Upgrading Sensory Diet Activities for a Digital Generation
I am going to make a bold statement. The Sensory Diets of the 90’s and early 2000’s are outdated. What worked for the Millennial generation is not the same as what will work for Gen Z. The biggest reason: technology. Let me explain. The iPhone was released in 2007. By 2017, the number of Apps…
7 Classroom Ideas for Sensational Teachers
by Aubrey Schmalle OTR/L How important is it that my classroom is “sensory friendly” and digitally aware? Every year, there are many blog posts encouraging you to set-up a sensory friendly classroom. And some of you may be asking, why focus on this when the children in my classroom have so many different learning needs? …
Children with ADHD Benefit from Intense Movement & Proprioceptive Input!
Do marketers in a digital world know more than parents?
Is it more valuable to have a quick win or long term success? As a parent of a child with sensory, learning, or attention difficulties, sometimes it’s easy to go for the quick wins and immediate rewards. The marketing world tells us that is exactly what we need. Post a cute picture and get…
Teaching that one child that keeps you up at night through movement
Photo: LA Johnson/NPR Everyone has that one child….. I recently spoke at a preschool teacher’s conference. I was excited to hear their questions about how to support children with sensory differences in the classroom. As I was listening to their questions and stories, I started seeing a pattern. Everyone has that ONE child that stands out…
Preparing for Peaceful Mealtimes
Tips for Peaceful Family Mealtimes Tip One: Never force your child to eat or clean their plate, bargain, punish, threaten, reward, coax, negotiate, or strongly encourage your child to eat. By doing this, you are setting yourself up for a show down with your child and making extra work for yourself. Tip Two: Ignore refusals,…
Scoop on Praxis and Executive Function
What is the Difference Between Praxis and Executive Function? Could a Person have Difficulties with Both? Executive function is a general umbrella term used to describe a variety of cognitive skills involving self-regulation, mental control of behavior/decision-making, attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, forward thinking, planning and organization. Dr. Teresa-May Benson, a well known researcher in…
Interview with Colleen McNamara Cimador
After the talk on Thursday evening, Colleen McNamara Cimador took some time to answer a few questions about her journey of hope and recovery. She is a certified holistic health coach and mother of a child who was diagnosed with food allergies, sensory processing disorder, and many other neurosensory disorders. Together, she and…
Is it really ADHD?
Does my child have ADHD? During a parent teacher conference a teacher shared with a parent that her child has some of the behaviors associated with the diagnosis- looking around the room, having a hard time concentrating on work, being off task ( eg. getting a drink, going to the bathroom, staring out the window),…
