Posts by Maria O'Farrell
Understanding Ear Tubes and Their Sensory Implications for Children
It seems like many of the children in my life are getting ear tubes. While getting ear tubes placed is a routine and common procedure for pediatricians and ENTs, there are important sensory implications that parents should be aware of. What Causes Frequent Ear Infections in Children? Ear infections can be caused by a myriad…
Read MoreInfant Tongue Tie- My Experience with Tongue Tie Release as a Mom and OT
What is a Tongue Tie? Tongue ties have become a hot-button issue lately, yet many remain unfamiliar with what they entail or how to recognize them. Essentially, a tongue tie occurs when excess tissue tethers the tongue to the floor of the mouth, either anteriorly (at the front) or posteriorly (in the middle). Typically, accompanying…
Read MoreWhat are The Main Stages of Gross and Fine Motor Development?
Fine Motor and Gross Motor Development Motor skills are at the forefront of development and affect all areas of daily function. However, it is sometimes unclear what constitutes a gross motor skill and what constitutes a fine motor skill, and how you know if your child is on track for both. Gross motor skills are…
Read MoreHow To Teach the Basics of Motor Planning
Have you ever tried to bring in all of your groceries at once, just to save another trip to the car? This requires significant motor planning. Motor planning, also known as praxis, is the ability to perform a new or skilled motor task, and is dependent upon adequate body awareness, tactile processing, ideation, initiation, timing,…
Read More5 Benefits of Doing Occupational Therapy Through Telehealth
It’s hard to believe that almost three years ago we were ‘forced’ to switch to teletherapy for occupational therapy services. Today, we are still providing teletherapy; but this method of treatment is anything but forced. There are several unique benefits of doing occupational therapy through telehealth. Convenience This may be the most obvious of all…
Read More5 Tips to Thrive in Virtual School
Can you believe it’s already time to go back to school? While school looks very different this year, it is possible to make the most of it and learn from your own home with these sensory friendly tips. 1. Set up a “school” area with multiple seating options It will be important for kids to…
Read MoreTeletherapy Ideas that Work!
We made online occupational therapy work in our practice in Atlanta with all ages and diagnosis! Here are some ideas that we have found to make the telehealth delivery method successful….. Admittedly, starting a new method of occupational therapy was intimidating at first, but these first few weeks have proven that teletherapy is a wonderful…
Read MoreRetained Primitive Reflexes- The Basics
I have several children on my caseload that are smart, sweet kids, but have so many challenges with sensory processing, behavior and attention. They hate writing, can’t sit still, and attempt to control situations whenever possible. If this sounds like your child, the answer to these challenges may be found in his or her brain-stem,…
Read MoreOT Holiday Gift Ideas
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays are a great time to enhance your toy closets with fun toys that promote the most important developmental skills. Here are some great ideas from our OT department at PediaSpeech Services, Inc. Happy giving! Squigz- These are a favorite in the clinic! They are suction…
Read MoreHandwriting, Fine Motor Skills & Pencil Control Oh My!
By Cayla Woodburn As surprising as it might sound, fine motor skills impact nearly every aspect of life. Without fine motor skills, we wouldn’t be able to button our pants, brush our teeth, open our lunch, write our name, and so many more everyday activities. Many children struggle with their fine motor control, precision, grasp,…
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.