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KIDS MAKING STRIDES
News from TLC's Pediatric Outpatient Services
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"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." This quote by Helen Keller inspires me and also reminds me of the importance of teamwork, camaraderie and how successful each person can be when we work together. This is what we strive to achieve every day in our outpatient services - working together with our clients, families, communities and each other to achieve the highest successes ... learning to ride a bike, making a new friend, studying for and passing a test. When we work together ... anything is possible!
On behalf of the outpatient Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Therapy and Testing and Tutoring Departments, we thank you for the opportunity to work together with each of you and we wish you and your families a happy, healthy Spring. As always, please contact me if I can answer any questions for you about how we work with families at TLC.
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April is Occupational Therapy Month
We all have goals and responsibilities every day. Our children also have daily goals and responsibilities - learning and growing. And what is the best way to learn and grow? For children, play and exploration are the most important ways for learning to interact with the world and people around them. Developing coordination, strength, social skills and confidence are important developmental milestones for our children. Sometimes these skills develop naturally. Other times children need help to successfully master these skills.
Is your child experiencing any of the following:
* Struggling with handwriting?
* Finding it hard to learn new motor tasks?
* Avoiding coloring, drawing or cutting?
* Clumsiness?
* Covering his ears with loud noises?
* Always need to be "on the go" or fidgety?
* Bothered by tags in clothing
* Annoyed by messy hands and fingers?
TLC is
offering free screens throughout the month of April.
Limited appointments are available for children ages 3-9.
To schedule call Cindy Alonso, 301.424.5200 x159.
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP
Sensory Integration: Strategies for the Classroom, Wednesday, April 20, 2016, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., by Brigid Baker, OTR/L, Director of Clinical Programs, TLC. Professionals working with children at the preschool level will be provided with strategies to use in the classroom setting for children with attention, coordination and sensory issues. (Core of Knowledge: Special Needs). Register here.
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A few tips from TLC's psychologists to help your child with planning and organization. Better organization can mean less stress and more productivity for adults. The same can hold true for children. The best school work is done in an atmosphere with less distraction and clutter. For young children, sometimes productivity is about the best possible play time!
Preschool to Kindergarten
- Keep it simple - Let kids choose from 2-3 toys at a time in play
- Use a "toy library" system to put away some toys/ games for a few weeks at a time. They will seem fresh and new when they come back!
- Organize child's bedroom and play space from their perspective - using easy containers with picture labels
- Reduce distractions - keep screens and TV off during playtime
- Teach time sense by using sand timers and calendars with pictures
- Take a picture of child "ready for school" and post it near the door to show pride and use as a guide
- Help them plan and carry out steps for a recipe, tea party, or lemonade stand
- Model how you as parent solve problems and plan ("talk out loud")
- Play games that require memory, planning, and self-control (Simon, Twister, Red-light/ Green-light)
- Make chores more fun: "I'll pick up the blue and yellow blocks - you get the reds and greens - GO!"
School-Age to Teen
- Keep it simple - Have a clutter-free workspace with needed supplies
- Take the first 10 minutes to sort backpack/ binder, think and plan
- Experiment with different background sounds: quiet, music, or nature
- Try standing while working at a counter, or a different location or seat
- Reduce distractions - Keep phone put away and only check during breaks if at all
- Make a priority list for homework, cross off completed tasks
- Help student estimate how much time a task will take, then see if they were right
- Plan breaks after every 10, 15, or 20 minutes of work time.
- Highlight key words in instructions before starting
- Put homework sheets all in one folder to take home/turn in.
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TLC's Occupational Therapists Present...
CORE Classes For Your Students
TLC's occupational therapy department is very excited about an after school program we are providing at St. Andrew's Episcopal School this winter. OTs are conducting programs for preschoolers and elementary age students.
Core strengthening is essential for the progression of ALL developmental skills that are so important for children. The core is the center of control for everything else the body does. It's difficult to balance, perform coordinated movements on both sides of the body, sit up straight in a chair, hold a pencil, control scissors, or jump if you don't have a strong core. Children make so many rapid gains in development since infancy - achieving MANY developmental milestones along the way. Preschool and elementary years are when these important skills become more refined. As children become more balanced and more coordinated they tend to grow more confident.
For more infomration on CORE Classes, contact
Brigid Baker at 301.424.5200 x128.
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Techniques to Promote Language
Children begin to develop their communication skills from birth and they soon learn the power of language with their first word. Here are some tips to encourage language development in your child:
Narrate your actions during daily routines: Children benefit from repetition and talking to your child during daily routines such as getting dressed, mealtime, and bath time provides the repetitive exposure they need to learn new words.
Read books: Predictable and repetitive books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? help to build language skills as well. For repetitive books like this, try to pause when you get to a repeated line or word and see if your child will fill in the blank.
Music: Singing songs and finger plays provide exposure to important skills such as rhyming, an essential reading readiness skill. Children who are taught nursery rhymes at an early age have better reading skills than those who were not exposed to them.
Model after mistakes: If your child makes a mistake using language, and for example says "I runned really fast!" model and rephrase the correct use of the word, such as "Oh you ran really fast!"
Spotlight new words: Give emphasis to new words or new concepts such as "That's a BIG ball!" This will help the novel words to stand out to your child so she can use them on her own.
Yes or No?: Help your child to understand and to ask questions. Play the yes-no game and ask questions such as "Are you a boy?" "Are you dinosaur?" "Can a cow fly?" Encourage your child to make up questions and try to fool you.
Wait for it: After you model language to your child, pause and wait for her to respond. Your child will need longer processing time than an adult to not only understand what you said, but also so she can formulate a response.
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News from around TLC!!
WASHINGTON PARENT ARTICLES!
TLC's Occupational Therapy and and Speech Language staff authored two article for Washington Parent Magazine!
by Brittany White M.S., OTR/L, Occupational Therapist at TLC
NEW!! SATURDAY SOCIAL GROUPS
Starting April 9, 2016.
For children ages 6-14
$90 per week
This groups runs for 6 weeks and is led by Marjorie Theard, Social Worker and Director of Admissions at The Katherine Thomas School (KTS). The groups have been very well received by parents and kids! We will also be considering after-school groups if we get enough interest.
Please feel free to share the flyer with anyone you think may be interested or would benefit from these fun groups. For more information or to register, contact Dr. Sarah Towne, 301.424.5200, ext. 102.
SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION!
Designed for young children with speech-language and/or occupational therapy needs. Although chronological age is used as a guideline, we also consider the developmental age and needs of the child when determining camp placement. SMALL GROUPS!! Exciting Weekly Themes * Arts and Crafts * Yoga * Music and Drama * Outdoor Water Activities * Special Visitors
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The Treatment and Learning Centers
2092 Gaither Road, Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850 | 301.424.5200 | ttlc.org
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