#handstrength #childhandstrength #OTforkids #occupationaltherapy Hand strength is needed for a majority of what kids do in school and during play. Whether it’s opening a glue stick, writing their name, putting on their clothes, or building a block tower, they needs strong hands! Thankfully, there is a surplus of fun activities you can do with your kids at home to help make their hands ready for success! The following link to The OT Toolbox website has further education on the

#physicaltherapy #occupationaltherapy #therapy Physical and occupational therapy are both professions that work to prevent disability and improve quality of life, but they are not the same. Below are the governing bodies’ definitions of each profession. Occupational therapy: “Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational the

All Care Therapies of Georgetown is proud to celebrate Autism Awareness Month! Help us spread awareness, promote acceptance, and ignite change! Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control estimates that autism affects 1 in 54 children in the United States today? Autism is a spectrum disorder, and each child with autism has a unique set of challenges and strengths that affects the way they learn, problem solve and complete activities of daily living. The diagnosis is cha

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, there are 17,000 new cases of spinal cord injury every year ("Facts and Figures", 2018). Occupational Therapy addresses a variety of treatment objectives with spinal cord injury including: Maintain or increase joint range of motion and prevent deformity via range of motion exercises, splinting, and positioning. Increase strength in working or partially working muscles. Increase physical endurance. Maximize ind

Hippotherapy is the use of horseback riding as a therapeutic or rehabilitative treatment. Who Can Benefit from Hippotherapy? Children and adults with physical, neurological, behavioral, or cognitive disabilities Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome, Spinal Cord Injuries, Social/Communication delays are the most common diagnoses typically associated with participating in Hippotherapy Benefits of Hippotherapy: Utilizes the benefits of horseback riding and the equine environmen

Occupational Therapists (OT’s) work with individuals with Down syndrome to help them learn and gain mastery in skills they need to be independent such as self-care skills (ex. dressing, bathing, feeding), fine motor skills, gross motor skills, school performance, and leisure activities. Individuals with Down syndrome are now, more than ever, being seen accomplishing great milestones such as graduating college, participating in social and recreational activities in their commu

In occupational therapy, there are many ways to motivate your child to practice their fine motor, sensory, and sensory-motor skills at home. Here are some apps and game that will assist in their development: iPads and Tablets: Temple Run and Fruit Ninja with visual scanning and tracking as well as sustained attention skills Dora ABCs and ABC tracing games are great apps to improve handwriting and letter formation while also making it enjoyable for your child. Cookie Maker and

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Children diagnosed with ADHD have a harder time with school tasks and may make succeeding in school difficult. Occupational therapists can implement a few strategies to help a child who experiences this challenge. One being a weighted vest. These vests can decrease sensory modu

Writing is something integrated into our every day lives. Writing is done in order to complete tasks, whether that is an important essay in school or completing a form at a doctor’s office upon being seen. Writing allows us to communicate and express ourselves in many ways. Within therapy, writing is a big goal for most of our kiddos because of its importance. Parents often have many questions on how to get their kids to write, whether they are practicing their already dev

"But it's just a craft" might be something you think when you pick your child up from therapy or even school but there are many benefits that derive from the making of that simple turkey, snow man, or even Easter egg craft. Crafts allow children to develop in physical, emotional, social and cognitive departments. So though you may think it's just a sweet craft they are bringing home to you it is much more. Physical benefits: Enhances fine motor skills: Crafts involve the mo

Lateral Epicondylitis, or Tennis Elbow, is the overuse of the extensor muscles in the forearm. These muscles originate on the outside of the elbow and are responsible for movements such as straightening our elbow and stabilizing our wrist. Pain can be felt at the elbow and travel down the forearm. The pain can also intensify when excessive lifting, gripping or grasping movements are performed. Surgical and non-surgical interventions are available for treatment. Non-surgical i

Trigger finger occurs when the space around the tendon of a finger becomes inflamed or swollen, making the affected finger snap when being straightened or bent. Severe trigger finger develops when the finger becomes stuck in bent position. Symptoms of trigger finger can include stiffness, popping, clicking sounds, locking or catching when bending or straightening the finger, tenderness in the palm below the affected finger and/or a bump or nodule in the palm below the affecte

Reading and writing are simple tasks that most of us take for granted on a daily basis. The process of learning to read and write is one we all started early and have since then forgotten about. The skills required before handwriting can begin include: bilateral hand skills, body stability, hand and finger strength, thumb opposition, in-hand manipulation and development of palmar arches. The components required before reading can begin include: letter recognition, phonics, de

Sleep is such an important part of your child’s day. Optimal sleep helps your child play and be ready to participate in daily activities at school and at home. Parents often struggle with make sure their child goes to bed at a reasonable hour every night. A bedtime routine helps both the parent and the child make the daily activity of going to sleep an enjoyable experience. Occupational therapy can help facilitate this routine and provide strategies that will promote a succes

The symptoms of cerebral palsy can have a profound impact on a child’s everyday life. Occupational therapists can increase a child’s independence, improve their ability to learn and play, enhance their self-esteem, develop a routine, and improve their quality of life. For parents/caregivers, occupational therapists can help decrease the physical demands, reduce stress, provide a sense of security, and allow them to watch their child succeed. Occupational therapy can help with

A lot of children who come to All Care Therapies for occupational therapy have weakness in their hands and core. Exercises and activities are incorporated into the sessions to help get their hands and tummies stronger but there is only so much the therapists can do in a session. Children need to participate in activities at home and at school to build their muscles so that they can climb the monkey bars, hold their pencil the correct way, open and close buttons and snaps, and

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is when the median nerve is impinged in the carpal tunnel of the wrist that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand. One intervention that occupational therapists provide is an orthotic and schedule of when to wear it. It is important to follow that schedule because studies say it can reduce pain and allow you to complete functional daily tasks. One study showed a statistical significance in reducing pain and improving functional outcomes

By the age of 3 or 4, a child should engage in the bilateral skill of “crossing the midline”. This could be scratching your elbow, crossing your ankles, or reading from left to right. Crossing the midline helps a child build pathways in their brain and it is an important skills that is required for the development of various motor and cognitive skills. When your child establishes a “worker hand” and a “helper hand”, this allows the brain to mature and helps the body cross mid

Children who have been diagnosed with autism sometimes have to deal with anxiety when changes occur at home, school, or in a daily routine. This is because autism effects a certain part of the brain that deals with executive functioning. Executive functioning is the ability to change your mindset or transition from one task or place to another. This part of the brain also sends the message to wait. A child who struggles with transitioning often throws tantrums or meltdowns du

Have you ever heard of occupational therapy? What comes to mind when you think about this profession? If you are not familiar with what occupational therapy is, well let me tell you. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association (2018), “Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations).” Occupational therapists, thus, are health