In This Issue:
  • April is OT Month
  • Outdoor Play
  • Vote for us! 
March 2017


973.535.5010
154 South Livingston Ave., Suite 204,  Livingston, NJ, 07039 

April is OT Month


It's OT month and we are celebrating all of our amazing Occupational Therapists at Pediatric Potentials.

What is an Occupational Therapist? An OT is a trained specialist who helps people learn to carry out everyday activities. Occupational Therapists work with people of all ages and various challenges.

A child's occupation involves playing and learning.  Pediatric Occupational Therapy focuses on helping children achieve independence in all areas of their lives.

Occupational Therapy can help children improve their physical, motor, social, and academic skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.

The goal of a Pediatric Occupational Therapist is to provide the therapies needed to enable a child to be able to participate in daily life activities and become more independent in everyday tasks. 

Occupational Therapists utilize a team approach, working with parents, caregivers, and teachers to educate and reinforce specific skills and behaviors.

As Therapist, we want to take a moment to thank you for the opportunity to work with you and your family, and to watch your child learn, play and grow!

Enjoying the Outdoors
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     Spring is finally here. The snow is thawing (hopefully!), the trees are starting to bloom and the flowers blossom. Yes, it's time to finally enjoy the outdoors with your children, discover new playgrounds, parks and hiking trails. This will allow them to explore climbing, balancing and moving equipment. If they are reluctant to try new things and just want you to push them on a swing, try to negotiate-"one new thing" and then do the familiar thing that they trust. When trying that "one new thing" you may need to combine physical assistance, words that explain the experience or actually do it with them on your lap or holding hands thru the experience.
 
     The South Mountain Recreation Complex is nestled along Northfield Avenue and Cherry Lane in West Orange. The complex features a variety of recreation opportunities including The Turtle Back Zoo, Codey Arena, Mini-Golf Safari, The Children's Regatta Playground, Paddle Boating, 1.7 mile walkway and the Clipper Pavilion for picnics.
It provides opportunities for the children to see, learn and be entertained. There are so many options to visit in this entire complex, it is best enjoyed in several trips.
 
     Hiking is a fun way for families to get some fresh air, exercise and explore the great outdoors together. The Fairy Trail in Millburn, is a fun and active family outing. Peer into the miniature houses, hammocks, and other whimsical creations for the wee folk. Park at Locust Grove across from the back lot of the Millburn Library and look for the small sign that marks the Fairy Trail (at the entrance to part of the Rahway Trail). The trail starts out flat, but gets knotty and a bit hilly as you go on. Spending about an hour with a preschooler is sufficient. They will have a blast, but do not expect to walk its length. They will love pointing out each house and may ask when they might catch a glimpse of a fairy.    
 
Laurie Kalb, OT and Shoshana Newman, PT

Outings and Family Gatherings
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Family gatherings such as Passover and Easter can be joyful and festive but can also pose increased challenges.  Travel, change of routine, lack of structure, crowds and unfamiliar faces can all contribute to increased stress.  Meals with unfamiliar foods can be a particular source of stress for picky eaters.  These holidays also present increased social demands. 

There are many things that you as parents can do to ease the tensions.  It pays to be proactive. 

  • Start by introducing your child to some of the people they may see using pictures. 
  • Reevaluate your expectations and ensure they are realistic, you can't expect your child to sit through a 4 hour meal.
  • Make wearing special clothing optional, or bring a comfortable change of clothes.
  • Think about the hour, possibly coming early or leaving before the crowds.
  • Come up with a peaceful spot if you think your child is getting overloaded.
  • Bring your own food.
  • Bring a favorite toy or activity. 
  • Finally, be selective about the invitations you accept.  Avoid events and groups with rigid behavioral expectations.  Seek out places that make your child feel welcome.  
For Passover, we suggest a fidget bag of plagues with bubble wrap boils, squishy frogs and hail cotton balls. Give them some spring veggies and dip before the Seder begins to help contain their hunger, and give them some physical activity prior to sitting down at the table.  

For Easter, plastic eggs with prizes or treats can be a fun activity to keep them busy.  
For your parties, use plastic eggs as sensory table accessories. Separate the eggs and have children scoop out sand, beans or other tactile items. Egg and spoon races are also fun. An egg hunt is always a good idea. Have children find eggs according to color in a certain time frame. For a sensory experience, they can also be filled with small objects inside (beans, rice, dice) and have children match the eggs up according to the sound.  



Sesame Friends, Meet Julia 

     For the first time in a decade, Sesame Street will introduce a new Muppet on the air! Her name is Julia. She's a shy and winsome 4-year old, with striking red hair and green eyes. Julia likes to paint and pick flowers. When Julia speaks, she often echoes what she's just heard her friends Abby and Elmo say. Julia has autism.

     Presenting Julia to the gang requires a bit more explanation for the other Muppets and their young viewers. As Abby Cadabby says, it can be hard to get Julia's attention. Big Bird had to repeat himself to get her to listen, for example. And she sees things where others don't. "That's just Julia being Julia," Abby said.

     Stacy Gordon is the puppeteer playing Julia. She has done therapeutic work for people with autism, and has a son on the autism spectrum. She believes the show will be a great resource for children and their families.

     Parents of children with autism told executives at Sesame how important the show was for their kids. Recent studies have shown, one in 68 American children have been diagnosed with autism. Julia started last year as a character in Sesame's books and digital offerings. Having a new permanent Sesame character is rare but it was the next logical step.   We are excited to see Julia in a Sesame Street episode very soon.       
RECOMMENDED BOOK
Rising Above
by Gregory Zuckerman
(ages 8-12 yrs old)

Discover the inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes such as Le Bron James, Stephen Curry, and many more. Every athlete in this book found discipline, hope and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Tim Howard for example was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in 6th grade. He went on to become a goalkeeper for Team USA and played a great role in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, weak and slow to even receive a basketball scholarship in college. Today he is an NBA champion and   voted MVP. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked and went on to be a pitcher in the Major Leagues. Rising Above is a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.

$7.49 Paperback 


MOON CHEESE HAS LANDED!

Have you heard of Moon Cheese? Its a high in protein, all natural, gluten free snack. Made of a 100% natural cheese that is made to "crunch"! This is an excellent source of calcium. It makes a perfect on-the-go healthy snack with no refrigeration required. Available in various packages from several online retailers. 

We've learned about this from one of our moms. Share with us any new products you may have tried. We always welcome these great finds from our parents.


      
HOT TOY of 2017

Tri Bar Fidget Spinners
 

Finger spinners are fidget toys that can help people with restless 
hands. They can be manipulated in a wide variety of ways which can be even more soothing for the user. These gadgets claim to help individuals with attention deficit, Autism and symptoms of fidgeting. It provides an unobtrusive outlet and energy release. They may also help increase calm, focus, and attention.
 
There is a variety of brands available. Price range is from $10-$30.


RECOMMENDED APP
 
GoNoodle Kids


This is a large collection of videos that encourage kids to get up and get moving. Videos are a mixture of unique content and third-party videos, but they're all about demonstrating some way to move. Kids must create a username and password and a parent's email address to sign up for an account.  
It's accessible on a computer as an app and can be used with Apple TV. Parents can turn the background music off in the settings menu. Click the App store link is below.
 

ACTIVITY IDEA

Put Out The Fire!

Try this sensory motor activity at home. The goal is to encourage physical activity, coordination, motor planning and gross motor skills.
Materials: 
Sidewalk Chalk

Preparation:
Draw a ladder on the black top with sidewalk chalk. Draw a simple fire with large flames. Place bucket with water and sponge at bottom of ladder.

How to Play:
The child wets the sponge in the bucket. The child holds the sponge and climbs up the ladder (by walking, jumping or hopping). At the top of the ladder, the child squeezes the sponge. This will erase the sidewalk chalk flames to put the fire out. The child walks back down the ladder, gets the sponge wet again and climbs back up. Repeat until the entire fire is put out (erased).
from YourTherapySource.com

 


NJ Family 2017 Kid's Favorite Doc Awards













We hope our wonderful therapists have made a positive impact on you and your family. 

Please take the time to vote for us! 
   
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Julie Adelman DPT
   
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Melissa Cunha, PT
 
 
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Amy Feldman, OT
   
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Elissa Grossbard, OT
 
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Marjory Hansen, OT

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Amy Ladetsky, OT

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Grace Malone, OT
 
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Mary Ann Loreng, OT

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Marcia Podvey, OT

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Deirdre Twomey, OT

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Anne Biedermann, OT