We commonly hear that parents are worried about their kids’ gross motor development long before their family physician or paediatrician are concerned. But knowing when to get your late-walker assessed is tricky. While it is true that often kids will walk when they are ready, if this is a cause for concern, there are options!
Physiotherapy with kids means staying current, talking their language and knowing what motivates them. It also takes creativity. Combining Physiotherapy and play can be so effective in getting repetitions of movements to create stronger muscles and better muscle memory. (Or it can be so distracting…sometimes it’s a fine balance). Getting Motivated! American Ninja Warrior has
Handwriting and fine motor skills are absolutely essential skills which children must develop in order to maximize potential at school and at home. Often, fine motor issues are not identified until a child enters kindergarten. If not addressed, fine motor issues can negatively affect many aspects of a child's day to day life. Both parents
Parents are usually uncertain as to what skills are expected at their child’s age. Anytime you as a parent have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, both you and your child would benefit from an assessment. Whatever the areas of concern, an assessment will give you an opportunity to discuss your observations and concerns
Many early milestones for children have ranges that are considered ‘normal’ and it is hard to know when to be concerned and seek additional support. However, parental instinct goes a long way. There are many experts in various fields who you may consult, but ultimately YOU are the expert on your child. If you have
What is Play? Before reading any further, I challenge you to come up with a simple definition of play. Harder than it seems! For such a seemingly simple and universal concept, it is quite challenging to come up with a simple definition of “play”. In the field of occupational therapy, play is recognized as a
Despite what the name suggests, Occupational Therapists do not help children find jobs! Occupational Therapists help children with the occupations of childhood. Occupations are activities or roles that a child wants to do, needs to do or is expected to do in their day to day lives. Occupations are typically performed at home, school and
The environment at Butterfly is described as being calm, fresh and relaxing by parents, but kids get big eyed when they go through the door. There’s room to crawl and climb, and activities for all developmental levels. But it’s not all about fun for the kids and relaxation for the parents – it’s far from
Pokemon Go – Really? I've learned an entirely new language this week. Usually, as a Physiotherapist who works with kids, and who has kids of my own, I try to stay current. Sort of. I know the names of Thomas trains and the words to “Let it Go”. I love American Ninja Warrior and play
