November 2010 Blog Posts (21)

Whether it is called Wiggle Room, Move-To-Learn, Sensory Motor Room, S.P.A. (Sensory Processing, For Academics), Hang Time, or Chill Out Space…the…

It all started when my daughter came home from school this week and said "If we can tie our shoes by Friday, we'll get a treat". Although I'm not a fan of this bribery of sorts, I know what motivates kids and candy is one of them. So, I told my daughter to put on her shoes and I would teach her.

Its not that I haven't thought about teaching her in the past when she was younger, but there was no reason to teach her. All of her shoes are either slip on, buckle, or…

Think recess is just child's play? Ironically "playtime" is just as vital as classroom time to a child's social, emotional, physical, and educational development.

Many therapists understand that a child's sensory system needs heavy work and input to the movement or vestibular system. Yet 40% of elementary schools in the US have eliminated or are…

As our discussion continues on how providing a sensory rich environment may help children learn, I recently came across this blog from one smart mom who was struggling to get her sensory sensitive child to eat. Check out her forthright and inspiring story on this blog:

Who knew this amazing little modification would make all the…

That's nearly 1 in 10 kids in the US with ADHD. Yikes!

The CDC has released a report suggesting the rates of ADHD are growing.The percentage of children ages 4 to 17 who have ever been diagnosed with ADHD rose from 7.8% to 9.5% between 2003 and 2007—a 22% increase, the CDC found. The report was based on the results of the National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationwide telephone survey of…

Color is meaningful to all people. Color is a very powerful psychological tool used in many ways. One has the ability to convey a message or communicate positively or negatively through color. When you think of food, what do the golden arches communicate to you? Burgers and fries of course! For most children this means a satisfied tummy, fun, happy meals and a toy. We all feel a certain way dependent on the colors we see and even shades can make a difference. Choosing colors in our home or…

Instead of NCLB...wouldn't it be great if we had legislation that protects school recess? The law would establish:

• The child's body is KEY to learning
• Movement allows the body to process sensations the brain requires for learning
• The least restrictive environment (LRE) is not being held in chairs for hours, irregardless of the students…

If your going to the ASHA convention, then you are joining over 10,000 speech-language pathologist, audiologist, and other specialists in the field. This is a great time to learn more about your specialized field by attending CEU's, make great contacts with other specialists in your area, and find the newest and brightest tools to help children with hearing and communication issues.

Come visit The Speech Bin's booth #453…

This week I am in sunny southern California for the NAEYC Conference in Anaheim which runs 11/3-11/6/10.

Founded in 1926 NAEYC is dedicated to promoting excellence in development and education in early childhood and currently has over 90,000 members. School Specialty Special Needs is thrilled to be collaborating with our Early Childhood Division to participate in the Expo. I wil also be giving a lecture entitled Sensory…

Sensory processing disorder can be confusing. Why would a child not like a food just because its hard, or why do they sit and swing for hours upon hours? This basic video about sensory processing disorder gives an introduction to answer some of these questions. Sometimes, it can be difficult to explain sensory issues to a teacher or family member. This is an informative start to any explanation about sensory issues.…