Whether in the classroom, workplace, or working from home, flexible accommodations are offered more and more often to improve our level of attention and concentration: work standing at a high table, swap the office chair for a ball or a wiggle stool... Did you know ? The brain is more attentive and retains more information when it is stimulated by movement or physical activity. This need to move in order to remain receptive is important for everyone, especially children and adults living with ADHD. Does it [...]

Congratulations! You almost reached the finish line! At the start of the school year, how many times have you been discouraged at the thought of the upcoming school year filled with lessons and homework…yet you made it to June! This is quite the victory. Think of the amount of times, through the course of the year, where you had to resort to ploy and subterfuge to get your children to sit in front of their notebooks. Don’t despair, the end of the school year is close [...]

Summer has already come to an end and school’s daily routine is back in full force. Trying to get our cranky kids ready in the morning, making healthy lunches and snacks, bringing our child to school as he screams all along the ride, picking our child from school who is crying from exhaustion…what a joy (note the tone of irony in this statement). These ordeals are banal in comparison to the moment when your child has to do his HOMEWORK. In some families, homework time is [...]

Loïc is 6 years old. After a few minutes of work in class or during homework, he has a tendency to rest his head on his hand and to slouch over his desk. Other times, he fidgets on his chair and gets up repeatedly. What does Margo the ergotherapist recommend? Whether at school or at home (homework, meals, etc.) it is important to ensure that the sitting position answers the child’s needs. As a matter of fact, it allows for better stability and directly influences the [...]

The flexible class concept is now spreading in Quebec and many schools that have not adopted it yet are questioning themselves. Is this a passing fad? Does it really work ? Should I have a « Pinterest » format flexible class ? There are different concepts attached to the flexible class, including reducing children’s inactivity. It is demonstrated that there is an increase in children’s inactivity around eight years old, as school, homework and technology take an important place in their life. Although the positive impact of physical activity has been [...]

The Flexible Seating or Flexible Class is a popular topic these days in the Quebec schools. Since our team of ergotherapists receive lots of question on the subject we decided to write an article. What’s Flexible Seating? Flexible Seating seems to be a new and rapidly growing trend. To further specify, Flexible Seating suggests to remove students desks and chairs to introduce different work surfaces and different types of seating to allow children to move and maximize their attention and motivation in class. Does it really [...]

Summer will soon be over and going back to school is just around the corner. Getting ready keeps everyone busy, children and parents. Here are a few suggestions to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Purchase the school supplies with your child. Mark the first day of school on the calendar to help your child visualize when school starts. During summer, routine is put aside. Mealtime, bedtime, habits, everything is disrupted. It is important to plan going back to a regular routine some time [...]