Blog
BEHAVIORAL THERAPIES: KEY INTERVENTIONS IN ASD Parents of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are told that early intervention is crucial. Their next question naturally is: “What kind of intervention?” Programs vary widely, but most include some kind of behavioral treatment. The reason for this is that there is a great deal of...
What is Toe Walking? Introduction Toe walking refers to a gait cycle/walking pattern in which the heel does not contact the ground; this is a common developmental variation in young children (aged three and under) and generally isn’t cause for concern as it will typically regress without intervention. (Morozova et al., 2017). If toe walking...
Physical Activity for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Exercise is an important component to maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all children. In the United States, over 16% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 years of age are considered overweight or obese. For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this percentage is even higher...
What Is Balanced Play? There are endless forms of play that our kids engage in, each form teaching them different skills and exercising various parts of their bodies and minds. This variety of activities is known as “balanced play.” It allows kids to improve different aspects of their cognitive and motor skills, which are then...
Does Handwriting Matter? In our modern digital age, handwriting seems like a thing of the past. When typing is faster, easier to correct errors and is not prone to legibility issues, it’s easy to wonder why we should bother learning to write by hand. Wouldn’t this make school easier for many kids? On the contrary!...
Heel First! Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Toe Walking Does your child walk on the toes or balls of the feet? Toe walking can lead to falling, and may be symptomatic of vestibular issues and developmental delays. Try our movement activities to help prevent and reduce toe walking. Remember to encourage kids to walk on...
Flapping or Jumping? How to Cope with Sensory Overload When your body receives sensory information, your brain processes it and determines the appropriate response. For example, when you hear your name being called, you look up. When you touch something hot, you instinctively pull your hand away. This is part of the body’s natural process...
Why Exercise Matters for Individuals with Autism For kids with autism, studies show that vigorous activity for more than 20 minutes can help decrease stereotypical behaviors, hyperactivity, and aggression. Exercise not only helps children with autism better engage in the environment, but it also helps promote weight loss and leads to better overall health. Full-body...
ASD and Physical Activity Physical activity has soared to the top of the priority list since COVID-19 started to support health and well-being. It should be a part of everyone’s week throughout their lifespan. Regular exercise lessens anxiety, improves sleep, increases endurance, builds muscles, develops motor skills and offers opportunities for socializing. Whether being involved in organized sports...
What are voice disorders? Voice disorders are a range of conditions which affect the larynx. They can cause changes to the voice called dysphonia or loss of voice aphonia. These changes can affect the way the voice sounds, for example, making it sound hoarse, croaky, strained, breathy or weak. Voice disorders can also make the...
VOICE TREATMENT AND THERAPY Traditional voice therapy consists of two primary avenues: Vocal Hygiene and Voice Therapy.Vocal hygiene is a daily regimen to achieve and maintain a healthy voice. Vocal hygiene includes maintaining adequate hydration (6-8 glasses of water per day), minimizing exposure to noxious chemicals, no smoking of cigarettes, and the avoiding of excessive...
Occupational Therapy vs. Physical Therapy: What to Know Physical therapy and occupational therapy are two types of rehabilitative care. The goal of rehabilitative care is to improve or prevent the worsening of your condition or quality of life due to an injury, surgery, or illness. While there are some similarities between physical therapy and occupational...
What does a physical therapist do? Now that we’ve discussed the differences and similarities between PT and OT, let’s break down what a physical therapist does in more detail. What are the goals of physical therapy? The overall goals of PT focus on: When is physical therapy needed? PT is often recommended when a condition...
Speech Therapy: How does it work? An SLP will begin by assessing the individual. They can then identify different types of speech disorders and how they can treat them. Speech therapy for children A child may participate in speech therapy in a classroom as part of a small group or in a one-on-one setting. This...
Speech Therapy for Adult Speech therapy for adults can support a wide range of communication and swallowing issues. Our local Speech Centres all over Ireland can provide home visits and services to nursing homes ensuring the highest standards and HIQA compliance. What happens when you see a Speech and Language Therapist? When you make an...
SPEECH VS. LANGUAGE THERAPY: DIFFERENCE? Overview Your child has been diagnosed with a speech-language delay, but what does it mean? Speech therapists treat a variety of disorders and it is important to understand the difference between speech and language disorders in order to participate fully in your child’s treatment. Speech therapy Speech therapy most commonly...
Importance of Sleep and Establishing a Consistent Sleep Routine Summer is almost over and those crisp fall nights are just around the corner, which means whether we like it or not, school is starting. The demands of the school day are much different than the lazy days of summer, so now is the time to...
HOW TO IDENTIFY DEVELOPMENTAL RED FLAGS: 0-3 MONTHS Parenting a new baby comes with so many questions: How do I play with a newborn? When will he sleep through the night? How do I know whether her development is on-track? Is his temperament ‘normal’ or should I be concerned? Today, Occupational Therapist Jennie Shafer is...
Top tips for supporting self-esteem in speech therapy Speech and language therapy does tend to involve practising something that you find difficult over and over again. No-one enjoys doing that! It is particularly difficult if you realise that it is something other people seem to manage effortlessly, but you really struggle with it. It’s so...
3 Steps to Overcoming Negative Self-Talk We are our worst critics. The things we say to ourselves are often far more damaging than what others say to us. I have battled negative self-talk for most of my life, and it affected my mood, energy level, and productivity. Most of us hope that life will be...