Special Needs | Page 3 of 5

A Balancing Act: benefits of practicing good balance

By Rebecca Leslie, educational consultant at arcs.solutions |2021-09-15T10:14:20-04:0014 September 2021|Child Development, Physical Activity, Special Needs|

We’re learning more and more about how the brain and the body are interconnected and how inextricable the two are from our overall well-being. So many of the functions that we often take for granted involve communication between the body and the brain. Balancing is in fact one of those functions! As a fairly complex skill, maintaining a sense of balance involves many of our muscles, our brain and even parts of our inner ear. The inner ear – also referred to by many as our [...]

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Those little eyes that follow us: 3 strategies to promote the development of your child 0-5 years

By Occupational therapists at M|CARE Occupational Therapy Clinic|2021-09-07T17:02:23-04:007 September 2021|Child Development, Special Needs|

Becoming and being a parent is an incomparable experience; it's also a role that holds so many responsibilities, including caring for and nurturing their little one. At birth, baby's little eyes quickly seek out your eye contact. They follow your eyes, your smile and seek reassurance. Soon their attentive eye movements will become head turns, and sooner rather than later, little shadows that reflect everything you do. These moments are so precious, both for the child and the parent. It is a very short period but [...]

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What is a sensory diet?

By Maureen Bennie, founder of Autism Awarness Centre Inc.|2021-09-01T08:54:38-04:001 September 2021|Child Development, Special Needs|

A sensory diet, first created by occupational therapists Wilbarger and Wilbarger (1991), is an individualized plan of physical activities and accommodations to help a person meet their sensory needs. This plan provides the sensory input needed to stay focused and organized throughout the day. For example, some people may feel overwhelmed or overloaded and need to get to a calmer state; some may feel lethargic or sluggish and need some activities to feel alert. The main goal of a sensory diet is to prevent sensory and [...]

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Row, Row, Row Your Boat

By Rebecca Leslie, educational consultant at arcs.solutions|2021-09-15T10:32:08-04:0023 August 2021|Child Development, Special Needs|

It’s the middle of summertime so minds easily wander to days by the lake and waterfront boardwalks. Sunshine sure is synonymous with the salty ocean breeze and radiant river rapids. If we’re not lucky enough to spend time on a boat somewhere, we’re likely at least daydreaming about warm outings afloat. Sailboats, motorboats or faithful ‘ole fishing boats – a day on the water (or at least lazing near the water) is about as relaxing as it gets! But what if we told you that you [...]

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On Your Marks! Get Set! To Your Pencils!

By CRCM Occupational therapist|2021-08-16T12:15:35-04:0016 August 2021|Child Development, Help with Homework, Special Needs|

During the summer, our children are on vacation! This school break is a perfect time to generalize learning related to writing and pencil grasp in a more fun, spontaneous and creative context. Through play, your child will certainly be more motivated and engaged in their learning! Here’s a suggested list of fun activities for the whole family to try. For rainy days: - Play tic-tac-toe with letters, shapes and/or numbers (instead of O and X)- Keep score during board games with letters, shapes and/or numbers- Exchange [...]

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Get Ready for Kindergarten!

By CRCM Occupational therapist|2021-08-09T15:43:46-04:009 August 2021|Child Development, Help with Homework, Special Needs|

Starting kindergarten is a big step for your child and also for you as parents. To prepare, here are some activities to try to encourage your child's independence before school starts: Dressing and Undressing -Practice using all types of fasteners (lace, buttons and zipper) of the clothes your child wears the most (rain coat, shoes, pants and warmer jacket). - In the entrance of the house, let your child find their clothes alone and get dressed. It’s interesting to have them learn the dressing sequence on [...]

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Try

By Gabriela Ovallé, Blogger|2021-08-05T13:45:46-04:005 August 2021|Child Development, Other, Special Needs|

Learning is often linked to a young person’s path and development until the end of a so-called linear journey towards young adulthood. So, the emergence of a young professionals category creates a mark on this timeline and plan proposed by a performance based society.This reference informs us that there is this course, without too many breaks, where the world of work is ready to welcome these graduates. Certainly, they’re full of their studied subject knowledge, but they’re also graduates of their success by not having procrastinated [...]

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In the summer, we play to learn! 5 strategies to mitigate summer learning loss

By Occupational therapists at M|CARE Occupational Therapy Clinic|2021-08-30T11:55:47-04:0026 July 2021|Child Development, Help with Homework, Special Needs|

Finally, summer vacations are here! Time to pull our sleeves up and get much needed rest. How do we help our kids continue to grow and learn? Long summer days, and lots of laughter make up beautiful summer memories. It is those special moments that allow our children to let go, regain their strength, find respite and find themselves. School, homework and routine quickly become a distant memory and we find ourselves planning vacations and outings.Several studies have examined the effect of extended vacations on the [...]

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Self-esteem in children and adolescents: how can we help?

By CRCM Occupational therapist |2021-08-05T13:46:32-04:0021 July 2021|Child Development, Other, Special Needs|

Mathieu doesn't like to do things alone - he is afraid of failing; so, he asks his parents for help with most of his daily life activities (getting dressed, making his lunch). When it comes time to construct games or drawings, he imitates what others are doing. He develops very few new ideas on his own. What is self-esteem? Having good self-esteem is knowing that you have value as a person, and it’s also having a positive self-image. It isn’t being good in all areas, but [...]

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Supporting Skill Building, Personal Growth and Wellness through Gardening

By Maureen Bennie, founder of Autism Awarness Centre Inc. |2021-06-30T11:29:35-04:0030 June 2021|Child Development, Physical Activity, Special Needs|

Starting a garden is a great long-term project that has numerous benefits. Gardening can happen in a calm, quiet and relaxing natural environment. It can be taught through online learning and videos. Gardening can also be an activity that unites a group of people through a common purpose and interest. For example, when school resumes this fall, the things that were grown over the summer can be brought in to show classmates and the growing experience can be shared through journals and photos. This can also [...]

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