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https://youtu.be/MFYaKeW9aLQ Does your child get overwhelmed in noisy places, avoid swings or climbing, or seem constantly on the move? These behaviors might seem harmless, or perhaps frustrating; but they could actually be signs of sensory processing challenges. My name is Jennifer Hatch, I am a pediatric occupational therapist here at Fluens Children’s Therapy. Many kids experience the world in ways that are either too intense or not intense enough, which can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming or confusing. Today, I wanted to talk a little bit about sensory processing and what that looks like. Sensory Processing Affects How Kids Experience the World I’m sure you’re familiar with the five senses: touch, taste, smell, hearing, and vision. Those are pretty common; but there are also three other systems that we have. The other three systems, are: Interoception This is your ability to recognize internal cues. For example: Do you recognize when you’re hungry? Do you know … Keep Reading…

https://youtu.be/mv0Sl8VK4Co When I have caregivers in during my evaluations, the first question I’ll ask is: “Are you familiar with occupational therapy?” And honestly, the most common answer I get is no. My name is Jennifer Hatch and I am a pediatric occupational therapist at Fluens Children’s Therapy. Today, I’m going to be talking a little bit about occupational therapy and what it is that we truly do. What Do Occupational Therapists Address? In occupational therapy, we work on occupations, or the things that occupy your time throughout the day. That’s where the name “occupational” therapy comes from. There are eight main occupations that we address, as follows. 1. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) These are your self-care skills like: Bathing or showering Toileting and potty training Getting dressed Feeding and using utensils 2. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) These are your more mundane day-to-day tasks, such as: Managing money Grocery shopping Cleaning the house … Keep Reading…

https://youtu.be/spA5tAQNdJk Does your child seem unusually clumsy or uncoordinated? Do they struggle with things like posture, handwriting, or sitting still? It might not just be a phase or a lack of focus. In some cases, these challenges are linked to your child’s reflexes. My name is Jennifer Hatch, and I am a pediatric occupational therapist here at Fluens Children’s Therapy. Today, I’m going to talk a little bit about something that I’m truly passionate about and that’s really fascinating, which is reflex integration. What Are Reflexes? When babies are born, they have a set of automatic movements called primitive reflexes. These reflexes help babies survive, and they develop in the earliest stages of life. Some of these reflexes even begin developing in utero (inside the womb) and help the baby maneuver outside of the birth canal. For example, there’s the rooting reflex. When you stroke a baby’s cheek, they will turn toward the touch. This … Keep Reading…