As Halloween approaches, here is a fun activity to try at home with your kiddo. One of our amazing early interventionist, Jagruti, created a fun and simple arts and crafts activity using things you might already have at home! This activity can be repurposed and reused for any occasion, not just Halloween. Create any silly face to keep this activity fun all year round!
Download our activity packet here:
Happy Fall! Check out this month’s family newsletter to see what’s happening this Fall at Teamwork Therapies!
Something new we’re doing to kick off Fall is Themed weeks. You and your kiddo are welcome to join our staff in dressing to theme for the whole month of October!
Mouthing, chewing, and sucking on non-edible objects can become a concerning behavior. Understanding the underlying needs of children who mouth can be the very first step to addressing this with our kiddos.
There are many reasons why children engage in mouthing behaviors. Here are some of the most common reasons:
There are many strategies and tools we can employ to help our child have their needs met in a safe way. Take a look at some simple and effective ways to manage mouthing.
For the full PDF Handout: Managing Mouthing
Our September 2022 Parent Newsletter is out now! To download your full copy, click on the link below:
Here are 5 strategies to try at home today to encourage language development. For more strategies or questions, reach out to your therapist today!
Occupational therapy (OT) treatment focuses on helping people with a physical, sensory, or cognitive disability be as independent as possible in all areas of their lives. OT can help kids with various needs improve their cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
Some people may think that occupational therapy is only for adults; kids, after all, do not have occupations. But a child’s main job is playing and learning, and occupational therapists can evaluate kids’ skills for playing, school performance, and daily activities and compare them with what is developmentally appropriate for that age group.
According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), in addition to dealing with an someone’s physical well-being, OT practitioners address psychological, social, and environmental factors that can affect functioning in different ways. This approach makes OT a vital part of health care for some kids.
Technology has transformed the way both adults and children live. Screens have dramatically changed the world of children’s play. Nowadays, little ones spend more time watching television than playing outdoors. Children’s interaction with technology includes large variations such as watching television, playing digital games, using video chats or apps to communicate, or using digital tools to create content, etc. The question for us, as parents, educators, and pediatric professionals is what, how much, and at what pace should we introduce children to the various faces of electronic media.
How to find out what is developmentally appropriate for your little ones when it comes to technology?
Determining when and how to use various technology-based on Three C’S
David Elkind, author of “the power of play” explains media content as hot and cold depending upon the level of participation it can allow. For example- The sketch invites more participation than does a photograph. Now let’s consider several factors that make any content whether a computer game, TV program hot or cool. Additionally while considering what content is hot or cool for a specific child, every child would have varying responses and individual differences in their preference for hot and cool media.
Hot content |
Cool content |
· Less participation, decreased active learning opportunity · Stimulating, visually arresting, fast paced · Violent and entertaining TV shows · For e.g., For infants and young toddlers, TV shows utilizing attention getting strategies such as bright colors, high pitch sounds and liberal use of repetitive large movements. Infants would prefer to watch such hot media but more likely to be entertained than to engage in active learning |
· More participation, increased learning opportunity · Quiet, slow paced, visually interesting · Educational TV shows · For e.g., For infants and young toddler’s TV shows with less intrusive visuals, soothing music, scan be used by parents and caregivers during their normal routine activities like diaper change, getting dressed etc. |
The most imperative factor to be considered while understanding the importance of technology usage with young children is, the context in which the technology is used. It should help in increasing learning opportunities in children.
Passive and Active use of technology
Passive use of technology– It occurs when children are consuming content, such as watching a program on television, playing a game on a computer, without any active participation, accompanying reflection, imagination.
Active use of technology– It occurs when children use technologies such as computers, devices, and apps to engage in meaningful learning and active engagement. Examples include sharing their experiences by documenting them with photos and stories, recording their own music, using video chatting software to communicate with loved ones, or using an app to guide playing a physical game. These types of uses are capable of deeply engaging the child, especially when an adult supports them.
Examples of active use of technology
Families can promote the exchange of ideas and expand the child’s imagination by viewing various programs with young children and maximizing their learning opportunities. Most research on children’s media usage shows that children learn more from content when parents or early educators watch and interact with children, encouraging them to make real world connections to what they are viewing both while they are viewing and afterward.
Amid a global pandemic, the use of video-chat interactions has helped to promote relationships. Schools are virtual which gives an opportunity for children to connect and build positive peer relationship via video chats as well as with educators. While video chatting can be done at any age (as interactions tend to be brief and guided by an adult), new evidence shows that infants and toddlers can attend to and engage in joint attention during video-chat interactions but do so more effectively after approximately 16 months of age and with parental support.
Every child is unique and so would be their choices. Considering the fact that nothing can replace the face to face interactions and the benefits of natural play for children, there are specific recommendations put forward by American Pediatric Association for various age ranges from 0-8 years with regards to technology usage in children.
Under the age of 2 |
The American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) has advised parents against television by children under two years of age. It can be used as a platform to support relationships such as video chatting with family members as a form of social interaction. Parents who are interested in using media with their children can start around 18 months with high-quality content but should always co-view content and use technology with their children. |
Ages 2-5 |
New recommendations in the American Association of Pediatrics AAP’s 2016 Media and Young Minds Brief suggest that one hour of technology use is appropriate per day, inclusive of time spent at home and in early learning settings and across devices |
Ages 6-8 |
Technology should be used as a tool for children at this age to explore and become active creators of content. If they are using virtual learning at school and have more than one teacher, those teachers should be aware of how much screen time is being used across subject areas and at home. Students should learn to use technology as an integrated part of a diverse curriculum. At home, parents should set limits they feel are appropriate for their children, understanding the differences between passive and active technology use as well as the benefits of using technology with an adult versus solo use. Parents should also be aware of how much technology is being used in the classroom, what is needed for homework, and how this fit into an overall picture of technology use for their child throughout the day. The AAP has created an interactive Family Media Plan Tool on HealthyChildren.org to help parents be thoughtful about media exposure for their children.
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Parents are the initial evaluators to spot signs and symptoms of DCD in their child before anyone else. When they notice their little one is struggling, having challenges or lacking behind other children in movement skills, such as sitting up or learning to walk. However, sometimes signs and symptoms of DCD are not caught until a child starts school. Teachers may see that the child cannot play at recess or in physical education classes in the same way that other children do. They also may observe that it takes the child longer to complete schoolwork. Children with DCD show a lack of interest in playing with other children.
Children with DCD may have difficulty when they try to:
Preschool Has trouble throwing a ball Plays too roughly or often bump into other kids by accident Has difficulty sitting upright or still Grade K-2 Has trouble holding and using a crayon, a pencil, or scissors Doesn’t form or space letters correctly Struggles with going up and downstairs Frequently bumps into people by accident Has trouble with self-care, like brushing teeth Grade 3-7 Takes a long time to write Has trouble cutting foods Has difficulty with basic routines like getting dressed Struggles to line up columns when doing math problems
Historically, parents have been told not to worry about their child’s clumsiness because the child will outgrow the problem. However, current researchers in the area of DCD report that the children do not outgrow clumsiness and that, without intervention, they will not improve. A key treatment for DCD is occupational therapy (OT). There are many examples of how occupational therapists can work on challenging motor tasks. They might have kids trace letters on sandpaper to build handwriting skills, for example. Or use a lacing board with different colored laces to practice shoe tying. Kids with DCD may also work with physical therapists on balance and muscle tone. Occupational therapy and Physical Therapy assist with helping the child with DCD develop movement strategies that increase coordination, motor planning, balance, strength and body awareness resulting in a decrease in overall clumsiness and increased ability to perform functional activities at home, school and in the community. Speech and language therapy may also be required to help the child with the oral motor skills required for swallowing, chewing and speech.
References
Harrowell, I., Hollén, L., Lingam, R., & Emond, A. (2018). The impact of developmental coordination disorder on educational achievement in secondary school. Research in developmental disabilities, 72, 13-22.
Kirby, A., & Sugden, D. A. (2007). Children with developmental coordination disorders. Journal of the royal society of medicine, 100(4), 182-186.
https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/child-learning-disabilities/dyspraxia/understanding-developmental-coordination-disorder-dcd
When one sound is substituted by another sound in a systematic fashion
| Phonological Process | Definition | Age | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affrication | Fricatives are replaced by affricates | 3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[dɔr] -> [jɔr] |
| Alveolarization | Non alveolar sound is replaced with an alveolar sound | 5;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[ʃu] -> [tu] |
| Backing | Sounds are substituted or replaced by segments produced posterior to , or further back in, the oral cavity than the standard production | No information available | [sɪp] ->[ʃɪp] |
| Deaffrication | Affricates are realized as fricatives | 4;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[tʃɪp] -> [ʃɪp] |
| Depalatization | Palatal sounds are realized as sounds produced further forward in the oral cavity | 5;0 | [fɪʃ] -> [fɪt] |
| Fronting | Velars are realized as sounds produced further forward in the oral cavity | 3;6 (Bowen,1998) |
[go] -> [do] |
| Gliding of liquids | Liquids /l,r/ are replaced by a glide /w,j/ or another liquid | 5;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[lif] -> [wif] |
| Labialization | Nonlabial sound is replaced with a labial sound | 6;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[taɪ] -> [paɪ] |
| Stopping | Fricatives and/or affricates are realized as stops | 5;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[piʧ] -> [pit] |
| Vocalization | Liquids or nasals are replaced by vowels | /f/&/s/ =3;0 /v/ & /z/ =3;6 /ʃ/,/tʃ/,/j/=4;6 (Bowen,1998) |
[teɪbəl] -> [tebo] |
| Denasalization | Nasals are replaced by homorganic stops | 2;6 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[naɪs] -> [daɪs] |
| Glottal replacement | Glottal stops replace sounds usually in either intervocalic or final position | No information available | Tooth-> |
| Prevocalic voicing | Voiceless consonants in the prevocalic position are voiced | 3;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[teɪbəl] -> [debi] |
| Devoicing of final consonants | Voiced obstruents are devoiced in final position | 3;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[dɔg] -> [dɔk] |
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When one sound in the word becomes similar to another sound in the word
| Phonological Process | Definition | Age | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assimilation (consonant harmony) | One sound is replaced by another that is the same or similar to another sound within the word | 3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[dɔg] ->[dɔd] |
| Velar Assimilation | A nonvelar sound is assimilated to a velar sound because of the influence, or dominance, of a velar |
3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[dʌk] -> [gʌk] |
| Nasal Assimilation | A non-nasal sound is assimilated and replaced by a nasal because of the influence, or dominance, of a nasal consonant | 3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[læm] -> [næm] |
| Labial Assimilation | A nonlabial sound is assimilated to a labial consonant because of the influence of a labial consonant. | 3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[bɛd] -> [bɛb] |
| Alveolar Assimilation | Non-alveolar sound is changed to an alveolar sound | 3;0 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[tos] -> [tot] |
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Phonological processes that affect the syllable structure
Phonological
| Phonological Process | Definition | Age | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consonant Cluster Reduction | Deletion of one element of the cluster | 4;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[stɑp] -> [tɑp] |
| Epenthesis | A segment, often the unstressed vowel, is inserted | 8 (Peña-Brooks & Hedge, 2007) |
[blæk] ->[ bəlæk] |
| Reduplication | A syllable or a portion of a syllable is repeated or duplicated, usually becoming CVCV | 3;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[dæd] -> [dæ dæ] |
| Weak/Unstressed Syllable Deletion | Deletion of the unstressed syllable | 4;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[tɛləfon] -> [tɛfon] |
| Final Consonant Deletion | Deletion of the final consonant in the word | 3;3 (open and closed) (Bowen,1998) |
[kæp] ->[ kæ] |
| Consonant Cluster Simplification | A consonant cluster is simplified by a substitution for one member of the cluster | 4;0 (Bowen,1998) |
[ski]->[sti] |
| Metathesis | There is a transposition or reversal of two segments (sounds) in a word | No information available | [bæskət] -> [bæksɪt] |
| Coalescence | Characteristics of features from two adjacent sounds are combined so that one sound replaces two other sounds | No information available | [swɪm] ->[ fɪm] |
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