Occupational Therapy Archives - Shine Therapy Services

Making It Fit- Helping Your Child Figure Out a Shape Sorter. ~ by Shine SLPs Rachel and Sarah

A popular toy for toddlers is a shape sorter! It teaches cause and effect, problem solving, using fine motor skills and turn taking. As therapists, when we use a shape sorter with our kiddos we use it as an activity for social interaction and making connections. If the kiddo isn’t interested or is wanting the […]

Stopping the “stimming”….a developmental therapist’s view.

How it feels to a kiddo when we stop them from “stimming”….Is it harmful when someone forces them to stop or suppress their “stimming?” You bet it is! Speak to someone on the autism spectrum about how it feels. They describe it as very uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. It causes their nervous system to […]

Children with sensory processing differences have difficulty with regulation, which sometimes makes it difficult for them to interact with the world around them. Our Sensory Explorers group targets regulation in order to build engagement! This group is led by pediatric occupational therapist Mackenzie Baldock and developmental therapist/PLAY Project Consultant Brenna Thompson, both of whom specialize in using developmentally appropriate strategies to support children so they can learn new skills. Group meets once/week for 60 minutes.

Wondering if this class is appropriate for your child? Some characteristics of kids who benefit: easily frustrated with play, repetitive play, difficulty sitting/keeping still to engage in play, refuses to allow others to engage in play, unable to be messy, overly busy, quickly overwhelmed in a busy environment, picky eater, difficulty tolerating grooming/dressing/diapering routines, struggles with transitions/following a group plan/routine.

Goals of the group include:

Child participating in a variety of sensory play activities
Engaging socially with others in the group
Providing a non threatening environment where children can experience new sensations with the support of a pediatric Occupational Therapist and PLAY Project consultant
Providing personalized resources to caregivers, so they better understand the sensory system and learn strategies to assist their child with regulation outside of group
Opportunity to meet with other local families

GROUP MEETS for 8 weeks: Caregivers must stay on the premises to support their child and learn helpful strategies. Children will separate from caregivers for the session; caregivers can socialize at our coffee bar in the lobby (we will also provide a few toys for siblings to play). Caregiver education is a key component of this program.

OPTIONAL Summary Report available at close of session. This 2 page report will summarize your child’s participation in the class and provide helpful sensory strategies to increase their participation in activities. This report could be given to teachers in classrooms & daycares or utilized to help educate other caregivers about ways to help your child participate. This option includes a 30 minute Zoom meeting with Brenna and MacKenzie to review the report and discuss your child’s progress in Sensory Explorers. COST: $100 due at sign up

Category: Occupational Therapy

Making It Fit- Helping Your Child Figure Out a Shape Sorter. ~ by Shine SLPs Rachel and Sarah

Stopping the “stimming”….a developmental therapist’s view.

An 8-week program for children age 4-5 with sensory processing differences