Happy Occupational Therapy Month! We are lucky to have some amazing OTs here at Therapy OPS that have created some blogs that target different OT skill areas. Today’s blog comes from Hannah and is about fine motor skills. Enjoy!

Nutrition and proper child development go hand in hand and are a vital part of a child’s well-being. Children are smart, but making healthy choices for meals and snacks is a challenge for any child.

With spring break being the next few weeks for kiddos, we thought we would put together a list of activities near the Twin Cities of sensory friendly activities! Thanks to Family Fun Twin Cities for the great ideas!

It is winter time in Minnesota! The snow has been piling up and as much fun as the snow can be, the cold weather can be limiting to the amount of sun and activity people get. With individuals with strong sensory needs, this problem can be even harder which can lead to individuals feeling very dysregulated.

March 1st kicks off National Cheerleader Safety Month! While cheer-leading can be a wonderful sport, it can also have negative impacts on the body. The most common injuries for cheerleaders are ankle sprains, followed by strains or sprains of the back, neck, knee and wrist.

We are constantly taking in sensory information during our day. This allows us to understand the world around us and helps us respond appropriately. Our senses send information to our brain to interpret, which then sends our body signals about how to react.

When we think of teaching our children, we often think of things like teaching them how to spell, write, tie their shoes, among a million other daily lessons. What about teaching kindness? Is this something we do outright or hope that they pick it up along the way?

In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, we wanted to spotlight brushing teeth! Dentists’ concur that for children all around the world, they should brush their teeth for two minutes, two times per day, floss, use fluoride toothpaste and visit the dentist frequently.

Feb. 1st kicks of National Self-Esteem Month. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of self-esteem is: confidence in one's own worth or abilities; self-respect. As adults, we are often lucky enough to develop this over time, as we have more opportunities to learn how to love and LAUGH at ourselves.

What are primitive reflexes in a baby and why is it important to understand what they are and how they work?

Books may seem old-school to some but the power of books is undeniable. Another overlooked aspect about books is the benefits they have on development just by being read aloud. Language exposure, increased vocabulary and an introduction and increase into imaginations are just a few of those benefits.

The sun did not shine.

It was too cold to play.

So we sat in the house

all that cold, cold, snowy day.

Initial Evaluation: At your first appointment at Therapy OPS, you will first meet your therapist in the lobby where they will introduce themselves to both you and your child. Next, you and your child will go back into an office to start the evaluation. The evaluation will begin with questions …

As hard as setting boundaries can be, boundaries are essential in helping children develop and become successful with age-appropriate activities and with transitions. Yet, we all have moments where we wonder whether or not the boundary we have created is really worth all the growing pains.

Toe walking is the failure of the heel to initially contact the floor while walking. There are a variety of reasons for this, but if there is no medical reason for it, then it is called idiopathic toe walking.

We spend a fair amount of time working with preschool children who demonstrate articulation and/or phonological impairments. A review of various treatment approaches by researchers in our field, revealed that what is treated may be more important than how it is treated.

Caregivers, we see you. We are so fortunate to encounter caregivers daily. We have the opportunity to work with them, talk with them and listen to them. They care so much for their children that they come first in their life no matter the circumstance. Since it is National Family Caregivers Month…

Thanksgiving time brings families together and many new foods to the table. Picky eaters experience many challenges during this time. Together our occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists have compiled a list of strategies to make the holiday enjoyable.

Fall is upon us and winter is just around the corner. The leaves are beginning to change colors and the temperatures are quickly decreasing. With these changes, we also need to adapt to the seasons by adjusting our clothing choices, exploring other ways to engage in physical activity and finding strategies to maintain good mood and behavior with far less vitamin D intake.

Tummy time is an important part of development. By spending time on their tummy, babies develop muscles in the neck, back, arms, and hips. Each of these muscles are necessary to work toward developmental milestones like holding the head upright, rolling, sitting, crawling, and walking. Additionally…