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Perth Children's Occupational Therapy

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25.01.2022 Perhaps if tearful little boys were comforted instead of shamed, there wouldn’t be so many angry men ... struggling to express and empathize with emotion. Perhaps if angry little girls were heard instead of silenced, there wouldn’t be so many hurting women struggling to understand and love themselves. And vice versa. Perhaps if children's emotions were understood instead of punished, there wouldn’t be so many armored people struggling to be connected and authentic. Certainly, children need to feel all their emotions, without fear of rejection to mature into their healthiest true selves. Being hard on children does not make them stronger. People are strengthened through compassion and understanding, regardless of gender or age. With love, Lelia #leliaschott www.LeliaSchott.com

24.01.2022 CROSSING THE MIDLINE is the ability to move one body part across to the other side of the body. Crossing the midline usually develops by 3-4 year of age. It is a prerequisite skill for many movement skills and everyday tasks, including tying our shoes, crossing our legs, and visually tracking with our eyes from left to right when reading and writing. It helps to build the pathways that cross from one side of the brain to the other. Crossing the midline is especially imp...ortant in developing a hand dominance. If a child avoids crossing the midline, they may swap between their left and right hands at their midline, rather than crossing over. We want children to become stronger and more specialised in the use of one hand, rather than having two less skilled hands. Signs that a child may be avoiding crossing the midline include: Swapping hands midway through a task such as writing, drawing, painting or colouring Using their left hand for activities on the left side of the body and their right hand for activities on the right hand side Rotating their trunk when reaching across the body to avoid crossing the midline Difficulty visually tracking an object from left to right, for example when reading Mixed foot dominance Difficulty coordinating gross motor movements (e.g. crawling, skipping, star jumps) If you have concerns about your child’s ability to cross their midline, an occupational therapist can support them in developing this skill. #crossingthemidline #midlinecrossing #bilateralintegration #bilateralcoordination #handdominance #handedness #dominance #finemotorskills #grossmotorskills #occupationaltherapy #paediatrics #paediatricot #otforkids #perthot #perth #perthkids #perthteachers #childdevelopment #earlychildhood #childhood #parenting #parenteducation #kindy #preprimary #toddlers #motorplanning #brainfunction #lefthemisphere #righthemisphere #braindevelopment See more

24.01.2022 "YELLING silences your message. Speak quietly so your children can hear your words instead of just your voice." - L.R.Knost - Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources https://fb.watch/2yi1LmG8kz/

24.01.2022 Kids do not need "tough love" (neither do adults).

24.01.2022 Those who have been following for a while will know my stance on the importance of school-starting age and developmental readiness. WA is the only state in Australia that doesn't allow caregivers the flexibility to delay the age at which their child starts school if they don't feel they're ready. Please help change this by signing this petition for Premier Mark McGowan. Maggie Dent, thank you for fighting this fight and for reaching out to Perth Children's Occupational Therapy for support. 100% behind you. Let's be heard once and for all.

24.01.2022 Tips for promoting CUTTING skills: Experiment with scissors by cutting playdough or cooked spaghetti Card is easier to hold and manipulate than paper... Start with thick lines and progress to thinner lines Start with straight lines before moving to curves and corners Prompt for thumbs up - both thumbs should be facing up (you can draw a smiley face on thumbs as a visual prompt) Scissors should always point away from their body, and their helper hand should turn the page when cutting shapes Encourage small snips rather than big chomps (scissors shouldn’t close completely) #scissorskills #finemotorskills #preschool #kindy #preprimary #toddler #schoolskills #schoolreadiness #handstrength #cutting #cuttingskills #occupationaltherapy #teacher #teachersofperth #downunderteachers #paediatricot #schoolbasedot #perth #perthplay #perthkids See more

23.01.2022 Via The Purposeful Parenting Movement

23.01.2022 We need to do better at encouraging and nurturing the expression of feelings and emotions in males. Thank you to @wonder_doodles for these amazing graphics. ... #itsokaytocry #cryingisntweak #boyscancry #boyshavefeelings #toxicmasculinity #emotionalintelligence #EQ #empathy #askforhelp #mentalhealth #mensmentalhealth #childmentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #endthestigma #occupationaltherapy #psychology #endthestigma @ Perth, Western Australia See more

20.01.2022 So many adults are obsessed with the idea that children should treat them with respect and should be disciplined to make them do so, yet what do they really mean by ‘respect’?

19.01.2022 Quick tip to help with cutlery skills. If your child is having trouble with the grasps and coordination required to use a knife and fork, two stickers placed where each index finger should go can make a big difference. Thicker handles also help. Practise with soft foods like bread or sausages before progressing to tougher foods like steaks. Kids don’t usually master this until 6 or 7 years old.

14.01.2022 Something to think about from @monadelahooke

13.01.2022 #Repost @nurture_neuroscience_parenting Nurture is productive and hard work. Our positive responses to needs, kissing, cuddling, hugging, feeding with love, bathing, conversations, comforting has MASSIVE effects in the brain. Nurture builds biomass in the brain. ... It increases the expression of glucocorticoid receptors (PMID: 30257918). These give your baby an increased ability to shut off stress efficiently, lower anxiety and lower fear. This can help learning, relationships, work and overall flourishing and happiness. Nurture increases the expression of oxytocin receptors (PMID: 31663028). These give your baby an increased ability to thrive in all relationships, socially, romantically and as parents of your grandchildren. Nurture is circuit sculpting in the brain. It changes the structure of the amygdala (PMID: 31399257). This helps your baby assess process and regulate: stress, anxiety and fear. Nurture influences the connections between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex (PMID: 31399257). This gives your baby healthy connections between their emotional brain and cognitive brain. This enriches lifelong mental health, thinking and emotion regulation. Nurture is legacy creating. Nurture leaves marks on your babies DNA called epigenetics. These marks make them nurturing parents. It also means that their babies inherit these marks so they also are more nurturing to their babies. We can change the future this way. It feels so good to follow our instincts and cuddle and respond to our babies. It is also transformative to the infant brain and the future of humanity. Please share in your stories and tag your friends to support the Nurture Revolution *PMID is the unique identifier number used in PubMed (a research database). They are assigned to each article record when it enters the PubMed system, so you can look them up in PubMed.

13.01.2022 CROCODILE TEARS or fake crying in kids can be frustrating and even triggering for adults. The triggered response likely comes from our childhood (how we were responded to when we cried); what society tells us is an acceptable form of communication, as well as what kind of "mould" children should fit (i.e. compliant, in control, well-behaved; all of which actually go against natural child development). Why do children "fake cry"? Firstly, all behaviour is communicati...on. It's a signal for help. They might be trying to communicate a feeling to us that they cannot put into words, which is very typical for toddlers and even primary-school aged kids, especially if they're in a stressed state (keeping in mind that many stressors are hidden). Or, they might be trying to emphasise what they are saying, having learned that adults are more serious and attentive when a child cries. In any case, they are seeking the help and comfort that adults would usual give with real tears. So they pretend to cry to get our attention (even if it is negative attention). They are desperately trying to get through to us. And a child trying to get our attention should never be seen as a bad thing - a child's most basic need is to be seen, loved and heard. If this resonates with you, what can you try to do when a child "fake cries"? Empathise. All feelings are valid. Play detective and figure out what the problem is if necessary, then help them with it. Telling them to stop crying will extinguish the signal that something is wrong, without addressing what's actually wrong. It may also teach them not to express themselves, and that they're on their own when they have emotions that adults don't feel comfortable with. (This isn’t to say you give in or drop a boundary if that’s what they’re upset about). The more responsive we are to a child's needs, the more they'll realise that they don't need to "fake cry" to get our attention. It’s often when a child displays their least favourable behaviour that they need us the most. Children, just like adults, do the best they can with the resources and knowledge they have. See more

13.01.2022 Did your child receive play dough for Christmas? Here are some fun ways to use play dough, which are great for hand strength and fine motor coordination: Roll the play dough into different sized balls between the palms of the hands (hands performing reciprocal movements) Roll the play dough into snakes and snails (hands performing the same action)... Poke dry spaghetti, pipe cleaners, popsticks, googly eyes or different objects into the play dough Pretend play making different foods like pancakes, pizza, cupcakes Make letters, numbers and shapes Make people or animals Cut the play dough using scissors or a knife and fork Hide small items inside the play dough to find, like beads, coins, marbles, or buttons Follow your child’s lead! #playdough #christmaspresent #handstrength #finemotorskills #finemotorplay #bilateralcoordination #athometherapy #followyourchildslead #pretendplay #occupationaltherapy #otforkids #paediatrics #schoolholidays #summerholidays See more

12.01.2022 Yes, gentle parenting involves parenting.

09.01.2022 We are mistaken if we believe that we develop resilience by experiencing adversity and hardship. Many people survive adversity, but survival is not the same thi...ng as resilience. What the research shows is that, beginning in childhood, those with greater resilience are those who experience safe and secure relationships that are characterised by emotional attunement and sensitive responsiveness; while those who lack access to such relationships and who experience high stress and adversity are at greater risk for poor mental health and wellbeing in childhood and in later life. In other words, resilience develops through safety and sensitivity, not harshness and adversity. . . @australianpsychologist See more

08.01.2022 This is a short, worthwhile read. Thanks to Steve Biddulph's Raising Girls for sharing.

07.01.2022 ALPHABET ACTION SONG. Here’s a way to work on lots of different skills with your child in 30 seconds (sped up here to fit into a 15 second reel!) This would work well as a little movement break in the classroom. It works on:... Bilateral coordination Body awareness Motor planning (coordination) Crossing the midline Proprioceptive input Vestibular input Timing & rhythm Have fun! #occupationaltherapy #otforkids #therapyathome #bilateralcoordination #bodyawareness #motorplanning #coordination #crossingthemidline #proprioception #activityideas #sensoryplay #sensorygames #actionsongs #learningthroughplay #playbasedlearning #paediatricot #mumsofinstagram #dadsofinstagram #teacher #teacherideas #DCD See more

06.01.2022 #Repost @ourmamavillage Helping kids understand consent starts with us! I’ve been teaching consent for years and have studied the importance of teaching consent to our kids early on. Teaching our kids these things helps reduce their vulnerability to abuse. This is a topic I’m very passionate about and so excited to partner with @curious_neuron to share more about this! These are some of the key themes that often come up in my work. I’ve summarized what is not helpful... and what you can do instead below. Not helpful: Give nana a hug! We don’t want to make them go against and not trust their internal instincts in terms of touching others. Helpful: Would you like to give grandma a hug? Respecting their answer if they say no. Not helpful: Tickling after they say stop. Helpful: Narrating out loud: You said stop! I hear you are done with tickling. We have a whole post coming out on tickling later this week (stay tuned) but if you do decide to tickle respect when your child says to stop. Not helpful: Telling them to keep secrets (even silly ones). Helpful: We don’t keep secrets in our family. If anyone tells you to keep a secret you let us know. We don’t want to normalize keeping secrets for our kids. We can have happy surprises like a surprise present or party, but we encourage kids that they don’t need to keep secrets and we are safe to share anything with. Not helpful: Making silly names for private parts. This is a tough one for many. Often we grew up with feeling shame for sharing the anatomically correct names of body parts and still feel this shame when talking with our kids. Helpful: Use anatomically correct names for body parts. Penis, vagina, vulva, breasts, nipples are not bad words. We don’t call our elbow our little bo-bo, and we don’t need to call a penis a wee-wee. Practice saying these words if you are still uncomfortable saying them. Hope this helps you in your journey of creating a consent culture in your home! See more

05.01.2022 Love this! #HackingSchoolDiscipline Amy Fast

05.01.2022 When you read or hear information/advice online, you might think, "This is too much. No one can do all of this. And you’re absolutely right. No one can do it all, all of the time. Please don’t think anyone expects this of you! The expectation is that you take the information that works for you. When reading advice, you might think "That makes sense! I want to try and implement this" (and then either try and succeed, or try and fail - both are okay). ... Other times you might think, "That makes sense! But that's just not a priority for me right now, so I'm not going to implement it". Or, "That doesn't make sense to me. I want to research this further". Or, This doesn’t resonate with me at all. I’m going to move on. Or, I’m experiencing a strong emotional reaction to this. I need to look inward to figure out why. And sometimes you might be in the mood for learning information so you scroll through social media pages, and other times you may know you’re in a state where you just can't take on any new information. Recognising what you need and don’t need, and what is and isn’t meant for you on social media can be difficult, especially when you throw anxiety, exhaustion, unhealed trauma and conflicting messages from friends, family and society into the mix. We live in a digital world that means we have information at our fingertips whenever we need it. This of course has its advantages however I think it's important to know yourself and the way you interact with information online. It’s great to be open-minded, but do unfollow accounts that are consistently sending messages that don't resonate with you (keeping in mind that they may not work for you, but they do work for others). Take breaks when you need to. Don’t forget that social media doesn’t substitute seeing a health professional in person. And when it comes to child development information and tips specifically, know that you were never meant to do it all, all of the time. Take what you need. Prioritise. If you feel triggered, look inward. Commend yourself for what you’re already achieving (even if it doesn’t feel like you’re achieving anything - I can guarantee you, you are). I want to say follow your instincts, but I am aware that some people don’t have instincts, and others know that they can’t trust their instincts. Do what works best for you. We all do what we can with the resources we have, and that’s enough.

04.01.2022 There are a lot of ways to be social. Not everybody has to be a life of the party extrovert. There's certainly room in the world for a quieter way of interacting." - Eileen Kennedy-Moore, psychologist and author of Growing Friendships: A Kids’ Guide to Making and Keeping Friends ... #introvert #introverted #shy #kids #toddlers #socialskills #play #socialinteraction #communicationskills #playskills #extrovert #introvertproblems #childdevelopment #personality #temperament #infj #hsp #highlysensitive #highlysensitivechild #highlysensitiveperson #occupationaltherapy #psychology #earlychildhood #positiveparenting #parenting #parentingtips #mumsofperth #dadsofperth #mumsofinstagram #dadsofinstagram See more

04.01.2022 Please read this article, especially if you're a teacher. It applies to all children, not just those who have been through trauma. This information, from Think:Kids and the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach, is backed by research and there are so many professionals in the field trying to spread the message, including Karen Young - Hey Sigmund, Maggie Dent, and Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families. It is slowly reaching schools...some are listening, others aren't.

03.01.2022 This beautifully made rainbow serpent puzzle has been a favourite with the kids for many years. Check out @ozzypuzzles for lots more like this. They’re also available from @fremantlemarkets in Perth. #puzzles #finemotor #finemotorskills #visualmotorintegration #christmasgiftideas #kidschristmas #kidschristmasgifts #occupationaltherapy #otforkids #learningthroughplay #perthkids #fremantle #freo #perth #wa

02.01.2022 Thank you, as always, for your wisdom Maggie Dent.

02.01.2022 Have you had enough of my pom pom activities yet? No? Good, because here’s another one! Swipe to see a variation of the activity. All you need is:... A container/basket with holes Wool or string Tongs or tweezers (or just a pincer grasp ) Small items to pull out #handstrength #finemotorskills #finemotoractivity #finemotorcoordination #tongs #tweezers #pompoms #halloweenactivity #insects #spidersweb #therapyathome #kidsactivities #occupationaltherapy #OTathome #pincergrasp #hypermobility #prewriting #prewritingactivity #toddlerplay #kindy #preprimary #preschool #teacher #teacherideas #foundationskills #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #perthkids #kidsofperth @ Perth, Western Australia See more

02.01.2022 Things I’ve heard throughout my life as a Highly Sensitive Person: She’s a sensitive girl Stop crying You’re overreacting... Why aren’t you dancing? Are you too good for us? Did that really scare you? You’re leaving already? What smell?? Why is she like that? Why are you so tired all the time? You seem to get more stressed than the other OTs that work here The highly sensitive person is one of 15-20% of people born with a nervous system that is highly aware and quick to respond to information they receive through their senses. Psychologist, Dr Elaine Aron, explains that such people are incredibly responsive to their environments, whether it is the lighting, sounds, smells or overall mood of others around them. They process information more deeply and thoroughly in the brain, and as a result, experience stronger emotional responses. The reasons for the sensitivity are unclear, with biological, genetic, prenatal stress, birth trauma and C-section theories being amongst some of the different possibilities. Highly sensitive children can be: Easily upset and overwhelmed Very hurt by what appear to be minor issues Reluctant to join in with group activities Observant of and possibly annoyed by subtleties such as strong smells, textured food or loud noises Highly aware and concerned when others are sad Very inquisitive Keen to know details and plans Easily distressed when reprimanded Exhausted at the end of each day Children (and adults) who are highly sensitive do not need to be fixed or changed. They do not need to be less sensitive. What they do need is love and acceptance. They thrive on deep, meaningful relationships and connections with others. They benefit from calming environments, routines and structure, gentle guidance and lots of empathy. #hsp #highlysensitiveperson #highlysensitivechild #sensitive #sensitivity #sensoryprocessing #snotadisorder #occupationaltherapy #empathy #connection #attachment #psychology #childpsychology #kids #perth #perthkids See more

02.01.2022 #Repost @theotbutterfly Inspired by a follower who asked me how she could speak to the behaviorist on her son’s team about how to re-phrase these terribly unrealistic expectations of a child with sensory needs. Unless this is in the context of a meal, these kind of old school sit still, hands in your lap goals need to go.... ALL kids, not just sensory kids, would benefit from reframing standards and these kinds of expectations. Especially if we’re talking about virtual lessons/distance learning, let’s be supportive of all children’s sensory preferences and needs so that they don’t have to focus on these irrelevant social norms and can focus on the academics while feeling as regulated as they can? Side note: I do want to acknowledge that I know in person classrooms and clinics are under some strict guidelines to limit body movement and contact with objects so certain regulations and rules may need to be enforced there normalize alternative seating provide movement breaks offer fidgets or other regulation tools don’t write goals about stopping stimming or sensory behaviors I may be pushing buttons here, but this is a very strong belief of mine. Comment with your thoughts below! #sensoryoverload #sensoryprocessingdisorder #sensoryseeker #sensoryseeking #aba #bcba #behaviorist #otentrepreneur #classroombehavior #parentadvocate #spdawareness #spd #autism #parentingtips #teachertips #distancelearning #homeschooling See more