If you are unsure about what occupational therapy (OT) is and how it can help your child, this accessible overview is for you. Answering all of the common questions about the issues an occupational therapist might address with a child with special needs, including core muscle strength, feeding, fine motor skills, sensory sensitivities, transitions and life-skills, this book also offers simple activities to practice at home that are inexpensive, fun and, most-importantly, OT-approved. This will be an illuminating and essential guide for parents and carers of children with physical and developmental disabilities or parents of children in rehabilitation from illness or injury. Professionals who want to learn more about the principles and practicalities of occupational therapy will also find it useful.
If you are unsure about what occupational therapy (OT) is and how it can help your child, this accessible overview is for you. Answering all of the common questions about the issues an occupational therapist might address with a child with special needs, including core muscle strength, feeding, fine motor skills, sensory sensitivities, transitions and life-skills, this book also offers simple activities to practice at home that are inexpensive, fun and, most-importantly, OT-approved. This will be an illuminating and essential guide for parents and carers of children with physical and developmental disabilities or parents of children in rehabilitation from illness or injury. Professionals who want to learn more about the principles and practicalities of occupational therapy will also find it useful.
With the help of this handy guide, you can bring tried and tested occupational therapy activities into your home and encourage your child to succeed with everyday tasks while having fun in the process. This expanded edition of the award-winning book includes new advice on toilet training, coping with changes in routine, repetitive behaviors, self-regulation and much more. The simple explanations and easy exercises will soon make daily activities enjoyable and productive.
This is the perfect book for your child! It has colorful and fun illustrations. Mitochondrial disease affects people of all ages. Often, children benefit from books which explain symptoms and feelings in clear wording and bright photos. 'My Mighty Mito' has space for your child to personalize the book in the front as well as room for your child to write his/her own feelings and symptoms to help them to know that other children go through similar experiences and that they are not alone. 'Mighty Mito' is what Joshua Koscinski has called his mitochondria since he was a young child. Joshua is a thirteen year old who lives daily with the difficult symptoms and effects of mitochondrial disease. His desire is to help other children to know there are more kids like them out there and to not feel afraid. Often children with special needs benefit from 'social stories' or stories that help them to understand what is happening to them. For Joshua, writing is a way to let other children know that they are amazing! Cristy Balcells, founder of MitoAction.org and author of Living Well with Mitochondrial Disease wrote the foreward for our book. We hope you love reading it as much as we loved writing it. Joshua lives with mitochondrial disease, autism, Ehlers-Danlos, Sensory Processing Disorder, speech and motor delays, and eosinophilic esophagitis. When he is unable to walk, Joshua uses his granny smith apple wheelchair. He is home schooled since mitochondrial disease severely limits his energy level. Joshua is fed via a GJ tube (gastrojejunostomy tube) since his stomach doesn't function effectively. He is hyper-sensitive to heat and humidity, which is common in those with mitochondrial disease. Cara Koscinski, MOT, OTR/L (known as The Pocket Occupational Therapist) is Joshua's mother. She has authored four books and travels throughout the US to help educate therapists, parents, and teachers about working with children who have special needs. Visit her website at www.PocketOT.com for more information. Joshua has been a guest on the Anderson Cooper daytime talk show, on the cover of AutismAsperger's Digest, and AutismFile magazines. He is an advocate for other children who have mitochondrial disease.
This practical sourcebook is packed full of fun, low-cost games and activities that encourage the development of motor skills, coordination and sensory tolerance in young children. Using materials that are readily-available in most households or that can be purchased or homemade at a very low cost, these games and activities are appropriate for all children, including those with autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning challenges. The book includes clear descriptions of how to carry out each activity, helpful illustrations, and ways to adapt activities according to the child's individual needs. In addition, a comprehensive reference guide to the activities enables easy searching for games suited to the development of particular skills. This sourcebook is the key to easy-to-understand, low-cost, and effective games and activities that will support the development of sensorimotor skills. It is a useful tool for parents, carers, therapists, and teachers of children with or without special needs.
The Asperkid's Game Plan looks from the inside at the learning style of children with Asperger syndrome and explains how to introduce structured play that engages Asperkids and explicitly addresses ASD weaknesses while reinforcing ASD strengths. Showing how just about anything can be turned into an opportunity for learning and growth, the book is full of go-to ideas for making simple play equipment in the home or classroom and using it to develop core skills that Asperkids struggle with, from fine motor and social skills, to planning and organization. Whether it's origami math, fried marbles, or a bug's eye view scavenger hunt, every game, project, and idea in the book is explained with clear directions and learning objectives and illustrated with color photographs. Jennifer O'Toole's enthusiastic approach and fun lessons, based on Montessori principles, will inspire and motivate parents, educators, and therapists to make purposeful play a part of every Asperkid's day.
"The Special Needs School Survival Guide is THE handbook that will answer your questions about school accommodations, handwriting, autism, SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) in the classroom, learning disabilities, ADHD, IEPs, behavior, dysgraphia, and more. It contains easy to follow school activities. The Q&A format makes the book easy to read. This book will prove to be a resource you will use frequently as your student with special needs progresses through school"--page [4] of cover.
Boosting Learning in the Primary Classroom is your one-stop practical guide to understanding the physical development of children and how this affects their ability to learn. Not only does it explain the reasons behind the theories but provides over 75 practical tips that really work in the classroom. The book is based on a successful five-step approach to help children acquire the skills needed to manage at school and daily life. It works by being able to pinpoint a problem, assists others in recognising the impact that difficulty is having to the child and then provides strategies to develop that child’s specific skills. Using the latest medical research and established occupational therapy techniques to obtain great results, this approach provides teachers with the tools to use different knowledge and strategies to engage children in the learning process. Key ideas explored include: Exploring the reasons for poor handwriting Increasing Disability Awareness The link between body posture and concentration Dyspraxia in a school setting Play develops learning Understanding sensory behaviour By providing teachers with an understanding of physical child development and the impact this has in the classroom, this book demonstrates how teachers can use this knowledge to boost the learning of their primary-aged children. It encourages teachers to identify improvements in the child’s progress of not just educational learning targets but also in physical motor development, using real life case studies, latest theory and tried & tested occupational therapy methods to help every child improve.
Living with a chronic illness can have a significant psychological impact on a child and his or her family, and it is essential that this aspect of their care is not overlooked. This book provides a comprehensive guide to promoting the psychological well-being of children with chronic illnesses and medical conditions, covering support within health, social services and education. It discusses issues such as the impact of diagnosis and the experiences of children and their families in managing their medical condition and treatment. Strategies to support children and help them to cope with medical conditions are demonstrated, including cognitive behavioural and systemic approaches, and techniques such as relaxation and motivational interviewing. Case examples from clinical practice are given to illustrate the application of psychological ideas and frameworks to a variety of medical conditions and psychological difficulties. The book also includes a comprehensive resources section of where to look for further information. This will be an essential book for all professionals working with children with medical conditions, including psychologists, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors, social workers, speech and language therapists, dieticians and play therapists.
Empowering strategies for anyone who works with children and teens on the spectrum. International best-selling writer and autist Temple Grandin joins psychologist Debra Moore in presenting nine strengths-based mindsets necessary to successfully work with young people on the autism spectrum. Examples and stories bring the approaches to life, and detailed suggestions and checklists help readers put them to practical use. Temple Grandin shares her own personal experiences and anecdotes from parents and professionals who have sought her advice, while Debra Moore draws on more than three decades of work as a psychologist with kids on the spectrum and those who love and care for them. So many people support the lives of these kids, and this book is for all of them: teachers; special education staff; mental health clinicians; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; parents; and anyone interacting with autistic children or teens. Readers will come away with new, empowering mindsets they can apply to develop the full potential of every child.
