Occupational Therapy (OT) is a service that helps people of all ages do the things that are important to them in their daily life, known as their “occupations,” from getting themselves dressed to participating in their favorite hobby. A child’s main occupations in life are to play, learn, and grow. 

Halloween is JUST around the corner, and while this year is not what everyone expected, we know that kiddos are still looking forward to the normalcy of getting to dress up. Even if the costumes are only worn at school or in their neighborhood, we want to encourage all children to find their inner super hero or icon that they look up to...and dress the part.

Every day, parents hug and kiss their babies and send them off to school wearing their backpacks. Unknowingly, these loving parents, if uneducated about backpack safety, could be placing their child at an increased risk for neck and back pain.

Here are a few tips for safe backpack use...

We have scoured the web and the brains of our fabulous staff to come up with 9 super-fun, super-inexpensive summer activities for you and your child!

These dollar-store activities will help your child’s development by teaching them to exercise their minds and their bodies. To get the full benefits of learning, play, enjoyment, and child development out of these activities, have your child help with every step!  

As a parent, you know how important physical activity is for your child. During this time where a lot of families are at home, we put together some fun physical therapy tips to do at home.

In this season of life, a lot of parents are home with their children for an extended period of time. You might be struggling with things to do or what to work on with your kiddo that might be used to receiving therapy during the day. For those children who had been receiving speech therapy, these are some great ways to continue their progress at home...

During this unprecendented time, while our preschools might not be functioning in the way that we normally are, our preschool staff are working tirelessly to get educational activity packets to our families each week.

As a parent during this crazy time, you might be at home with your kiddo or are looking for ways to fill their time on the weekends. We know it is hard to come up with activities, so we wanted to get together some fun occupational therapy tips to do at home. It's more important now than ever to find ways to retain some normalcy in the midst of uncertainty. So below are some occupational therapy tips to do at home with your littles to help maintain their development.

Speech therapy is often believed to be primarily focused on helping children produce speech sounds more accurately; however, speech therapy involves much more than teaching sounds.

Have you wondered what the 'Plus' means in Pediatrics Plus? We feel that the Plus represents the many additional pediatric services we offer, including our developmental preschool. Did you know we have preschools in both Arkansas and Texas? Click here to learn more about how to Enroll Now.

What are some tips to prevent biting?

The best strategies to decrease/eliminate biting are:

1. Prevention
2. Providing sensory input to decrease the “need to bite”.

IF MY CHILD IS LEARNING 2 LANGUAGES, DOES THAT DELAY THEM FROM SPEAKING AT A CERTAIN AGE?

There are a lot of myths associated with learning two languages. 

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD WE SPEND DOING TUMMY TIME?

From infancy, it is very important that babies get plenty of tummy time throughout the day.  We typically recommend for babies to get a minimum of 1 hour of tummy time each day.

WHEN DO I TRANSITION MY BABY FROM BOTTLE TO SIPPY CUP?

Bottle weaning should be a slow process, eliminating 1 bottle feeding a month beginning at around 12 months typically through around 16 months.

When Can my toddler feed themselves without making such a MESS?

At around 15-18 months a toddler should be able to scoop food with a spoon and feed himself with some spilling.

A good place to start would be to teach your child the concept of "my". Typically, a developing child begins to use appropriate pronouns such as "my, mine, I" around the age of 2.5 years.

Pediatrics Plus is now offering ABA therapy at some of our locations, however, unlike the other therapies we offer (OT, PT, Speech), it isn't as well known. Keep reading to find out more about ABA Therapy.

As your child grows, their ability to communicate becomes more and more important. Below are some milestone tips for your 4 year old from a speech therapist:

When thinking about improving gross motor skills in a three year old, incorporate strengthening and balance into your daily playtime together, make a game out of the activity! Below are some tips from a physical therapist on ways you can help your child achieve these milestones.

Your little child has finally reached the 3 year mark. You will notice a lot of fine motor and speech milestones at this age, and not as many physical milestones. If your young one is 3 years old, here are some developmental milestones to look for during this year!

As parents, you are anxious to see your child meet the milestones that you see other children meet, one of the most exciting to witness is walking! At 12-18 months, your child might be getting those steps in, but if they haven't yet, here some handy tips from a physical therapist to help your little one start moving.

Your little one is less like a baby and more like a toddler at 12-18 months. Get ready to see some more personality show through and some new moves break out as your little one works through the many milestones at this stage of life!

As your little one reaches their first birthday, they are developing new skills every day! It is important to help guild your child in activities that will continue to further their progress. See the below occupational therapy tips on ways to engage your 9-12 month old child.

Your little one is really starting to move, or trying to at least. By 6-9 months, there is a lot of motivation to get to things that you place in front of them. While they might not be on the move yet, they definitely will be soon. So here are some important things to do with your child!

When your child is between the age of 3-6 months, you can expect to see more and more of his developing personality in what motivates, excites, and stimulates movement. If a child is not meeting milestones in their age (3-6 months), here are some things that you can do to help!

At 3-6 months, your infant is not only more vocal, but also has the chance to show off a bit! Follow these tips to increase your child's fine motor skills as they continue to develop.

At 3-6 months, your infant is really starting to show off their personality! As you see more smiles and hear more coos, try to work in these speech therapy tips to make play time even more fun.

As a parent of an infant, your child’s development is top priority! Whether you are a first time parent or have a full house, each child and experience is different. Below is a list of several milestones for children ages 3-6 months that can help you keep track of your child’s development.

This month we are focusing on every perspective surrounding the milestones of a baby in the first three months of life. Last week, we listed out PT tips for ways to get your baby moving (PT Tips: 0-3 Month Milestones). 

If you read our blog last week, you know there are a number of milestones that a parent will start to notice during their child's first three months of life.

The early years of a child’s life are very important for his or her health and development. Skills such as  taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called developmental milestones.

During this unique time in our country, we know a lot of families are at home with their littles. Therefore, we wanted to offer you some great developmental toys you can make from items in your home! These toys are fun for both parents and children as you get to see your little one explore and learn new ways to problem solve. These toy examples are best for children up to age 5.

Halloween is a holiday with no limitations. It is the one day of the year where we can be absolutely anything we want! This includes children and adults in wheelchairs. While some may feel that a wheelchair gets in the way of expressing full Halloween creativity, we have seen that this is anything but true. 

As parents, we've become addicted to praising our kids. But as we try to make them feel good about themselves 24-7, we actually may be harming them. Even if your praise is sincere, you may not be using it the right way. If you use it the right way, it's a valuable tool for reinforcing good behavior, boosting your child's self-esteem, and making him or her feel loved, appreciated, and inspired.

Youth sports are a great way for a child to get exercise while having fun! But unfortunately, all sports have a risk of injury. The more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of injury and most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse.  These tips can reduce the risk of injury and help parents promote a safe, optimal sports experience for their child.

Activities and exercise are important for children in order for them to maintain good health all year long. But, when the weather gets cold, it’s harder to get children outside to keep them moving.  With a few quick and easy ideas, you can turn your home into a safe and fun space to keep your kids moving throughout those cold months.

In this month's edition of In the Kitchen with Hadley and Lizzy, the girls make Christmas cookies with their friend Wyatt.

Having kids help in the kitchen introduces them to all kinds of new foods, helps teach math, shows kids how to follow steps in order, teaches critical thinking and problem solving, helps develop fine motor skills, and so much more! And most importantly, it allows you to spend quality time with your kiddos!

Cutting out and decorating Christmas cookies is something kids of ALL abilities can help with, so get in that kitchen and get to cooking!

With Christmas just around the corner, we have compiled a list of some of our favorite toys for the babies and toddlers in your life! These toys target fine motor, gross motor, sensory and cognitive development. The toys listed below encourage creative play and discovery.

Be sure to check out our post on How To Pick Good Toys for Your Child to ensure the toys you purchase for your special little one this year are fun and promote development.

Determining the best toys to purchase for children at Christmas can be an overwhelming task with all of the choices available online and in stores. As parents and caregivers, we want to choose toys that our children will enjoy, but can also help promote their development. Although some toys are marketed as educational and developmental, they unfortunately may not actually be best for a child’s development.

Play is the way children learn about themselves and the world. Through play, they learn to get along with others, sort out conflicts, practice language skills, and develop small (fine) and large (gross) motor skills. In addition, play encourages independence, self-esteem, and creativity!

Welcome to our second segment of In the Kitchen with Hadley and Lizzy! Cooking with your child is one of the best ways to make connections across and amongst many disciplines. Children learn by touching, tasting, seeing, feeling, and listening. 

This week, the girls have brought in a special guest, Logan, to teach us how to make Turkey Cheese Balls!

Family mealtimes allow for social modeling of our behaviors to expand what our children will eat.  Research shows we need at least 10 tries of a food on 10 different occasions to decide if we like it.  We can help our children by setting a mealtime routine and exploring foods through all of our senses.  

A mealtime will consist of the child and at least one adult. Each mealtime should consist of a protein, starch or carbohydrate, and fruit or vegetable.

We are excited to launch our fall series: In the Kitchen with Hadley Lizzy! At Pediatrics Plus, we are committed to promoting and encouraging healthy child development tips and activities that you and your family can try at home.

Cooking with your child is one of the best ways to make connections across and amongst many disciplines. Children learn by touching, tasting, seeing, feeling, and listening.

Halloween is a holiday with no limitations. It is the one day of the year where we can be absolutely anything we want! This includes children and adults in wheelchairs. While some may feel that a wheelchair gets in the way of expressing full Halloween creativity, we have seen that this is anything but true. The internet is full of fanciful, fun, imaginative costumes for both children and adults in wheelchairs, walkers, and other devices. For this halloween, we have put together some of our favorite costumes with how-to tutorials! So put on your creativity hats and make this year's costume the best one yet for your child!

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, more Americans ride bicycles than ski, golf, or play tennis combined. As you and your family embark on a fun day of bicycle riding, it is important to remember that bike safety should involve a lot more than just a helmet and observing the rules of the road. In fact, the American Physical Therapy Association says that bike-related injuries are largely preventable. Check out the 7 rules of bicycling safety and perform a basic bike check on all bikes in your home to ensure a fun and safe ride!

Have you been unsuccessful trying and sit down with your young child and read to him?  Does he listen for about 30 seconds, then jump up and run away? 

You hear the importance of early literacy on a child’s brain development and want to help your child develop a love for reading….so what can you do if you can’t get him to participate?

Try these tips...

A textbook chapter can appear monumental to a student with ADHD, but when broken down into sections the task becomes less overwhelming and threatening. When studying chapters in a textbook, students can use the popular SQ3R Method.

As child care professionals, parents, and adults involved in child development, it is important to constantly ask yourself: “Am I allowing a screen to replace a person in teaching and playing with this child?” All too often, as therapists, teachers, and parents, we rely on a device to teach language, hand-eye coordination, and concepts in place of ourselves. In doing that, we are promoting static brain development over an engaged brain.

Because of the nature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, students with ADHD face special challenges at school. For instance, most students lose focus easily, while some students have difficulty completing boring or demanding tasks.

Studies have found that homework problems increase as children get older, and that children with both ADHD and learning disabilities struggle even more with studying. But your child can succeed in school if he or she has the right tools!

For many families, summer activities can lead to time in the car traveling, time in the bleachers or stands, or time waiting on one sibling's activity to end and the next to begin.

This summer, try packing a bag of developmentally appropriate toys and activities to engage your child and keep from having meltdowns that occur when a child is bored.

Looking for a fun summer activity for your child? Send them on a photo scavenger hunt! Did you know that this fun activity can benefit your child in several different ways.

Continue reading to learn more!

Looking for a fun summer activity for your child? Send them on a photo scavenger hunt!

While store-bought toys are typically thought of as being essential to playtime, inexpensive household items can make a great alternative for creating fun summer activities and toys that can help your child’s development.

This activity will spark creativity, build fine motor skills, and can be a learning aid to teach children about the animals they are making.

When performed correctly, swaddling can be a safe and effective way to calm babies and promote better sleep. 

Learn more in our step-by-step swaddling guide!

Potty training is a major milestone for both you and your child. Check out our potty training guide put together by licensed therapists who also happen to be moms!