Kids OT Play - Occupational Therapy for Children

Halloween Party

intuit — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:17:40 +0000

Weekly OT and Speech Consultation for parents

intuit — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:25:27 +0000

The Brushing Program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:31:45 +0000

The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol is used as part of a Sensory Diet to help a child with sensory defensiveness (oversensitive to sensory information). This brushing protocol stimulates the nerve endings and “primes” or “prepares” the child to interpret sensory information. The brush provides a particular amount of pressure and the strokes are performed in such a way that it stimulates the nerve endings in the skin to receive sensory information. Brushing stimulates the brain stem and releases chemicals into the body that are calming and organizing for the child, similar to how running and/or exercise releases endorphins and produces the “runner’s high.” These natural chemicals in the body bring the body into a state of “homeostasis” so that the child is better able to handle information from his or her environment. And because the tactile, proprioceptive and vestibular systems work together to balance the flow of information, we pair brushing with proprioceptive (deep pressure) input, which also releases calming chemicals from the brain. We can further pair this protocol with vestibular information (swinging/movement) in the clinic.

Our Occupational Therapists are trained in the Wilbarger Protocol and can assess whether brushing may be a successful adjunct to therapy for your child as part of a sensory diet. If your child responds positively to brushing in the clinic, our OTs will train parents/caregivers to use the brushing protocol at home as well.

The Listening Program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:30:48 +0000

The Listening Program (TLP) is a music-based stimulation program that assists children with auditory processing, listening, and attention skills. During OT sessions, a child may wear headphones with classical music that is named “sensory integration” or “speech.” These CDs are used in an informal way and can be taken off after one minute if the child doesn’t like it, or can be kept on for 15 minutes. TLP CDs are often played in the background in the Kids OT to Play clinic.

TLP music has been selected to provide specific sensory stimulation and it gets results: We have observed some children who cannot sit and color for more than 2 minutes without the program can sit for up to 10 minutes while listening to the music.

CDs of TLP music are available for home use, Monday through Friday 30 minutes a day for up to 16 weeks. These CDs need to be ordered by a TLP provider. Several therapists at Kids OT to Play are TLP providers. These CDs can also be purchased by a parent directly at http://www.advancedbrain.com/. This is also a good website to learn about The Listening Program

Alert Program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:30:11 +0000

“How does your engine run?” The Alert Program “How does your engine run?” is a program that uses an engine picture to describe how a child feels in the moment, and their ability to “self regulate”. Self regulate is the ability to change your alertness or arousal level to the demands of a situation. An example of this is that a child can be excited on the playground, and then come into the classroom and be quiet, settled and transition to sitting at his desk.

A child with extra energy may describe his engine as “too high”. A child with low energy or alertness may describe his engine as “too low”. There is opportunity in those moments to use “sensory tools” to get to an optimum level of alertness or arousal called “a just right” engine. OT teaches children how to identify their engine level, how to select and use different sensory tools that help their body get ready for a demand for their “just right attention.” An example of this is that the child uses swings, trampoline, and therapy putty before doing writing at the table.

Children can relate and learn quickly about self-regulation when talking about their “engine” going into high, low, or just right gears. The engine is just one way, but by no means the only way, to describe how alert one feels. We search for words that have meaning to the child. Other ways to describe energy levels include:

“High alert, low alert, and just right for ___ (fill in the blank for any activity)”
Colors (red for high, yellow for low, green or blue for just right)
Animals (maybe cheetah for high, turtle for low, and bear for just right)
Winnie the Pooh (Tigger for high, Eyore for low, and Pooh for just right)

Read more about the Alert Program “How does your engine run?” at alertprogram.com

Astronaut Training

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:29:26 +0000

Astronaut Training is a treatment protocol for improving visual-auditory-vestibular integration developed by Mary J. Kawar, MS, OTR. The protocol is designed to stimulate and integrate the vestibular, auditory and visual systems. It is a child-friendly approach that utilizes rotary input (spinning) to elicit reflexive eye movements (nystagmus), which “warms up” the eyes for subsequent focused visual activities. These activities are fun and appealing to children.

The vestibular system, which helps determine and control balance and equilibrium, joins forces with auditory and visual systems to help us understand the three-dimensional space, or “spatial envelope,” that surrounds us wherever we go. When our vestibular-auditory-visual triad is functioning properly, “the sights and sounds of our world become meaningful and entice us to move, explore, and engage with objects, people, and events,” Kawar wrote.

The musculo-skeletal system works to integrate senses such as proprioception and touch with visual and auditory information, according to Kawar. “Each component of the vestibular-auditory-visual triad makes a unique contribution to our ability to be meaningfully occupied while maintaining our orientation in space under all conditions.”

“The dynamic interaction between the members of the vestibular-auditory-visual triad provides the backdrop for virtually everything we do, and thus determines much about the quality of our lives,” she wrote.

Summer therapy program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:46:12 +0000

7/09 Summer therapy program begins.

Click here for more info.

Summer play group program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:33:58 +0000

7/09 Summer play group program begins.

Click here for more info.

Summer ABA program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:32:29 +0000

7/09 Summer ABA program begins
Click here for more info.

Overview of Sensory Defensiveness and the Brushing Program

intuit — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:31:52 +0000

Amy Wheadon, MS, OTR/L will be presenting Overview of Sensory Defensiveness and the Brushing Program Thursday April 26, 2012 from 6-7PM
Free for Kids OT to Play parents, and $20 for others