Skills on the Hill Newsletter Issue 19

DC Phone: 202-544-5439 VA Phone: 703-243-4601

Fax: 202-379-1797 Email: info@skillsonthehill.com

Hello!

Welcome to our October 2018 Newsletter!

The cool, breezy wind is taking its course as the Fall season sets in. While some families with school-aged children are probably still in the process of adjusting to new schedules and daily routines, others are working towards building relationships with new teachers or caregivers. SOTH strongly supports the idea of collaboration between families and others working closely with our patients. Please let us know if we can help with recommendations or strategies across settings.

For this month's issue, we will conclude our series about vision and how it impacts a child's learning, behavior, and performance. We will discuss different ways to integrate vision development to activities at home and school, as well as techniques to enhance mental visualization, visual memory, and visual spatial organization.

We are also excited like to feature our very own Rebecca Berick, Assistant Clinical Director at our SOTH DC office, as the professional on spotlight! She is one of the great contributors in our practice today and she is here to share some valuable tips for parents and aspiring OTs too!

Lastly, we will feature another kid-friendly APP called iTouchiLearn. It is an app that basically uses animations and interactive activities that allow children or any user to identify and differentiate emotions and feelings. Ready your gadgets and try this cool app!

We appreciate any feedback, comments, or suggestions from you regarding this newsletter. Send us a note!

Enjoy reading!

Sincerely,

Kristen Masci and the SOTH Staff

Newsletter October 2018 Issue

"How Visual Function Impacts Learning, Behavior & Activities of Daily Living"

(PART four)

( Credits to Dr. Mehrnaz Green, OD, FCOVD )

INTEGRATING VISION DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES INTO DAILY LIFE ROUTINES

(Source) Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement:

Advancing Competencies and Emotional Development in Children with Learning and Autism Spectrum Disorders

PROFECTUM.ORG

Body Awareness and Laterality

Angels in the Snow

Hokey Pokey Game

(try with eyes closed)

Reinforce laterality and directionality with everyday tasks

Symmetrical and Reciprocal Movements (gross motor & fine motor)

SEARCH AND SCAN

Start with presenting information within the child’s ability level so that they feel successful
Slowly increase complexity by increasing number of targets and increasing their differentiation
Use targets within or below their cognitive/developmental level
Reduce motor support
Start with touching targets
Use a dowel stick to touch targets
Consider a flashlight to "touch" targets
Progress to eyes only

IDEAS TO TRY

Targets on blackboard
Targets on desk
Bigger to smaller targets
Fewer targets then more
Increasing details and differentiation between targets

VISUALIZATION AND VISUAL MEMORY

Visual imagery is critical to the development of visual memory!

IDEAS:

Feel hidden everyday objects behind a covering; What is it?
”What’s missing?” Game
Writing on back: shapes, letters, words

Encourage visualization:

when reading
when spelling
with early math concepts

HAND THINKING (ASLO CALLED STEREOGNOSIS)

VISUAL SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

Block stacking, block matching, spatial comparisons
Start with 3D then move to 2D
Start with significant differentiation between objects, then reduce
Encourage use of Legos and other manipulatives

ACTIVITY IDEAS TO TRY

Parquetry materials
Attribute sorting/blocks
Card sorting by colors/shapes
Block cubes, left to right
Eye Spy games
Hidden pictures

(e.g. www.highlightskids.com )

HELPING OUR EYES TO “SEE”

Proper visual angle
Sloped work surface on an easel, slant board, or 3” binder

(Check www.visualedgesb.com )

Good lighting:

Full spectrum fluorescent
At home, incandescent are BEST, meaning “regular” light bulbs
Ideally two separate sources, results in no shadowy areas

Proper ergonomics:

Measure knuckle to elbow
Sitting with feet planted flat on the floor
Use adjustable desks and chairs

ADDITIONAL IDEAS

*Frequent breaks from near work “20-2” rule: every 20 minutes, take 2 minute break

*Avoid using small print too early

*Limit video games, TV, computer

*Make print larger

*Less print on the page

*Increase contrast

*Provide a ruler or a piece of dark

cardboard as a guide when reading

*Give child notes at desk to copy, rather than from chalkboard

*Rest breaks with extended near work

*Eliminate visual distractions at desk

*Use of enlarged scantron or eliminate scantron form & write answers on test page

*Encourage verbalization of what is seen

*Encourage visualization of what is learned

RESOURCES

Visual & Conceptual Development Center

www.visiontherapydc.com 301-951-0320

College of Optometrists in Vision Development

www.covd.org

American Optometric Association

www.aoa.org

www.add-adhd.org

www.children-special-needs.org

www.visionandlearning.org

www.pavevision.org

APP OF THE MONTH

"iTouchiLearn Feelings"

iTouchiLearn Feelings gives children tools to express their feelings and emotions through:

*Funny animations that demonstrate cause and effect feelings and emotions

*Six fun activities that identify core feelings and improve communication skills

*Audio directions to facilitate learning and aid children with speech difficulties

*Ideal supplement for play and speech therapy

*Bonus animated sing-a-long happy song

*Post Feelings Face Creation to Facebook to share with family and friends!

TouchiLearn Feelings sequentially builds early learning social cues and enables children to apply what they learn to real world situations. iTouchiLearn Feelings is most effective when you begin by playing with your child and guiding them through the activity. As they become more familiar with the structure of the games, children can play alone and build early learning and social competency skills. Get this app by clicking the link below:

iTouchiLearn

SOTH Giving back to the community

Skills on the Hill proudly supports Eli's Heart organization. Please check the link below to learn how you can help too!

SOTH has recently sponsored the 2018 Arlington Food Assistance Center's (AFAC) Annual Golf Tournament.

Arlington Food Assistance Center

ELI's HEART

Check out the announcement page in Washington Family Magazine HERE !

Skills on the Hill won

"2018 BEST PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE"

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US!

PROFESSIONAL ON SPOTLIGHT!

Rebecca Berick, MOT, OTR/L - MISS BECCA

Skills on the Hill

Assistant Clinical Director (DC Office)

Rebecca earned her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh. Since then, she has worked solely in pediatrics across a variety of settings, including clinics, early intervention, school based, and outpatient rehabilitation settings. She has experience working with children from infancy through high school with a variety of diagnoses including Autism, Developmental Delays, Trisomy-21, Cerebral Palsy, as well as a range of genetic and medical conditions. Her continuing training has included certification in the SOS Approach to Feeding, visual processing and ocular motor skills, feeding conferences, Trisomy-21, Aquatic Therapy, and creative approaches to self-care skills. Before joining Skills on the Hill, Rebecca worked as an occupational therapist in the outpatient department at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Prior to returning to school for her Master degree, she earned a Bachelors Degree from Skidmore College in Business and Education and taught in both traditional classrooms and experiential educational settings. In her free time she enjoys exploring new corners of Washington DC, yoga, and creating delicious meals from her CSA.

Want to know more about Becca? See how she responded to these trivia questions:

If you could be anywhere in the world, where would that be and why? Melbourne, Australia. It is my ideal small city with oceans, delicious food and coffee shops down hidden alleyways, street art all over, road trips with gorgeous views and vineyards, and of course the accents.

What is your favorite food? and restaurant? I love variety in food, seasonal variety and ethnic variety. I am not sure I have a favorite food, but Jeni’s Bangkok Peanut ice cream is pretty close. My favorite restaurant at the moment is probably the Fancy Radish, though Lil’ Deb’s in Hudson, NY is perfection in a restaurant.

What are some activities you participate in outside of work? I take pottery classes, throwing on the wheel, and enjoy cooking from my CSA. I also have gotten involved in the Playtime Project, which SOTH joined me in creating a holiday party for homeless children in DC.

What are you most proud of about being an OT? Having the ability to help kids enjoy and embrace life, especially when it turns out to be the goofy, sneaky, age appropriate dare devil type play as they build confidence.

What inspires you? The children and families I work with who face challenges with all of the little pieces of their days, and continue to find the joy in life and with each other.

Share the most common advice you give to parents. Find time to have fun and play with your children. Don’t stress about a fancy, extensive home exercise program, work with your therapist to find fun ways to introduce challenges and tasks into daily routines and games.

Share an interesting fact about you that most people don't know yet. I previously lived in 7 states in 8 years, but I am so happy to have been in the same city and job for the past 4 years!