Reach Occupational Therapy

EATING EATING EATING!!! . Eating is one of the most important and frequent occupations for all kids. So why not make it fun!! Kids learn so many skills during mealtime: . ORAL MOTOR SKILLS to effectively chew and swallow their food and drinks ... SELF-FEEDING SKILLS for independence in using utensils and drinking from cups FOOD EXPOSURE that can lead to a diet of variety SENSORY EXPLORATION of food textures, tastes, smells, sounds, and visual appearances MEAL PREP to learn mixing, stirring, pouring, and serving skills MEALTIME ROUTINE to learn social skills and enjoy valuable family time . If you need any guidance on your child’s eating skills, please send me a direct message or email me at [email protected] See more

TUMMY TIME . Starting your baby on tummy time from day 1 is one of the most important things you can do for your child! They may not love it at first, but don’t get discouraged! Together, you and your baby will get through it! Tummy time is important to develop volitional head movement and neck strength, hand eye coordination, and integration of developmental milestones, to name a few. . Here are some tips to make tummy time fun:... Use black and white toys/mats to facilitate visual development Use sensory stimulating mats to facilitate fine motor and visual motor skills (also a good distractor toy while your baby does their workout ) Use baby safe mirrors propped up to facilitate social development Use pop up toys and rattles to encourage reaching while on the tummy . Always remember: back to sleep, tummy to play! . Swipe right to see suggested tummy time toys. Click the link in bio for more info. . #occupationaltherapy #pediatrics #earlyintervention #finemotorskills #sensoryprocessing #kids #pickyeating #pickyeaters #play #autism #sensoryprocessingdisorder #adhd #specialneeds #activitiesofdailyliving #pretendplay #learnthroughplay #development #milestones #children #infants #asd #heavywork #autismspectrumdisorder #cerebralpalsy #tummytime #occupationaltherapist #toddlers #education #downsyndrome @ San Diego, California See more

I LOVE CHORES! . I know this may sound bizarre, but as an Occupational Therapist I cannot chant this enough! Chores can be one of the most helpful activities for kids for many reasons: . HEAVY WORK= Any type of activity that pushes or pulls against the body, and chores are included! Heavy work provides calming and regulating proprioceptive input that can organize the body. For example, when putting groceries into the refrigerator, a child’s muscles and joints are being acti...vated by the weight of the groceries when lifting them out of the bag and placing them onto the shelves. This activity is sending proprioceptive input to their brain that then leads to a release in calming neurotransmitters throughout their body. MOTOR PLANNING= There are three components to successfully complete any task: 1. Think about the steps 2. Plan out the steps 3. Execute the steps in the right sequence. When a child engages in a chore, for example vacuuming, the child must think, plan, and execute the necessary steps in the correct sequence: plug in the vacuum, turn the power on, push the vacuum back and forth while navigating the environment BILATERAL COORDINATION= Coordinating both sides of one’s body when engaged in an activity. For example, when sweeping with a broom and dust pan, a child must coordinate holding the broom with their right hand and holding the dust pan with their left hand. DAILY LIVING SKILLS= Chores teach a child independence and organizational skills that lead to a successful life! . Click the link in bio for more fun chore ideas! . #occupationaltherapy #pediatrics #earlyintervention #finemotorskills #sensoryprocessing #kids #pickyeating #pickyeaters #play #autism #sensoryprocessingdisorder #adhd #specialneeds #activitiesofdailyliving #pretendplay #learnthroughplay #development #milestones #children #infants #asd #heavywork #autismspectrumdisorder #cerebralpalsy #mindfulness #occupationaltherapist #toddlers #education #downsyndrome @ San Diego, California See more

CLEAN THE CARS . Keeping with the summer theme, I would like to take the time to share another fun outdoor activity. . I love this idea from Busy Toddler. Click the link in bio for the how-to. This simple activity provides many benefits:... Water & Soap= provides calming SENSORY input Dirt= MESSY PLAY Brushes & Sponges= incorporates BILATERAL COORDINATION skills when cleaning the cars Add Rocks & Shovels= for PRETEND PLAY opportunities . #occupationaltherapy #pediatrics #earlyintervention #finemotorskills #sensoryprocessing #kids #pickyeating #pickyeaters #play #autism #sensoryprocessingdisorder #adhd #specialneeds #activitiesofdailyliving #pretendplay #learnthroughplay #development #milestones #children #infants #asd #youth #autismspectrumdisorder #cerebralpalsy #mindfulness #occupationaltherapist #toddlers #education #downsyndrome

https://www.reach-occupationaltherapy.com/post/picky-eating

WATER PLAY . . Warm weather always has me thinking about the outdoors and what better summer activity for your kids than WATER PLAY! I can go on and on about all the benefits of this simple activity and the different tools you can use to teach your child important developmental skills: Water= provides calming SENSORY input ... Sponges= increases HAND STRENGTHENING while squeezing to drain water Cups, Tupperware, measuring cups, and spoons= increases BILATERAL COORDINATION skills while engaged in dump and fill play Turkey baster and droppers= increases HAND STRENGTHENING and FINE MOTOR skills while squeezing Add color dye, soap, foam letters, water beads, etc= teaches EXPLORATORY and PRETEND PLAY skills . Click the link below for some great water play ideas: . https://pin.it/2hzr3Fm . #occupationaltherapy #pediatrics #earlyintervention #finemotorskills #sensoryprocessing #kids #pickyeating #pickyeaters #play #autism #sensoryprocessingdisorder #adhd #specialneeds #activitiesofdailyliving #pretendplay #learnthroughplay #development #milestones #children #infants #asd #youth #autismspectrumdisorder #cerebralpalsy #mindfulness #occupationaltherapist #toddlers #education #downsyndrome See more

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY? . The million dollar question. . When I first became an Occupational Therapist, I did not realize how much time I would spend explaining what I do. At first, I would get frustrated that so few people knew about occupational therapy. But now, I see discussing OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY as EMPOWERING and it has become one of my favorite things to do! I get to explain MY PASSION to others! I get to ADVOCATE for this awesome field! I get to DEMONSTRATE th...e impact OT has on the world! What a unique and amazing opportunity! . So, what is it? What is occupational therapy (or OT for short)? To put it simple, 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), thanks @aotainc . OT practitioners are holistic, deeply rooted in science, and evidence-based. . REACH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY specifically focuses on occupations important to INFANTS, TODDLERS, CHILDREN, and YOUTH so they can learn the tools they need to grow, learn, and develop into independent individuals! Those occupations include DRESSING, EATING, FEEDING, HYGIENE, PLAY, and SCHOOL. I evaluate and design intervention plans to address any challenges in the underlying physical, motor, cognitive, and sensory skills needed to successfully engage in those childhood occupations. I then teach families strategies so they too can facilitate their child’s independence. . I WANT TO HELP. . If your child has difficulty feeding themselves with a fork and spoon, I can help! If your child has difficulty getting their clothes on and off, I can help! If your child is a picky eater, I can help! If your child has difficulty brushing their teeth or getting haircuts, I can help! If your child has difficulty playing with toys, I can help! If your infant has difficulty meeting their developmental milestones, I can help! If your child has sensory processing and emotional regulation difficulties, I can help! . If you would like to learn more about your child’s needs, let’s start the collaboration! Please send a direct message or email at [email protected] See more

Welcome to Reach Occupational Therapy! We provide home-based pediatric therapy services to children of all ages with various abilities! Follow us for activities addressing your child’s fine motor, sensory processing, play, and activities of daily living skills!... . . #occupationaltherapy #pediatrics #earlyintervention #finemotorskills #sensoryprocessing #kids #pickyeating #pickyeaters #play #autism #sensoryprocessingdisorder #adhd #specialneeds #activitiesofdailyliving #pretendplay #learnthroughplay #development #milestones #children #infants #asd #youth #autismspectrumdisorder #cerebralpalsy #torticollis #plagiocephaly #mindfulness #occupationaltherapist #toddlers #education

Accepting new patients for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY via Telehealth! Please email [email protected] for more info!Accepting new patients for OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY via Telehealth! Please email [email protected] for more info!

Check out my pinterest page for the latest sensory activities! https://www.pinterest.com/brittjohansen/ot-sensory-groups/