How do we know if our child needs occupational therapy?
This is a question that parents often ask and do not find the perfect answer.
In this short article, some cases of referring to occupational therapy clinics are briefly discussed:
1. When the development of a child's motor skills (such as neck, rolling, sitting, and walking) is delayed or stopped.
2. Problems with muscle tone. Muscle tone refers to the consistency of a muscle. If the baby's muscles look like baking soda to the touch and the baby is so-called loose, his muscle tone is low. If a child's limb muscles are stiffer than usual and unable to move that limb, his muscle tone is high. Of course, the diagnosis of normal tone and its pathological changes is the responsibility of the doctor and rehabilitation specialist.
3. Existence of sensory problems in the child.
4. Defects in the child's attention and concentration
5. Disruption of social interactions and communication with others
6. Existence of a specific disease in the child and its diagnosis by a specialist doctor and referral of the child to occupational therapy
7. Problems with daily activities. For example, a child may not be able to fasten the buttons on his school uniform or may not be able to participate in sports activities properly.
8. Existence of problems in writing homework and bad handwriting
9. Impaired fine motor skills or finger movements and large motor skills such as jumping and climbing
However, there are other cases that a neurologist or pediatric orthopedist will refer to occupational therapy. If you suspect a problem in your child's growth and development, be sure to consult an occupational therapist.
Does my child need occupational therapy?
The most common symptoms of children who need occupational therapy in the three areas of "self-care, cognition, and fine movements" are listed.
Aware of these symptoms, parents should refer to, evaluate and intervene during occupational therapy as soon as possible.
Area of self-care
1. Difficulty wearing clothes, especially zippers, buttons and buckles
2. Difficulty wearing shoes and tying their straps
3. Difficulty navigating clothing (back, front and back of clothing) and wearing it
4. Difficulty using utensils and excessive clutter while eating
5. I strongly hate brushing, combing and bathing
Scope of cognition and perception
1. Severe distraction while doing tasks that require a lot of concentration (reading and writing)
2. Problems with handwriting, writing on a straight line, writing and identifying letters, and copying letters and shapes
3. Difficulty solving puzzles
Fine range of motion of the fingers
1. Severe aversion to any activity that requires fine motor skills (careful use of fingers).
2. Difficulty using scissors
3. Difficulty getting a pencil
4. Difficulty working with small objects
5. Rapid fatigue when coloring and writing homework
6. Difficulty in using one hand predominantly
How does occupational therapy help children?
Occupational therapy helps children to move towards independence by improving and increasing their abilities and skills in various ways:
1. Increase and strengthen physical_motor abilities. These competencies include balance, coordination, muscle strength, fine motor skills (finger movements) and large motor skills (running, climbing, etc.) and endurance.
2. Improve sensory status. In order to increase the child's self-confidence and regulate the senses, the occupational therapist strengthens the child's senses and creates a sensory diet related to the child's condition.
3. Improving executive functions. These functions include following instructions, problem-solving ability, tolerating failure, attention and concentration, and other cognitive skills.
4. Life Skills Training. The occupational therapist provides appropriate instruction and training to the child and parents for skills such as dressing, eating, using the toilet independently, and playing.
Benefits of water play in children
Playing with water is one of the best, most basic and most enjoyable things children can do. A child playing with water is learning the cause and effect of heat and cold, flowing and sinking into the ground.
Water play relieves the child's anger and through it, the child is relieved of discomfort, tension and pressure and feels calm.
Because children love to play with water, in this way, many concepts and content can be taught to them and the development of various skills and abilities such as the following can be provided.
Growth of creativity and initiative
Cognitive development
Emotional growth
Expressive speech and increase vocabulary
Creating physical harmony and social development of children
Growth dimensions:
Growth dimensions are a set of factors that affect each other.
If they were stated as growth factors, they meant that they could or could not influence each other
Dimensions of growth from the perspective of an occupational therapist:
Physical development and motor skills
Measurable
Mood and excitement
The first important thing is immeasurable
Cognition and intelligence
We get knowledge from the environment, but it is genetic intelligence
Language
Changes that occur in language development
Social communication and dependency pattern
John Ballab's approach: We all have attachment, a pattern that connects us to others, the strongest of which is seen in the mother-child relationship.
Mar S. Mouse: If we separate the child under 6 months from the mother, it becomes weaker day by day and may even die.
The last point of view that we work on in occupational therapy is the process-oriented perspective, that is, with the change in mental patterns, the movement pattern also changes.
Changes in the mind change function
child growth:
According to the request of dear users and many questions in the field of child development, in a new topic on the subject of child development, developmental stages, age of obtaining stages
We discuss various facilitation and occupational therapy exercises and speech therapy in the field of children's development and its various aspects.
When it comes to child development, we have two concepts:
Development
Growth
Growth:
The process of constant change that leads to the creation of practical and specific organizational capacity in order to play the full role of the individual
Physical aging is inseparable from growth processes
Timiras believes that aging is also considered as growth and growth stops with death
Example:
Increase in body mass or size through proliferation of complete biological units
Increase the ability of intelligence or social talent
Slight increase in living size
Developmental delays in children:
As you watch your baby grow, keep in mind that each baby is growing at his or her own pace, and the range of normal states is quite wide. However, it is best to be aware of the risks of potential developmental delays in children.
These delays are significant interruptions in one or more areas of emotional, mental, or physical development.
If your child is experiencing a delay, early treatment is the best way to help him or her progress or even reach developmental stage.
Developmental delays in children
There are many different types of developmental delays in infants and young children.
These include problems with the following:
Language or speech
Vision
Movement - motor skills
Social and emotional skills
Thinking - Cognitive skills
Sometimes, delays occur in many or all of these areas. When this happens, this condition is called general growth retardation.
Overall growth retardation may occur for any of the following reasons:
Genetic defects such as Down syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is caused by a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy
Fragile X syndrome is a hereditary disorder of cognitive impairment
Severe medical problems that occur shortly after delivery and are often associated with preterm delivery
Often no cause is identified
What follows is a warning sign for a variety of delays that can range from infancy to age two. You will also learn about some of the causes of growth retardation and potential treatments.
How to make the house suitable for an autistic child?
Every child is different, and autistic children are no exception. So every autistic child has their own needs and circumstances, and you need to make the home environment more conducive to your child's specific characteristics.
The following are recommendations from the UK Public Health Service for families with autistic children.
Safety
Autistic children usually do not understand the danger, so make the house safe. Assemble the radiator, table or other sharp-edged appliances. Block access to a cupboard or stove or any container that contains dangerous objects (such as a medicine cabinet) with locks or, for example, special handles. Cover electrical outlets with a special protector. Power cords should also be kept out of reach in special coatings.
window
Some autistic children like the sound of knocking or breaking glass. So cover the windows of the house with unbreakable glass.
Autistic children usually have different senses, for example they may hear sounds or smells that are not understood by others. Sometimes these sensitivities bother these children.
the light
Moonlight or bright or flashing lights may bother autistic children. Make the light of the house as soft and appropriate as possible. Avoid blinds, especially vertical blinds as they may cause obsessive behaviors. Use curtains instead of shutters, but be careful that curtain straps are not available.
Noise
Some autistic children, like others, cannot eliminate unwanted or annoying sounds. So protect your home from noise as much as possible. For example, carpet is better than parquet because it absorbs sound.
How do we know if our child needs occupational therapy?
This is a question that parents often ask and do not find the perfect answer.
In this short article, some cases of referring to occupational therapy clinics are briefly discussed:
1. When the development of a child's motor skills (such as neck, rolling, sitting, and walking) is delayed or stopped.
۲. Problems with muscle tone. Muscle tone refers to the consistency of a muscle. If the baby's muscles look like baking soda to the touch and the baby is so-called loose, his muscle tone is low. If a child's limb muscles are stiffer than usual and unable to move that limb, his muscle tone is high. Of course, the diagnosis of normal tone and its pathological changes is the responsibility of the doctor and rehabilitation specialist.
3. Existence of sensory problems in the child.
4. Defects in the child's attention and concentration
5. Disruption of social interactions and communication with others
6. Existence of a specific disease in the child and its diagnosis by a specialist doctor and referral of the child to occupational therapy
7. Problems with daily activities. For example, a child may not be able to fasten the buttons on his school uniform or may not be able to participate in sports activities properly.
8. Existence of problems in writing homework and bad handwriting
9. Impaired fine motor skills or finger movements and large motor skills such as jumping and climbing
However, there are other cases that a neurologist or pediatric orthopedist will refer to occupational therapy. If you suspect a problem in your child's growth and development, be sure to consult an occupational therapist.
Does my child need occupational therapy?
The most common symptoms of children who need occupational therapy in the three areas of "self-care, cognition, and fine movements" are listed.
Aware of these symptoms, parents should refer to, evaluate and intervene during occupational therapy as soon as possible.
Area of self-care
1. Difficulty wearing clothes, especially zippers, buttons and buckles
۲. Difficulty wearing shoes and tying their straps
3. Difficulty navigating clothing (back, front and back of clothing) and wearing it
4. Difficulty using utensils and excessive clutter while eating
5. I strongly hate brushing, combing and bathing
Scope of cognition and perception
1. Severe distraction while doing tasks that require a lot of concentration (reading and writing)
۲. Problems with handwriting, writing on a straight line, writing and identifying letters, and copying letters and shapes
3. Difficulty solving puzzles
Fine range of motion of the fingers
1. Severe aversion to any activity that requires fine motor skills (careful use of fingers).
۲. Difficulty using scissors
3. Difficulty getting a pencil
4. Difficulty working with small objects
5. Rapid fatigue when coloring and writing homework
6. Difficulty in using one hand predominantly
How does occupational therapy help children?
Occupational therapy helps children to move towards independence by improving and increasing their abilities and skills in various ways:
1. Increase and strengthen physical_motor abilities. These competencies include balance, coordination, muscle strength, fine motor skills (finger movements) and large motor skills (running, climbing, etc.) and endurance.
۲. Improve sensory status. In order to increase the child's self-confidence and regulate the senses, the occupational therapist strengthens the child's senses and creates a sensory diet related to the child's condition.
3. Improving executive functions. These functions include following instructions, problem-solving ability, tolerating failure, attention and concentration, and other cognitive skills.
4. Life Skills Training. The occupational therapist provides appropriate instruction and training to the child and parents for skills such as dressing, eating, using the toilet independently, and playing.
Benefits of water play in children
Playing with water is one of the best, most basic and most enjoyable things children can do. A child playing with water is learning the cause and effect of heat and cold, flowing and sinking into the ground.
Water play relieves the child's anger and through it, the child is relieved of discomfort, tension and pressure and feels calm.
Because children love to play with water, in this way, many concepts and content can be taught to them and the development of various skills and abilities such as the following can be provided.
Growth of creativity and initiative
Cognitive development
Emotional growth
Expressive speech and increase vocabulary
Creating physical harmony and social development of children
Growth dimensions:
Growth dimensions are a set of factors that affect each other.
If they were stated as growth factors, they meant that they could or could not influence each other
Dimensions of growth from the perspective of an occupational therapist:
Physical development and motor skills
Measurable
Mood and excitement
The first important thing is immeasurable
Cognition and intelligence
We get knowledge from the environment, but it is genetic intelligence
Language
Changes that occur in language development
Social communication and dependency pattern
John Ballab's approach: We all have attachment, a pattern that connects us to others, the strongest of which is seen in the mother-child relationship.
Mar S. Mouse: If we separate the child under 6 months from the mother, it becomes weaker day by day and may even die.
The last point of view that we work on in occupational therapy is the process-oriented perspective, that is, with the change in mental patterns, the movement pattern also changes.
Changes in the mind change function
child growth:
According to the request of dear users and many questions in the field of child development, in a new topic on the subject of child development, developmental stages, age of obtaining stages
We discuss various facilitation and occupational therapy exercises and speech therapy in the field of children's development and its various aspects.
When it comes to child development, we have two concepts:
Development
Growth
Growth:
The process of constant change that leads to the creation of practical and specific organizational capacity in order to play the full role of the individual
Physical aging is inseparable from growth processes
Timiras believes that aging is also considered as growth and growth stops with death
Example:
Increase in body mass or size through proliferation of complete biological units
Increase the ability of intelligence or social talent
Slight increase in living size
Developmental delays in children:
As you watch your baby grow, keep in mind that each baby is growing at his or her own pace, and the range of normal states is quite wide. However, it is best to be aware of the risks of potential developmental delays in children.
These delays are significant interruptions in one or more areas of emotional, mental, or physical development.
If your child is experiencing a delay, early treatment is the best way to help him or her progress or even reach developmental stage.
Developmental delays in children
There are many different types of developmental delays in infants and young children.
These include problems with the following:
Language or speech
Vision
Movement - motor skills
Social and emotional skills
Thinking - Cognitive skills
Sometimes, delays occur in many or all of these areas. When this happens, this condition is called general growth retardation.
Overall growth retardation may occur for any of the following reasons:
Genetic defects such as Down syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which is caused by a mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy
Fragile X syndrome is a hereditary disorder of cognitive impairment
Severe medical problems that occur shortly after delivery and are often associated with preterm delivery
Often no cause is identified
What follows is a warning sign for a variety of delays that can range from infancy to age two. You will also learn about some of the causes of growth retardation and potential treatments.
How to make the house suitable for an autistic child?
Every child is different, and autistic children are no exception. So every autistic child has their own needs and circumstances, and you need to make the home environment more conducive to your child's specific characteristics.
The following are recommendations from the UK Public Health Service for families with autistic children.
Safety
Autistic children usually do not understand the danger, so make the house safe. Assemble the radiator, table or other sharp-edged appliances. Block access to a cupboard or stove or any container that contains dangerous objects (such as a medicine cabinet) with locks or, for example, special handles. Cover electrical outlets with a special protector. Power cords should also be kept out of reach in special coatings.
window
Some autistic children like the sound of knocking or breaking glass. So cover the windows of the house with unbreakable glass.
Autistic children usually have different senses, for example they may hear sounds or smells that are not understood by others. Sometimes these sensitivities bother these children.
the light
Moonlight or bright or flashing lights may bother autistic children. Make the light of the house as soft and appropriate as possible. Avoid blinds, especially vertical blinds as they may cause obsessive behaviors. Use curtains instead of shutters, but be careful that curtain straps are not available.
Noise
Some autistic children, like others, cannot eliminate unwanted or annoying sounds. So protect your home from noise as much as possible. For example, carpet is better than parquet because it absorbs sound.
Smells
Smells that others may not notice at all can be very annoying for autistic children. Pay attention to this issue, for example, when using perfume and fragrances.
Color
If you have an autistic child, it is better that the house does not have bright and stimulating colors, for example, paint the walls cream (not yellow or white, for example). Avoid patterned wallpaper. In general, try to keep the surface of the walls and furniture as simple as possible without any design.
home appliances
For some autistic children, it is better to put the furniture on one side rather than in the middle and leave the middle space empty. Put baby items in large boxes so that spreading them can distract children. If you place these boxes, for example, in a high place, it can remind the child of the importance of communication because in order to access his equipment, he must ask someone to bring it down for him.
bedroom
Washable, waterproof, non-flammable and chemical-free sheets and bedspreads are preferred.
WC
Some autistic children are obsessed with water. You may need to install a suitable lock for the bathroom, sometimes you may have to put a barrier in front of the toilet (Persian or French) that is not visible and not available. The temperature of the water in the house should be such that if the child opens the faucet, the improper heat of the water will not shock him. You may need to install taps that are suitable for these children, this can help the child's independence.
Game room and relaxation
If it is possible for you to provide a play and comfort room for the child and equip it with appropriate equipment. If your child does not have outdoor space to play and run some may Be helpful in relieving stress as well as activity. The equipment for such a room varies according to the child's needs, but here are a few examples:
Unbreakable mirror, so that the child can see his face as well as his emotions without any danger to him, have a trampoline or boxing bag for physical activity or be equipped with audio and video equipment.
Do not forget that a device that is good for one child may be bad for another. Therefore, in order to make the house suitable for an autistic child, be sure to consult a specialist.
Occupational therapy for children
The purpose of occupational therapy for children is to correct defects and increase their abilities to improve their quality of life and improve their performance in society.
Occupational therapy is effective in improving many problems in children such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities and autism, behavioral problems and children with sensory and motor problems.
Occupational therapy is also effective in promoting the abilities of healthy children (fine and fine movements, coordination, cognitive abilities, memory and learning abilities).
After an initial assessment and setting specific treatment goals for each child, the occupational therapist helps to improve and promote the child by performing activities in the following areas:
Strengthen children's motor control and balance
Strengthen gross motor skills (running, jumping over obstacles, hitting the ball, etc.)
Strengthen fine motor coordination and hand function (scissors, writing, use of tools, etc.)
Improving the coordination of perception with movements (coordination of visual, auditory, etc. perception with movements)
Improve cognitive abilities (attention, concentration, perception, memory, processing, etc.)
Sensory integration (modifying and adapting the response to various sensory stimuli, including sense of touch, sense of balance, sense of depth, etc.)
Improving communication skills and social presence (communication with peers, family, etc.)
Training and strengthening daily life skills (eating, dressing, etc.)
Training and improving behavioral and adaptation skills (social behavior training, behavior modification, etc.)
Help improve and control emotions (reduce anxiety, increase mental and work tolerance, and control impulsive behavior)
What is the cause of a child walking on toes and toes ??
Many toddlers walk on their toes when they are just learning to walk at the age of 10-18 months.
Many of these children have no problem and will gradually learn to walk on the soles of their feet. However, when the child reaches the age of 18 months and is still walking five ways, the cause must be investigated
Toe walking is seen in about 5% of children. This way of walking may be occasional.
When a child has difficulty defecating (such as constipation), he may walk on his toes. However, some children often walk on their toes.
The most important reasons for children to walk on their toes are:
Muscle spasm of the back of the leg:
Spasms of the muscles in the back of the leg, especially the gastrocnemius muscle, are more common in children with cerebral palsy.
Many of these babies had problems during childbirth. Muscle spasms and stiffness may be present in other parts of the body, but are usually more pronounced in the legs. This leg muscle spasm may increase as the baby gets older.
When the baby's leg tilts down due to muscle spasms in the back of the leg, the resulting deformity is called Equinus.
In the early stages, it is possible to control the equinox with a splint. As the baby gets older, surgery may be needed.
Achilles tendon stiffness:
In some children, the Achilles tendon is congenitally short and stiff and less flexible. The treatment of this condition is the same as before.
Muscular dystrophy :
Children with muscular dystrophy walk well at first but start walking on their toes at the age of 3-6.
Habitual walking on the toe:
Sometimes the baby does not show any problems at the doctor's examination. When he is asked to walk properly and put the sole of his foot on the ground, he does so, but normally he walks on his toes when he is unconscious. This type of walking is more common in children with autism and hyperactivity.
Many of these problems go away on their own without special treatment, so they go away by the time you go to school. Sometimes using an AFO brace for 3-6 months to help your child get used to walking properly can help.
In any case, to be sure and thorough examination, referring to a doctor and "occupational therapy" specialist is the best solution in this field.
Methods to increase the concentration of careless children
Attention and concentration are the basis for successful daily affairs, purposeful and optimal study, as well as correct performance of homework.
There are some exercises and games that parents can do with the child to increase their ability to pay attention and focus.
Visualization
Ask the child to close his eyes. Then visualize an image of a geometric shape such as a triangle in your mind and then draw that image on paper with your eyes closed. Ask him to repeat this and paint the visual image of his mind, it will not be possible to do this without attention and concentration, and the slower this is done, the better the results due to the increase in the time of attention and concentration. . In more advanced stages, different and more complex shapes such as squares, rhombuses, stars, etc. can be selected.
Guess the shapes
Ask the child to close his eyes, then give him geometric shapes and ask him to guess their type. In more advanced stages, suggest different animal shapes to him.
Focus on temperature
Hold the baby in your arms and, when his eyes are closed, place two slightly warm and slightly cold objects in his hands and ask him to describe the temperature he feels.
Focus on ambient sound
When walking with a child to crowded places such as parks, restaurants, beaches, forests, etc., ask him to listen to the sounds of nature, sounds such as the words of people in the environment, the sound of water, the sound of sea waves, the sound of collisions. And the contact of objects, the sound of birds, etc. Now ask him to explain every sound he hears. Audio-video equipment, various types of CDs and tapes
There are different sounds of nature and the child can do this concentration exercise at home.
Play with fingers
Ask the child to hold the fingers of the hand open and bend it, focusing on one of them. When he has closed all his fingers, ask him to open his hand again, and this time with more focus bend one of his fingers and open it again, then do the same for the next finger without bending the other fingers.
Breathing technique
Ask the child to breathe slowly and count to 10. The counting operation should be repeated in each inhale and exhale.
looking at
Place the object a few meters away from the child and ask him to look at the object without blinking. The longer the observation time without blinking, the more it will focus.
Send your questions and problems to the direct link of the admin. Clinical and practical answers will be sent as soon as possible according to your child's condition.
Benefits of baby massage:
Reduce baby mood swings
Better sleep
Improvements
Weight Gain
Prevention of constipation
Strengthen the immune system
Strengthen muscles
Prevention of breast congestion
Better communication between mother and baby
Sensory games and child development
From birth, the child uses his seven senses to discover the world around him.
Earlier, I talked in detail about these senses (touch, depth, balance, smell, taste, sight and hearing) and the symptoms of their disorder. As a child gets older, he or she actively uses his or her senses to overcome the various challenges he or she chooses and designs. For example, when a child begins to roll over, if his rattle falls under a chair, he rolls over to reach it, grabs it, shakes it, and puts it in his mouth. In this simple example (challenge) he senses touch (body skin contact with the ground), depth (movements of muscles and joints), balance (circular movements on the ground), sight (seeing a toy), taste and smell (taking a toy to The mouth), and engages and nurtures your hearing. The important point is that children are masters of choosing and designing challenges in the form of sensory-motor games and always engage themselves in something that is commensurate with their abilities and often try to get out of it proud and victorious. During these sensory-motor games, children improve both their senses and their motor skills. One of the important tasks of parents is to provide opportunities for children to enter into them in the form of sensory games and to improve their mental and physical strength. But there is a downside to this, and that is that some parents support or forbid their child so much during sensory-motor games that in practice there is a place for the development of brain communication, strengthening attention and concentration, improving the process. Decision-making and problem-solving do not leave the development of cognitive skills (intelligence), improve social interactions with other children, reduce anxiety and frustration of the child or even strengthen his perceptual-motor skills.
When will my child be able to gass with his fingers?
When the baby is able to grasp toys and large objects with the palm of his hand (after about 4 months), he will use his hands regularly in the coming months to become more skilled at grasping and manipulating objects. He can manipulate small objects by gassing between 8 and 12 months of age. In gassing, the child uses his thumb and forefinger to grasp and pick up objects (such as pieces of food). If the child is not able to perform this important skill with his fingers at the mentioned times, he must be visited by an occupational therapist to determine the reason for not doing so and to intervene as soon as possible.
What is a sensory diet?
It is a program consisting of sensory activities that the child does daily to meet his sensory needs and develop his nervous system. An occupational therapist in children with sensory processing problems designs a specific sensory diet program tailored to their problem. A sensory diet includes the following:
1. Lifting heavy objects
۲. Deep massage
3. Pulling, pushing and carrying activities
4. Different body movements
5. Vestibular stimulation
6. Spinning and swaying
7. Touch perception enhancing activities
8. Activities to improve auditory perception
What is Sensory Integrity Disorder?
Sensory integration disorders can include auditory, olfactory, visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive delays. Proprioception is the body's awareness of itself in space and in relation to its parts. Through proprioceptive receptors in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, a child increases his or her understanding of the arms, legs, fingers, and other parts of the body. If a child has a delay in this regard, this delay may be expressed in more than one way. They may seek out stimuli or be defensive against stimuli. The children's ball pool provides a controlled environment for creating and developing sensory integration.
