skills
• Gross and Fine Motor Development
• Early Intervention Services
• Feeding and Oral Motor Development
• Balance and Coordination Skills
• Age-Appropriate Daily Living Skills / Self-Help Skills
• Handwriting Skills
• Articulation and Language Development

If you have questions regarding your child’s development or want to learn more about how pediatric occupational therapy can help, call our office today at 407-322-3962. We provide services in Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland, Winter Park, Winter Springs, Orlando and throughout Central Florida. Pediatric Potentials, Inc. also works with children within their daycare and school settings.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner.

The post What Is Pediatric Occupational Therapy? appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.

To support this transitional time and help makes things easier on the family, here are some fun sensory tips and ideas for back-to-school time.

1. Visual Schedules

Try to incorporate structure and routine into daily life as much as possible. Having a solid routine supports a child’s ability to anticipate what is to come, assisting in task-follow through and completion. A visual schedule is easy to create and helps a child understand what the plans and expectations are for each day. Your child may enjoy helping to make the schedule each day, as it can help him/her feel a sense of control.

2. Provide the Right Types of Sensory Input

Most children benefit from movement and muscle work activities, which support an organized and regulated state of arousal. This leads to increased times of focus, attention and emotional regulation to help meet environmental, social and academic demands throughout the school day.

Have your child complete simple sensory tasks before the school day begins, such as jumping, spinning, dancing or completing animal walks around the house such as crab or bear walks or have a fidget or soft toy to hold onto while in the car.

Talk to your child’s teacher and/or therapist about incorporating sensory alerting or calming breaks into the classroom schedule to support a calm and focused state for your child. An occupational therapist can suggest additional sensory ideas for the home setting with a specific program tailored to your child.

3. Add Deep Pressure During the Day

For calming input throughout the school day, pack your child’s backpack with a weighted stuffed animal or several of their favorite (heavy) books. This added deep-pressure input can support calming and help keep them more regulated, especially during transition times throughout the day. A water bottle with a resistive suck or chewable top is also helpful for sensory regulation and is appropriate for all ages.

4. Stay Focused on Homework

To support timely homework completion, reward small work intervals with praise and follow up with an immediate incentive when all work is completed. Make sure all instructions are very specific to reduce frustration and misunderstandings.

5. Transition to Bedtime

End your child’s day with calming techniques to lower their overall energy level, leading to a good night’s sleep for the next school day.  Active children often need intense, repetitive physical activity before bed to satisfy their need for movement. Some children may surprisingly benefit from this type of activity before settling down for sleep. Deep pressure, massages over the arms and legs, the use of weighted blankets, a spandex sheet over the mattress, slow rocking and decreased auditory input can help settle a child better for sleep.

Author/Information provided by: Kelli Arnone MOT, OTR/L, SIPT

Kelli Arnone is the Co-owner and Director of Pediatric Potentials, Inc. a private sensory processing therapy clinic in Lake Mary, Florida. Kelli has over 25 years of experience working with children with sensory integration challenges as well as other developmental delays. She has worked in numerous hospitals, schools, community programs and private practices. She is trained and certified to administer the Sensory Integration Praxis Test (SIPT) and is also trained and certified in Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, The Wilbarger Deep Pressure Protocol and is an Advanced Trained Neurofeedback Practitioner.

The post 5 Back To School Sensory Strategies appeared first on Sensory Processing Therapy Specialists.