Why we love our SLP’s!
Dear Melissa, Did you know that May is Better Hearing & Speech Month? Last month my "The Heart of an OT?" post inspired this question. So, this month it seemed appropriate to shed light on the work of pediatric Speech therapists, also known as pediatric...
Naughty – Bad – Misbehaving
Dear Melissa, Is there such a thing as a "bad" kid? I was asked this philosophical question recently by my husband. It is true that there are children who, for one reason or another, tend to get into a lot of trouble at school and therefore are often labeled as...
7 Things Good Moms Do
Dear Melissa, Have you read the article, “7 Things Good Mothers Do That I’m Not Going to Do Anymore”? What are your thoughts? After reading this article, I felt a wave of mixed emotions. From my experience as a mama as well as a pediatric occupational therapist, I...
Hate Storms?
credit: Envato Images Dear Melissa, I have a 7-year-old son with a diagnosis of Autism. He is very sensitive to sounds and HATES thunderstorms. Do you have any tips for helping us cope with the thunder or advice on what to do in case we need to seek shelter during a...
Heart of an OT?
Dear Melissa, What's the heart of a good Pediatric OT? A common mantra I enjoy is "when you love your job, you never work a day in your life!" I admit it, I am an Occupational Therapist (OT) that loves the job and I am not alone. What is the heart of a good pediatric...
ADHD Diet & Supplements
Dear Melissa, My 7 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD, but I don’t want to give him prescription medications to treat it. I have started giving him the supplement from the local natural food market and have taken sugar and red dye out of his diet. What else should I...
Alternatives to Prescription Medications for Treatment of ADHD
credit: Envato Images Dear Melissa, My daughter is 7, and her teacher was concerned about her inability to focus in the classroom and generally “not meeting her potential”. I had my daughter evaluated by a child psychiatrist, and the doctor gave her a diagnosis of...
Rules of Engagement for Praising a Child with Autism
Dear Melissa, What is the best way to tell my son with Autism that he is doing a good job? If you read any parenting book or blog, one overwhelming truth comes out: one of the best ways to encourage positive behavior is to praise a child when he is being good. ...
Potty Training Wisdom: Constipation
image credit: Envato I have received many questions over the years concerning difficulties with helping children have bowel moments in the toilet. The concerns often sound something like this: Melissa, Our son still refuses to have a bowel movement in the...
Potty Training Wisdom: 7 Day Challenge
image credit: Envato Dear Melissa, My 4-year-old daughter has Autism. She will sit in her potty chair several times a day when I take her, and she even occasionally uses the potty. I think we are ready to actually start potty training. Now what? Congratulations on all...
Potty Training Wisdom: Readiness
credit: Envato Images Dear Melissa, My 3-year-old daughter, who has Autism, has recently been removing her diaper. Does this mean she is ready for potty training? I will admit that toilet training was my least favorite part of being a mommy! Some children are...
Dentist’s Tip: Keep helping kids brush!
credit: Envato Dear Melissa, I have a 4 year old son with a diagnosis of Autism. He has extreme defensiveness to touch, food textures and he gags easily. This oral sensitivity also makes brushing teeth a nightmare! He refuses to let me brush his teeth and refuses to...
Help, my child refuses to brush his teeth!
Credit: Envato Dear Melissa, I have a 4-year-old son with a diagnosis of Autism. He has extreme defensiveness to touch and food textures, and he gags easily. This oral sensitivity also makes brushing teeth a nightmare! He refuses to let me brush his teeth and refuses...
Baby Teeth…Big Concern!
credit: Envato Images Dear Melissa, I have a 4-year-old son with a diagnosis of Autism. He has extreme defensiveness to touch, food textures, and he gags easily. This oral sensitivity also makes brushing teeth a nightmare! He refuses to let me brush his teeth and...
Dentist Visits for Kids with Sensory Defensiveness
image credit: envato Dear Melissa, I am worried about my son's first dentist appointment. It is scheduled next month! My son is 5 years old and has a diagnosis of Autism. He barely lets me brush his teeth due to his sensory defensiveness. In my work as a pediatric...
ADHD Treatment: Where do you start?
credit: envato Dear Melissa, My daughter’s kindergarten teacher is concerned that she has ADHD. How do I know if she has ADHD or not? If she does have ADHD, what are the best treatment options? Last week I tackled the first part of your question in my blog post, "ADHD...
ADHD or just being an active kid?
credit: Envato Images Dear Melissa, My daughter’s kindergarten teacher is concerned that she has ADHD. How do I know if she has ADHD or not? If she does have ADHD, what are the best treatment options? I frequently get this question from parents. The Centers for...
“because I said so!”
credit: envato Dear Melissa, When adults tell children to follow directions, “because I said so!” that should be enough of an explanation for any child. The above statement actually comes from a discussion I had with a local child psychologist several months ago. If...
Picky Eater
image: Evato Dear Melissa, My goal for the new year was to get my 4 year old to try new foods, but it isn't working! It seems as if every meal time has turned into a battle for control and I think I am losing! Any ideas? That sounds really frustrating! The good news...
W Sitting, a cause for concern?
Dear Melissa,I just started noticing my 18-month-old daughter "W" sitting today. When is there cause for concern?To address your question I have invited Shannon McIvor (PT, DPT), a member of our fantastic TEAM physical therapy department, to be a guest writer this...
Busy Moms’ Resolutions
image: envato Dear Melissa, I admit that when my family gets busy, I tend to not feed my kids as well. I'm ready to start the New Year right. Do you have any tips? You are not alone! I applaud you for taking the first step...being willing to change! This is a perfect...
Skip Crawling? A TEAM PT offers a follow-up
credit: envato Dear Melissa, My 8-month-old baby girl is starting to pull up on furniture! I really think she is just going to skip crawling and move right on to walking! So, your baby is pulling up on furniture, but never really went through the crawling phase? My...
Skip Crawling and Walk…Is it a good idea?
credit: envato images Dear Melissa, My 8-month-old baby girl is starting to pull up on furniture! I really think she is just going to skip crawling and move right on to walking! WAIT!!! But crawling is so important! Yes, I am thrilled with every developmental...