When should parents start thinking about introducing a sippy cup?Ahhh, the great sippy cup debate.  What, you didn’t realize that sippy cups are controversial?  Well actually, they are!  And what makes this even more tricky is that each slightly conflicting view has...

Dear Melissa, I hear a lot of debate amongst my mama friends about kids drinking milk, 100% juice or water. They all seem to have opinions as to what is best. What are your thoughts? Only Water and Milk. Some of each every day. Wow! That was easy! Now, off to read a...

Dear Melissa, You write a lot about children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Do you serve children with other pediatric disabilities and developmental delays as well? My professional colleagues at Children’s Therapy TEAM work with a wide variety of developmental...

With encouragement from my colleagues at Children’s Therapy TEAM, I am beginning a Shining Star series in my blog. Periodically, I will spotlight individuals in our community who I think are inspiring. The lives of these individuals affirmatively answer the question,...

Dear Melissa, I am a parent of a 10-year-old son with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). I recently discovered on an SPD parent chat group that some children have IEPs and others have 504 plans. What is the difference?   Ahhh, this one gets pretty confusing. Though...

Dear Melissa, My 8-year-old son has a diagnosis of ADHD and struggled academically much of last year in the first grade. He frequently has difficulties with attention and impulsive behavior. Now that second grade has begun, I see these same patterns occurring again,...

Dear Melissa, My 4-year-old son just started a new preschool a few weeks ago, and I’m not sure that it is a good fit. How do I go about talking to the teacher/administration to help change the situation? I have been a mama for 7 ½ years and an occupational therapist...

Melissa, I saw fliers for the Mid-American Accessibility Summit in the waiting room last week. Can you give me the scoop? Yes! It has been exciting to see the buzz and excitement surrounding this inaugural event. It is being hosted by our TEAMworks non-profit so many...

Dear Melissa, When I went to my child's open house I personally felt overstimulated by my child's classroom. I know OT's are gurus of classroom design. What are your thoughts?  I know school system budgets are tight and teachers often do not have the luxury of...

Dear Melissa, My son is entering the 5th grade this year.  It seems like he is cramming more and more stuff into his backpack every year. Do you have any recommendations to keep his young back safe? You have the notebooks and pencils, but how do you know if that...

Dear Melissa, The school just sent us our school supply list. Do you have any other recommendations for back-to-school supplies for my 1st-grade son with ADHD? Back to school time! The smell of new crayons and paper always makes me giddy! Along with the new notebooks...

Dear Melissa, My daughter will start Kindergarten in a few weeks and she seems a bit anxious about it.  Do you have any tips for making this transition easier? The big day is coming. Your little one is beginning “real school.” Apart from starting college, this is...

Dear Melissa, Help! My kids start back to school soon. It seems as if the summer has simply flown by and we have not had time to truly enjoy it. What are some cheap/free things we can do as a family before we get back into the school routine? I can’t lie. Summer is my...

Dear Melissa, My family wants to visit an amusement park on our family vacation this year. Any tips for my 6-year-old with Autism to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone? I have personally been to the amusement park with individuals with both physical...

Dear Melissa, My daughter is about to have her first birthday, and we want to start weaning her from the pacifier. Any tips? I too started weaning both my children from the pacifier around 1 year of age. And, in my experience, the final step of eliminating the...

Dear Melissa,   Whenever my 10-month-old cries at night, I respond by giving him a pacifier. The problem is that he cries 4 or 5 times a night until a pacifier magically reappears in his mouth again. Help, I'm sleep deprived! How do I wean this child from his...

  Dear Melissa,   Should my child use a pacifier? I think pacifiers are great...when used correctly. There are times such as car rides, church, etc..., where the pacifier is your best friend at trying to keep a child happy, quiet, and calm when you have few...

  Dear Melissa, Thanks for your pacifier post last week. Should I be concerned about pacifier use impacting my child’s speech development? To respond to your question I have reached out to one of our Children's Therapy TEAM's Pediatric Speech/Language...

Dear Melissa: I am pregnant and due next month with my first child. What are your thoughts on the use of pacifiers? If I do choose to use a pacifier, which ones are best?   First of all, congratulations! There are so many choices to make with a new baby that can...

Dear Melissa,   My son will turn 5 in June. I am torn between starting Kindergarten this fall, or waiting another year. Your thoughts?   As a pediatric occupational therapist, this is a question I'm often asked. Quite frankly, many parents of children...

Dear Melissa,   This is your mother. I know last year you posted on your blog various excellent information on keeping kids safe around water this summer. However, BOTH of your children (my lovely grandchildren) had close calls with drowning last summer. Can...

Dear Melissa,   My 8-year-old had a lot of problems at school this year. He was impulsive, interrupted often, did not follow directions, and was often defiant with the teachers. He was frequently sent to the principal's office. The school called me 3 times during...