The Halloween Conundrum – What to do with Extra Candy

The Halloween Conundrum – What to do with Extra Candy

By the Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapists

Many parents struggle with what to do with all the leftover candy their kids have from trick-or-treating.  Candy can be used in many fun activities that do not involve actually eating it, but rather promote the development of fine motor skills, visual processing skills, cognitive processing skills, and sensory development. 

First, try sorting the candy by color, size, shape, first letter of the name, the type of candy, or any other way you prefer.  To improve your child’s fine motor skills, encourage the kids to use only their index finger and thumb or only the index and middle finger with the thu

mb.  Sorting this way will help children develop isolated finger movements necessary while using writing utensils.  Also, by using the index and middle finger with the thumb, you are promoting the correct positioning your child should use writing with their pencil. 

Furthermore, you can have your children sort their candies using clothespins.  With the index finger and thumb, or index and middle fingers with their thumb, children can pinch the clothespin to grip and move the candies.  The resistance of the clothespin will help strengthen your kids’ fingers and improve their endurance during writing tasks.  Tweezers and chopsticks are other tools that encourage isolated finger movements.

Secondly, making crafts with candy can also be a fun way to use the extra.  You can draw pictures and have your kids glue candies on the lines.  You can also have your children draw their own picture and explain what each candy represents at the conclusion.  Candies, such as lifesavers, can be strung to make bracelets or necklaces.  This activity promotes bilateral integration, or using two hands together.  If a candy does not have a hole, your child can use a toothpick to push through the candy, also helping to strengthen the fingers. 

Additionally, candy can be used to create a gingerbread house.  You can either freeze the extra candy until it is closer to Christmas time, or make a Halloween/Fall themed house.  Using frosting as the glue, place the candies on graham cracker walls for decorations.

Extra candy can also be used for finger painting.  Place one color of hard-shelled candy (Skittles, M&M’s, etc.) in a class of water and watch the coating dissolve and become colored water.  Children can then dip their fingers in the water and “paint” paper towels.  For more concentrated colors, use just enough water to cover the candies.  

These crafts are fun for all ages, but they are especially beneficial if your child has difficulties with messy play (does not like to get food on their fingers, does not like to play in sand boxes, or does not like to play with finger paints, etc.).  Your child will most likely get frosting on themselves in small amounts while placing the candy, and will need to dip their fingers in water to get color on them.  These experiences will provide them with tactile input (or feeling it on their skin).  Working with small amounts of tactile input and increasing it over time can help your child become less hesitant towards messy play. 

We hope some of these suggestions will help your family enjoy Halloween candy in new ways that promote positive development in your child.

Happy Halloween!

Messy Play is Okay!

Messy Play is Okay!

By Jessica Holyoke, OTR/L

Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist

In early development, a child begins to piece together information about their world using their seven senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, proprioception (position sense), and vestibular (movement sense). Children use their sensory experiences to make sense of their environment.  As a child grows, the information they gain from their environment through their sensory systems shape their development. Cognitive skills are developed through curiosity and exploration.  Physical skills are developed through a desire to move to objects or areas of interest.  Finally, social skills are developed through interaction with objects and people in their environment.  So, how can you facilitate this growth through sensory experience? The answer is simple - MESSY PLAY!!!

Messy play is an excellent way for your child to use all of their sensory systems.  It encourages curiosity, exploration, and creativity.  Because there is no wrong way to messy play, the child gains confidence as they are successful in their activities.  Messy play can be used to learn letters and numbers, to interact with peers, and to develop fine motor skills. Here are some messy ideas to get you started:

Spaghetti

Image courtesy of The Imagination Tree

• Cook some spaghetti noodles, strain and place in a large bowl (or on a high chair tray or play table). You can add food coloring if you choose. You can hide small toys in the noodles for your child to find or use the noodles to form shapes, letters or numbers.

Corn starch and water

• Mix corn starch and water in a large container (flatter surfaces work better, i.e. casserole dish). This should appear to be a fairly solid mixture.  Pick up a handful and watch it melt in your hands! 

Puffy paint

Image courtesy of Learning4Kids.net

• Mix equal parts Elmer’s glue and shaving cream. Add your desired color (food coloring or paint work well).  Paint onto paper of your choice with your fingers (or paint brush if you must) and let it dry into a puffy masterpiece. 

Gak

• Gak is a gooey, slimy, glob of fun.  Making it with your child can teach sequencing skills, following a recipe, measuring, and attention.  The finished product can be stored in a plastic bag to play with again and again. 
• For a simple Gak recipe, click here!

Play-dough

• Similar to Gak, following any recipe is a great way to teach kids valuable skills such as counting, sequencing, following directions, attention and social skills. 
• For a simple, uncooked Play-dough recipe, click here

Finger Paint/Shaving cream

• Great way to get messy while practicing writing letters, or just drawing using a pointer finger. 

Rice/Beans

• A dry alternative to other messy play options, but still a great way to gain the desired sensory experiences.  Fill a small bucket or large bowl with rice or beans (uncooked).  You can hide small toys inside for a treasure hunt.  Make two or more bowls to make it a race or work together to find all the treasures.

I would like to hear from you.  What other forms of messy play have you experienced with your child?  Did your child and you enjoy any of these ideas?  Please leave me a comment in the section below.

Keeping Your Child Safe in their Car Seat

Keeping Your Child Safe in their Car Seat

By Josh MacDonald, OTR/L

Kids Place Clinic Director

Pediatric Occupational Therapist

At Kids Place, our therapists see a lot of children coming into the clinic in their infant carriers.  Unfortunately, too many of them are fastened into the car seat incorrectly.  While every car seat is different, there are a few standard rules about how to fasten them into infant carriers and forward facing seats.

First, the plastic retainer clip (the plastic clip across the chest) should be slid up to the level of the armpits.  This may seem high and appear to put pressure between the straps and the child's neck.  But, if the clip is not high enough, it will not hold the belt in place, and the child will slide between the straps and out of the seat in an accident.

Second, the seat belt should be tight enough that you cannot pinch any excess at their shoulder.  This is relatively snug.  When applied taught against the body, the seat belt assists in riding out the deceleration slowly.  If the strap is too loose, then the child will 'collide' with the seat belt in an accident, resulting in further injury.

Lastly, no additional pieces of aftermarket items should be added to the car seat.  These pieces are often not fire retardant, and could catch fire quickly.  Any padding on the seat belt strap to protect the neck will only create space between the child and the strap.  Remember, this needs to be a tight fit.  Space is bad.  Items hanging from the handle or on the seat of the vehicle will come loose in the accident and potentially strike the child.  These items are marketed well to convince us of their necessity or cuteness, but they are not crash tested and will be dangerous in an accident.

These are only a few of the rules and guidelines about car seats.  Your local fire department is able to assist you installing your car seat, and will teach you how to properly use the car seat.  This may seem like a hassle, but 90% of car seats are installed incorrectly and will not protect a child during an accident.  Make your child's safety a priority.

Strategies for a Successfully Potty-Trained Toddler

Strategies for a Successfully Potty-Trained Toddler

By Liezel Fernandez, OTR/L

Kids Place Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Potty training is around the corner.  Your child is finally ready to say goodbye to diapers!  But… will you be prepared?

Independent toileting is an important milestone and a complex task in a child’s life.  A child must be ready both physically and psychologically to begin the learning process of toileting.  Parents need to be prepared to devote significant time and effort in toilet training their child.  When starting to potty train, it is important to keep in mind your child’s developmental level, not their chronological age.  Children are likely ready for toileting if they have a regular pattern of urine and feces elimination.

The first sign of readiness is when a child indicates discomfort when wet or soiled.  Consider whether your child is able to follow simple directions and able to tell you through verbal or non-verbal communication (sign language/gestures) they need to go potty. 

Here are some helpful strategies to successfully potty train your child:

• Schedule toileting and use habit training.  For example, go at the same times of the day every day.
• If possible, dedicate a bathroom to toilet training.
• If you child is unable to communicate verbally, provide ways to indicate a need to go by using picture cues.
• Hang visual cues on walls, like step by step picture instructions.  We have all seen the hand washing examples in various bathrooms.  This is a perfect example of these visual cues.
• Demonstrate and explain the process.
• Use a story telling when trying to teach your child the socially acceptable behaviors in public restrooms.  These pretend stories can provide a model to teach your child what is appropriate.
• Teach physical, gestural cues, or sign language so your child can communicate the need easily.
• If your child does not stay long enough on the potty, use a timer and instruct your child to stay seated until timer rings.
• Use positive reinforcement, like a sticker chart to improve motivation.

Remember to teach all aspects of the task.  Independence in toileting or being fully potty trained includes:

1. Getting on and off the toilet. 
2. Managing fasteners and clothing.
3. Cleansing after toileting.
4. Washing and drying efficiently without supervision.

Potty training requires a lot of time and patience.  If you continue to have problems, you may want to consider getting professional assistance from an Occupational Therapist.  Good luck, and happy potty training!

Play-Doh®: Fun and Functional

Play-Doh®:  Fun and Functional

By Josh MacDonald, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist and Kids Place Clinic Director

Play-Doh® is a great tool for helping your child develop hand skills.  The texture and resistance are great for building up the muscles in the hands.  However, when it is time to pull out the tub of Play-Doh®, hold off on using all of the cool tools and gadgets. 

Hasbro has made some awesome and exciting accessories to go with the rainbow of colors for Play-Doh®.  Most of these tools do not promote the development of hand skills.  These tools and Play-Doh® factories rely on pushing or pulling levers and holding basic tool handles.  While playing with these items is not terrible for development, to make the most of this awesome Doh put the tools away and let the child’s hands work.

 

Learning how to keep a hand flat and active while rolling out a snake works different muscle groups than giving it a big squeeze to leave grip marks.  Rolling a ball between your palms requires more control than rolling it on the table, but both encourage exposure to different textures.  Pinching the Doh to squish small balls between the thumb and first finger builds up grip strength and thumb skill.  Small items can be hid forcing small finger movements to hunt for objects, and making flat pancakes takes more hand strength than banging with a hammer. 

The tools made for Play-Doh® are fun, but the creative, tactile and fine motor coordination benefits are so much greater when the child simply uses their own hands.  If your child insists on using the toys, try playing without them for 10 minutes, then allow the toys.  Even 10 minutes of direct hand play with Play-Doh® will improve overall hand strength and coordination.

Child Development of Self-Care Skills

Child Development of Self-Care Skills
By Jessica Holyoke, OTR-L

Activities of daily living (ADLs) are a necessary part of our day and include various tasks such as getting dressed, bathing, brushing our teeth or hair, and feeding ourselves.  Most of us place very little thought or effort when carrying out these tasks, but how did we learn to perform them?  Throughout the first year of our life, we will begin to develop the skills necessary to take care of ourselves.  It is important that children have many opportunities to practice these skills.  This blog will look at the typical development of these self-care skills and give examples of how to encourage your child’s development.

Dressing

A 1 year old child has already begun to explore how to take off clothes by removing their socks and raising their arms to help get a shirt off.  Between 1 and 2 years old, your child will continue this exploration and learn to take off his or her shoes and socks.  They will also begin to help put their arms through holes and hold out their legs for pants.  Between the ages of 2 and 3 years, a child can remove simple clothing on their own.  They are learning to put on front closing tops (jackets, button-up shirts) and to unzip and unbutton large buttons.  By 4 years old, a child can dress and undress themselves with assistance for fasteners and ties.  By 5 or 6 years old, a child is nearly independent with dressing skills needing help only with difficult fasteners such as belts and selecting appropriate clothing to match the weather.

Bathing & Grooming

A 1 year old child is starting to become aware of cleaning themselves.  They can wipe their face with a napkin or towel (not completely).  They can grasp tools such as a toothbrush or spoon, and mimic movements that will develop into controlled use.  Between 1 and 2 years, a child begins to enjoy bathing and takes an interest in helping.  By 3 years, they are actively participating in washing and helping with brushing teeth.  At 3 or 4 years, a child can wash themselves with supervision and some help with hair.  A 5 to 6 years child should be able to complete bathing and grooming tasks on their own with occasional reminders to do a thorough job.

Toileting

When to potty train can often be confusing for parents.  Typically, the first indication that a child is ready to start potty training is their ability to indicate when they are wet or soiled, which typically occurs by age 2.  The next step is their ability to indicate needing to go to the bathroom.  A 3 year old child should be using the bathroom with daytime control, still needing help for wiping and managing clothing.  By 4 years old, a child develops nighttime control and needs less help with wiping and managing fasteners on clothing.  At 5 or 6 years, a child is independent with toileting tasks.

Feeding

Around 6 months, a child develops the upper body and hand strength to hold their own bottle.  By 7-8 months, they can grasp small pieces of cereal or baby cookies and bring it to their mouth. They may start using a spoon for feeding by about 12 months.  Between 1-2 years, a child is using a spoon (with spilling) and can hold and drink from a Sippy Cup.  Between 2 and 5 years, a child develops the ability to use a spoon and fork, and can drink from a cup with no lid (with some spilling).

The most important thing to remember about any skill development in childhood is that is takes time and lots of practice.  Spend time on these skills, especially in the evenings and weekends when there is a bit more time to spare.  Give as little help as possible.  As the child gets older, allow them to work through problems and give more verbal feedback than hands on help.  Children learn through play so turn it into a game.  You can play dress-up or dress a stuffed animal for dressing skills, play peek-a-boo games where the child pulls a napkin or washcloth off their face or head for grooming skills, and use spoons and other utensils while playing in pudding or applesauce for feeding and utensil use.  Give your child as many opportunities as possible to practice their skills, let them make mistakes, and have fun learning new skills.

It is important to remember that these skills develop at a different pace for each child and the ages presented are considered average.  If your child develops these skills slightly faster or slower, there is no need for alarm.  If there is a significant delay in the development of these skills, your child may benefit from an occupational therapy evaluation.  Please feel free to leave your comments in the section below if you have specific questions regarding your child.  

What is Sensory Integration and Why is it Important in a Child’s Development?

What is Sensory Integration and Why is it Important in a Child’s Development?

By: Liezel Fernandez, OTR/L

Pediatric Occupational Therapist at AZOPT Kids Place

Does your child have difficulty engaging in tasks?  Do they overreact to movement activities like swinging or even when their feet leave the ground? Maybe your child walks on their toes, dislikes textures or messy play, or covers their ears and negatively reacts to loud noises like a vacuum or fire alarms.  Do they refuse bathing, nail cutting, or tooth brushing?  Chew on pencils or other objects?  Does your child seek all kinds of movement, crash into walls, or lack safety awareness?  These are some of the possible signs that a child has difficulty in processing sensory information.

Sensory Processing/Sensory Integration is when our different sensory systems work together to process different sensations from our body and/or environment. When this occurs, we are able to identify and give meaning to the different sensations we experience to accomplish daily activities and move in a coordinated manner. Adversely, Sensory Processing Disorder is the inability to receive and efficiently use sensory information. Difficulty in processing sensory information interferes in our daily activities and impacts our functional ability to perform different tasks.

Our sensory systems tell us what is going on around us or in the environment. Our bodies absorb different sensory inputs, which our brain then interprets and translates. We have 7 different sensory systems that we must know: proprioception, vestibular, tactile, auditory, olfactory, oral and visual.

The Proprioceptive system (position sense) commands our body position in space, timing of movements and amount of force we are exerting during activities.  It is necessary to have a strong proprioceptive sense to develop good body awareness, motor planning and coordination.  Proprioceptive input helps calm a child, improves attention and boosts focus.  Heavy work, deep pressure and resistive activities can strengthen the proprioceptive sense.

Example of Proprioceptive activities: (Calming/Organizing)

• Deep pressure massage
• Joint compression
• Wheelbarrow walk
• Animal walks (crab walk, bear walk, seal walk, etc.)
• Chair push up
• Wall push up
• Pushing and pulling activities
• Playing tug of war
• Carrying groceries or books
• Riding a bicycle
• Swimming
• Popping bubble wraps

Our Vestibular system (movement sense) regulates tolerances to changes in movement, position in space and sense of balance.  Children with difficulties or irregularities in vestibular system are either over responsive/hypersensitive or under responsive/sensory seeker.  Vestibular input can be calming or alerting.  Slow repetitive movements tend to be calming.  Fast, jerky movements tend to be alerting.  A strong vestibular system is necessary to improve balance and postural control.

Examples of Vestibular activities:

• Swing
• Somersault
• Log rolling
• Figure eight walk
• Spinning using a swivel chair
• Bouncing or inverting on a therapy ball
• Playground slides
• Playing hopscotch or a balancing game
• Slow rocking
• Jump rope
• Jumping jacks
• Sit ups

The Tactile system (sense of touch) allows us to determine the location of touch, amount of pressure, pain and temperature.  It helps us to differentiate types of textures, size and shape of objects in the environment. Tactile system is necessary in developing fine motor skills.

Example of Tactile input/activities:

• Playing with Play doh or putty
• Sand, water, rice play
• Lotion massage
• Use of hand fidget toys
• Giving hugs
• Finger painting or messy play
• Use of vibrating toys

The Auditory system (sense of sounds) recognizes and interprets sounds in the environment and our ability to respond to it.

Examples of Auditory Input

• Listening to classical or slow music
• Use of headphones
• Singing
• Nature sounds
• Play musical instruments
• Humming
• Labeling sounds

Our Oral system processes different tastes, textures and input inside the mouth.

Examples of Oral input

• Blowing bubbles
• Use of straw when drinking
• Blowing whistles
• Exploring different taste and texture of food
• Calming:
• Sweet – lollipop, hard candy, fruits
• Chewy – bagels, gum, gummy candy
• Warm food- soup
• Alerting: Salty, crunchy, sour, spicy and cold food

Our Olfactory system processes and responds to different odors. Examples of Olfactory input

• Scented candles
• Calming scents – vanilla, lavender, sweet orange
• Alerting scents – peppermint, lemon/lime

The Visual system gives us information about what we see in the environment. Example of Visual input

• Dimming lights
• Completing puzzles, mazes, dot to dots
• Decreasing visual distractions/use of environmental modifications
• Looking at picture books
• Playing I Spy
• Putting out less toys to avoid visual overloads

If you believe that your child is experiencing any of the difficulties mentioned, then you may seek assistance from a licensed Occupational Therapist.  An Occupational Therapist will evaluate and assist in the development and/or strengthening of these areas through therapeutic interventions.

Call Kids Place at (623) 229-7808 for more information or to schedule an evaluation.