Posts by kwood@abcpediatrictherapy.com

    Sensory Integration is our ability to take in information from our senses and organize it so we can function in our world. Sensory Integration Skills develop throughout our growing years and involve our ability to touch, taste, smell, feel movement, hear, and have an awareness of our body. Proper development of sensory integration…

Gross Motor Skills are the large movement skills our body develops throughout our growing years. These include rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, jumping, riding bikes, and climbing. Proper development of gross motor skills requires strength, balance, postural control, and coordination. It also requires appropriate function of our joints and muscles. Humans were meant to be upright!…

Fine Motor Skills are the small movement skills of our hands, fingers, and wrists that develop throughout our growing years.   These include writing, cutting, keyboarding, eating, holding small items, buttoning, and turning pages.   Proper development of fine motor skills requires strength, postural control, and coordination.  It also requires appropriate function of our eyes.    Fine…

Raising a confident child is the goal of every parent.  Confidence often trumps intelligence as being sure of yourself can take your far in life and mask what is lacking in intellect. Instilling confidence starts at an early age. When your child is an infant, allow multiple people to hold and talk to your baby. …

Infant Developmental Tips: *Limit the use of positioning devices such as swings and bouncers.  Too much time in these devices can lead to a mishappen head and delays in development.  Place your infant on their tummy to play several times throughout the day.   Avoid the use of walkers, the rock and play Sleeper and Bumbo Seat…

The best way to encourage communication in your 12 – 18 month old is to talk to him/her all the time. Use your child’s name often so they learn to recognize who they are.     Ask yes / no questions so your child can begin to discriminate between yes and no and better understand when they…

Eating and drinking between the ages of 2 and 3 can be tricky.  Your child is looking for ways to exert their independence and food can often be a way to do that.  Some ideas that might help minimize this power struggle might be helpful. Allow your child to help you make the grocery list or…

What are the eating and drinking skills of your 2 year old? Review the list below and see if you need to provide more or different food opportunities to your child. By 24 months (2 years), your child will: ·       Swallow well from a cup with good lip closure around cup and no loss of…