For Educators - Topic Archive

Developmental Therapy

Developmental therapy focuses on children ages birth to three. Instead of targeting one specific area, developmental therapists look at the child as a whole, or globally. Some examples of areas a developmental therapist focuses on are fine and gross motor skills; communication and language; cognitive skills; and social-emotional behavior and skills.

A child learns through the experience of play. They explore, interact, and copy what they see around them. A developmental therapist designs play activities to help a child improve in some of the global areas they may be struggling with.

KIDS-R-US Therapy has several qualified, caring developmental therapists. Check out our Contact Us page to submit a question you may have, or call our office at (919) 606-1019.

Dysphagia

Is meal time a challenge with your child?

Is your child choking or gagging while eating?

Dysphagia is a condition in which a person has difficulty swallowing and may also find it painful. Because of these issues, inadequate nutrition and lack of weight gain are common problems associated with children with dysphagia. Refusal to eat, vomiting, and gagging can also occur.

As a parent, trust your judgment. If you notice your child is having issues with swallowing or feeding, working with a speech pathologist or occupational therapist can help address and resolve these problems. After a thorough evaluation, a therapist can give your child swallowing exercises and suggest feeding techniques which will make mealtime easier and promote better nutrition for your child.

For more information on how KIDS-R-US Therapy can help your child, contact us.

Developmental Apraxia of Speech (DAS)

DAS is a speech disorder of the nervous system that interferes with a child’s ability to correctly pronounce and sequence sounds, syllables, and words. This disorder affects more boys than girls and is present from birth. Some symptoms of DAS include:

• Slow, halting, or awkward speech rate
• Limiting vocalization during infancy
• Frequently leaving sounds out of words
• Difficulty in clearly organizing spoken information

A child with DAS will not simply grow out of it. As soon as the disorder is identified, speech therapy should be started. The therapy for DAS is generally intensive and can continue for several years. While there is no quick fix, therapy should assist a child in improving the movements of their speech mechanism required for speech production. Parents are encouraged to be active participants in helping their child learn to talk and play a role in their therapy.

For more information about Developmental Apraxia of Speech, visit www.apraxia-kids.org.

Sign Language and Your Baby

Why is your baby crying? Do they want some milk? Perhaps they need their diaper changed. Or maybe they have a tummy ache. Oh the challenges of parenthood!

Using sign language with your baby is one of the fastest growing trends in parenting. Children can begin learning signs as early as 8 months old. Using signing as a way to communicate reduces frustration for babies and their parents. Research has shown that using sign language does not impede language development; it increases your child’s vocabulary and desire to communicate. Using sign language with a pre-verbal child is a great way for your little one to communicate their needs and you will find great satisfaction in knowing you are able to satisfy those needs.

For more information about sign language and your baby, visit the following links:
• Signs of Learning
• babysFirstSigns.com
• Sign2Me

Autism

With the prevalence of autism on the rise, early diagnosis is more important than ever. There is no cure for autism, but early intervention and treatment can lead to substantial improvement.

Three behaviors generally characterize autism. Children with autism display repetitive behaviors or obsessive interests, have problems interacting socially, and have difficulty with nonverbal and verbal communication. The impact of these behaviors varies greatly – from minor to debilitating. While the cause of autism is unknown, scientists believe that both environment and genetics play a part.

The Autism Society of America Web site lists the following traits as characteristic of a person with autism:

• Insistence on sameness; resistance to change
• Difficulty in expressing needs, using gestures or pointing instead of words
• Repeating words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language
• Laughing (and/or crying) for no apparent reason; showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
• Preference to being alone; aloof manner
• Tantrums
• Difficulty in mixing with others
• Not wanting to cuddle or be cuddled
• Little or no eye contact
• Unresponsive to normal teaching methods
• Sustained odd play
• Spinning objects
• Obsessive attachment to objects
• Apparent over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
• No real fears of danger
• Noticeable physical over-activity or extreme under-activity
• Uneven gross/fine motor skills
• Non-responsive to verbal cues; acts as if deaf, although hearing tests in normal range

If your child exhibits some of these traits, contact us at: info@kidsrustherapy.com for a screening or consultation.

For more information, visit the following links:

Autism Society of America

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Autism Spot

Brain Gym®:

Brain Gym uses educational kinesiology techniques to assess imbalance and resolution. Beginning in the 1970s, Paul E. Dennison, Ph.D. and Gail E. Dennison developed Educational Kinesiology (Edu-K). This field is based on the premise that movement enhances learning. Brain Gym is the name of the movements. Children and adults can benefit from these movements with improvements in memory, learning, expression, vision, and movement abilities.

KIDS-R-US Therapy typically uses Brain Gym exercises to increase levels of alertness and focus especially for the ADD, ADHD, or sensory-involved child for modulation and regulation.

For more information about Brain Gym, visit www.braingym.com.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction:

Sensory Integration Dysfunction (or disorder) is a neurological disorder that results from the inability of the brain to interpret information received through the five senses as well as the senses of balance, position changes, and movement.

Several types of sensory processing dysfunctions exist. Three common types are: sensory avoidance, sensory seeking, and motor skills problems. Some sensory-avoiding children may be over-responsive to sensations and may be very particular about types of clothing or want to avoid being touched. Sensory-seeking children may be under-responsive to sensations and may be hyperactive; seeking out input at extremes, such as an over abundance of rough and tumble play and sounds that are too loud. Children with motor skill problems are often clumsy, accident prone, and have difficulty performing new actions.

Occupational therapists play an important role in treating this dysfunction. Sometimes therapists incorporate a sensory diet into their daily routine to help children learn to manage the information they are receiving and regulate their behavioral response. With therapy, these children can gain the skills they need to function in society.