New iTunes application for healthy eating "My Family Food"

An occupational therapist (me!) created an iTunes application to help individuals, families and children to keep track of (and improve) healthy eating habits. Support your New Year's resolution by downloading this great app for only $0.99. It is a food tracker that tracks all of the major food group, plus water, multi-vitamin and Omega-3 consumption.

It is the only food tracking application for both adults and children and that accommodates multiple profiles. The application recommends appropriate portion sizes based on age, starting with children one year old so you know if you're feeding your children (or yourself!) too much. There are also tips for picky eaters and information about ways to incorporate Omega-3 Fatty acids into your diet. Funny sound effects like a "burp" and a "bite" add entertainment value to engage children in working towards earning "medals" by eating designated foods.

For toddlers, the application picks up where the baby tracker applications leave off, allowing a parent to track their child’s eating during the transition to dependence on solid foods.

Check it out on iTunes and let me know what you think! Your suggestions may be included in a future update!

Picky eater? Get them to eat their fruits and veggies!

Getting your picky child to eat their fruits and veggies can seem an impossible task. Often children are turned off by the texture or smell of the food. What's a parent to do? Try dried! Just Tomatoes makes great dried fruits and vegetables that your kids will eat like candy. Feel free to buy a food dehydrator and dry your own, but it actually cheaper to just buy it from the pros, and they've perfected their technique. Toddlers love them too and they are great for on-the-go snacks. How else are you going to give your kids pomegranate seeds blueberries all year?

Other great crunchy veggie snacks include chips made from beets, carrots and sweet potatoes. You can make them yourself by slicing them thin and baking at 400 degrees for 40 minutes (wait for them to cool- that's when they get crunchy). Or buy them ready made from Terra Chips. Calbee Snack Salad Snapea Crisps, Original Flavor, 3.3- Ounce Bags (Pack of 12)

are a great option too. You can also put pureed butternut squash or pumpkin in pancakes, waffles or bread. Yummy!

Cash for kiddie clunkers? Toys R Us offers trade-ins

Toys R Us announced Wednesday that it will take back used baby products between Aug. 28 and Sept. 20 in exchange for 20 percent off new ones. Like the federal government's "cash for clunkers" program, the "Great Trade-In," as the toy chain is calling it, will enable consumers to replace old, potentially dangerous items with safe, new ones at Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores.

There are a few catches, though: The trade-in doesn't apply to any of those made-in-China toys, the ones with the lead paint and tiny plastic parts that broke off. Those were supposed to have been recalled already.This trade-in covers cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, car seats, play yards and high chairs. The discounts apply to items made only by participating manufacturers, including many brands popular with the stroller set such as Evenflo, Chicco and Graco. Shoppers can go to the company's safety web page for the fine print.

Executive Functioning and Organization for Work Habits

The school years are when these executive functioning problems typically become apparent. The specific problems vary from child to child but here are some general suggestions for children who have difficulties with organization due to executive functioning difficulties.

Children who have trouble organizing their school work can try the following:
1. remove all unnecessary papers, pencils or materials from work area
2. use containers to organize all materials
3. break down long projects into smaller tasks
4. give assignments one at a time i.e. one worksheet at a time
5. cover a portion of each worksheet or put less information on each page.
6. provide a written list of required assignments
7. use colored folders or notebooks to organize
8. use highlighters or colored inks to point out important information
9. use a homework journal or log. Have teacher check that assignments are recorder and initial each subject or day.

Baby's Genes Determine Breast Feeding Benefits

Current research has tauted the benefits of breast feeding your baby- enhanced immune system development and improved cognitive abilities are two of the most significant benefits.
But do all babies gain these benefits? New research says that a specific gene influences whether or not baby will benefit from breast feeding.

The good news is that 90 percent of babies do have the gene that allows them to benefit.
Click to see the Newsweek article

Cavities are Contagious!!!

Yup, you read correctly- Early childhood caries (the technical word for cavities) is an infectious disease, partially caused by a bacteria. If you have ever had even one cavity, your body contains the S. Mutans bacteria which can be transmitted from caregiver to child by everyday activities such as tasting food from their spoon before giving it to them!

According to the CDC, Although dental caries (tooth decay) is largely preventable, it remains the most common chronic disease of children aged 5 to 17 years-5 times more common than asthma (59% versus 11%).
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, You should introduce dental hygiene practices from early infancy by cleaning your child's gums. You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head (or an Infa-dent ) and water, at least once a day before bed time.

The ADA reminds you that a child's teeth are susceptible to decay as soon as they begin to break through, therefore it is recommended that your child has their first dental appointment when the first tooth erupts.

There are lots of things you can do to prepare your child for their first dental check up. Don't even put the idea in their mind that the dentist could be frightening or painful.An advantage to forming an early relationship with a pediatric dentist is that if your child does have a dental emergency, you have a better alternative than the emergency room!

The visit can be exciting and fun, if you take steps the prepare your child for the experience. Plan to visit office ahead of time for a "getting acquainted" visit, or play pretend dentist with your child by looking into each others mouths with flashlights.

There are some great books to help! Choose a book with your child's favorite character such as Dora or Barney.

ADA Position Statement on Early Childhood Dental Health

A special thanks to Dr. Melanie Acosta of Dr. Camps Pediatric Dental Center in Silver Spring, Maryland for promoting awareness of the importance of early childhood dental health! See the dental center's website for even more valuable information.
Dr. Camps Pediatric Dental Center Webpage

See how to Swaddle

Swaddling is a fantastic way to help calm your baby, especially when combined with other calming strategies in the book or DVD "The Happiest Baby on the Block".

The secret to a good swaddle is to wrap baby tight! If baby can get his arms free, it is too loose.

Instructions are great, but a picture is worth a thousand words! See a video of how to swaddle at http://www.videojug.com/

The Website www.videojug.com is a website that recently launched in the US after widespread success in the UK. It is a "How To" site that features video, rather than print answers and instructions by experts in a variety of different fields. The website's motto is "Life explained. On film."
Watch the swaddling video and connect with www.videojug.com!

The "Eyes" Have it: Include vision on the list of well baby checkups

The American Optometric Association encourages parents to include a trip to the optometrist in the list of well-baby check-ups. Assessments at six to twelve months of age can determine healthy development of vision. Early detection of eye conditions is the best way to ensure your child has healthy vision for successful development-now and in the future.

InfantSEE® is a public health program designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child's quality of life. Member optometrists will provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment within the first year of life as a no cost public health service.

Just click on "Find an InfantSEE® doctor" to find a participating optometrist near you!
Visit Infant SEE to Learn More

Online Autism Resouce

AutismConnectMd.org has been launched!

The purpose of Autism Connect is to provide an online resource that will assist you in locating and securing resources for individuals with Autism. The website focuses specifically on research, educational resources, and advocacy organizations available to families in Maryland, but has information relevant to readers everywhere.

check them out...

Occupational Therapy terms: What is "Upper Extremtiy Bilateral Coordination"?

Bilateral coordination of the arms refers to any of these 3 different skill areas that are building blocks for general coordination of the upper body:

1. 2 arms working together doing the same thing. What for? Throwing and catching a ball with 2 hands, carrying and passing a tray with 2 hands.

2. 2 arms doing reciprocal or opposite movements (requires the timing of one arm in relation to the other) What for? arm swing when walking or running. In legs, walking or pedaling a bicycle.

3. 1 arm stabilizes while the other arm manipulates. What for? holding a paper and cutting, holding a paper still and writing, hammering, sawing, zipping a zipper.


Playing "Simon Says" is a great way to work on imitation of these movements.

Develop the Small Muscles of Your Child's Hands

Playing with small toys encourages the development of small hand muscles. Separation of the sides of the hands means the thumb and index and middle fingers become the "skilled" fingers, and the ring and pinky fingers become the stable base which hey work off of. Here are some fun activities to try.

• Stringing: beads, dried pasta, cut up pieces of drinking straw. If your child is unable to string on a standard lace, try making a longer aglet (the plastic sheath on the end of the lace) by wrapping it with scotch tape. If that is still too hard, start with stringing onto a pipecleaner.


• Snap fingers


• Play-Doh- roll into balls (using only thumb and index fingers), snakes, use cookie cutters and playdough tools.


• Put coins in a piggy bank. Start with the slot oriented horizontally, then try orienting the slot vertically (this is a harder hand skill). Even harder....put 2-3 coins in the child's hand and have them place one at a time in a piggy bank or vending machine.


• Use tweezers or tongs to pick up objects like cotton balls or balls of playdough.


• squeeze the trigger of a spray bottle using index and middle fingers rather than the whole hand.

See my previous post for other activity ideas.

Activities for Kids with Low Muscle Tone

Here are some general suggestions for improving muscle tone with "play" activities. Feel free to pick and choose which ones your child might enjoy.

• push and pull a weighted stroller, laundry basket or box around the house (place phone books, laundry detergent bottles, water bottles, etc inside to add weight)


• Sit on a stool or bench with no back or side support to help reinforce good posture. An exercise ball works great too!


• When your child is seated at a table, be sure your child has adequate foot support. Feet should be flat on the floor. If the chair is too tall, use a phone book or small stool so that feet rest properly.


• Have the child sit in a box or laundry basket and give them a ride. Start by moving slowly to make sure you child can use his trunk muscles to maintain balance. Then, move it quickly, starting and stopping, sliding and rocking, side to side and front to back.


• Reaching activities to improve the ability to stand on toes and raise arms above head. Use magnets placed up high on the refrigerator or reaching up to see shat is on a high counter or table. Hold books up high and have your child point to pictures.


• Jumping games- help your child by holding under their arms and jump on the floor several times in a row. As their ability improves, support them by holding their hands and start to jump down from a step. A mini trampoline is also great to support early jumping.


• Bouncing up and down on a large exercise ball while sitting- move them and and down in all directions (front to back and side to side) to engage various postural or "core" muscles.


• Wheelbarrow walking- have your child place their hands on the floor, then lift them at their hips so they "walk" on their hands. If they are unable to hold themselves up on their arms, provide some support under the chest. If they are easily able to wheelbarrow walk with support at the hips...try holding them at their knees. Most challenging would be holding at their ankles. Aim to increase the distance they are able to wheelbarrow walk.


• Climbing onto appropriate furniture or ladders and jungle gyms at the playground.


• Tape paper up on the wall above eye level and provide crayons or markers. The goal is for the child to color with arm and hand above shoulder height.


• Squat to pick up heavy items and lift and carry. Children can help unpack groceries and place on countertop or a low shelf.


• One foot balance activities: lift one foot to step on bubbles blown low on the floor, kick a ball, step on and off as small 204 inch step, step over a small obstacle.


• Encourage running and chasing games- you can hold your child's hand to encourage arm swing and increase speed.


• Carry a weighted ball and place it in a raised basketball or a box on a chair.


• Obstacle course- encourage climbing over a mountain of cushions or pillows, crawling under tables and through tunnels or boxes, as well as stepping on or over objects.


• Animal walks: Bear walk (on hands and feet with bottom in the air), duck walking in a squatting position, jump like a frog, hop like a rabbit.


• Fun sit ups- have you child lie on the floor and his back with bent knees and position yourself at his feet. Have them sit up trying not to use their hands- entice them to sit up to pop bubbles that you are blowing, give you a high five, or touch a designated body part (your nose, elbow, ear, etc)

Summer Handwriting Help

Research has shown that when children like to write, they are more likely to experience success in school. Help you child learn to see writing as a tool rather than a chore from an early age using the tips below:

• Don't correct spelling mistakes for leisurely activities


• Use a fun variety of writing tools: scented markers, dry erase boards, colored pencils


• Find interesting things to write on: paper plates, newspaper, sand paper, fancy stationary
• Build shoulder strength and teach proper wrist position by using chalk on the side of the house or any vertical surface

Crayola has released a really cool new writing tool- Crayola 3-D Chalk! Summer is the perfect time to get those creative juices flowing!

See some more great motivating products here

Babies "talking" earlier?

Gone are the days where sign language was just for the deaf. Signing to has been scientifically proven to be a successful means to teach babies and toddlers to communicate before they are able to speak. How wonderful for your child to have a way to tell you what they want, rather than whining or crying! The more frequently and consistently you use signs, the quicker children pick them up. Start with sign like "more", "milk" and "all done". Use the signs regularly in your interactions with your child from a young age, and one day you'll be surprised when they sign back!

There are numerous videos and books available to help, but now there is also a wonderful Baby Signing program on public television. Click here to find broadcast times in your area.

Heres a video of a 13-month old signing "all done"!

Read a dad's blog about his success signing with his baby

Great product find: Trunki Ride on Suitcase!

Love your kids but hate to travel with them? Now you can enjoy them and your vacation with this new ride- on child's suitcase. The Trunki ($39) is the ultimate travel luggage for kids. Weighing only 3.8 pounds and made with the same durable plastic that adult luggage is made of, the Trunki makes it easy to pack, carry, and for kids ages 3-6, ride on if necessary. Cute and functional, the Trunki comes in Trixie (pink) and Terrence (blue). Keep the kids happy, and make getting through the airport as stress free as possible so you can get on with your vacation!
See Trunki on Amazon.com

Activities to improve shoulder, arm and hand strength

Working on a vertical surface such as a wall, chalkboard or easel helps strengthen the shoulder, place the wrist an ideal position and promote mature pencil grasp. Here are some suggestions for activities you can do at home to work on these skills:

• Draw with small (1-inch) pieces of chalk or crayon. The size of the piece is important because with a small enough piece, your child can only place their thumb and index finger on the writing tool. This will strengthen the thumb side of the hand and promote a proper pencil grasp.


• Tape paper to the refrigerator above eye level. Draw, color, use magnets. You can create a "mystery picture" by making a drawing in white crayon, then give your child watercolor paints to paint the entire page. Your picture will "magically" appear!


• Draw on the wall of the bath tub with shaving cream, bathtub crayons or foam soap.


• Tape paper to the underside of a low table and have child lay on their back to draw, color or place stickers on the paper. A fun idea is the first put dot stickers on the paper, then draw lines to connect the dots.


• Squirt water from a spray bottle to water plants, clean the table, or aim at a target drawn on a wall outside. For a different motivating project, you can use spray bottles to "tie dye" clothes too!


• Use a paintbrush and water to "paint"on the side of a building.

Research tool can detect autism at 9 months of age

The ability to detect autism in children as young as nine months of age is on the horizon, according to researchers at McMaster University. Using eye tracking as an indicator of autism, a 10 minute tool can objectively assess whether or not children have autism, with no subjective interference of examiner interpretation. Current assessments of autism are not accurate until children are 2 years old, causing children to lose valuable time that they could be receiving early intervention treatments.

Read the press release

Click here to see more about the study of this new tool

How to choose the right pre-school for your child

Fall planning is underway and choosing a pre-school program for your young child can be a daunting task. Schools are typically centered on one of three philosophies: "play based", "montessori" or "directed". While in practice, there is usually a blend of these two principles, you should be aware of what approach will best suit your child's strengths and needs.

While play based programs are probably the least structured of the group, there should still be some structure or schedule to the day, for example: circle time, story time, themes, and support from teachers to promote cooperative play sharing, cleaning up after oneself, and expanding on current skills. Play based pre-school should not be glorified daycare centers where children are permitted to do as they please.

Typically, children who thrive in structured environments, with regular schedules, routines and rules are better suited in a "directed" program. Children that are self-directed and exploratory may be better served in a play based or montessori program.




As an early interventionist, my personal feeling is that montessori programs are not a good choice for children with even mild delays in thinking, language, motor or social skills. Quiet children who prefer to watch from then sidelines may also miss out on opportunities in a montessori-based class. I prefer a play-based (but structured) program that provides support for engagement, participation and actively encourages trying things that are a bit more challenging for the child.

The most important aspect of early education is to foster a love of learning through positive experiences. Here's a great article that supports the importance of positive learning experiences.

Read more about how to differentiate between the programs and choose the right one for your child here!



This article has great info on choosing a montessori program.

Grants Available for Families Struggling with Child Health-Related Expenses

The United Healthcare Children's Foundation has announced that new grants are available to help children who need health care treatment, services, or equipment not covered or not fully covered by their parents' health benefit plans.

UHCCF provides grants to families to help pay for child health care services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, prescriptions, and medical equipment such as wheelchairs, orthotics, and eyeglasses.

Parents and legal guardians may apply for grants of up to $5,000 each for child medical services and equipment by completing an online application at the UHCCF Web site. To be eligible for a grant, children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the United States, and be covered by a commercial health benefit plan.

Click for more information

Grant application criteria

When did “play” become more about the TOYS and less about the IMAGINATION….and how does this hurt our kids?

I just read a great article on NPR. This intriguing article explores how “toy focused” versus imaginative play has negatively impacted children’s cognitive(thinking) and emotional skills. It looks at a highly important skill, “executive functioning” and specifically the component of executive functioning that allows children to “self regulate”. Children with good self-regulation skills demonstrate the ability to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline.

The article states, “Poor executive function is associated with high dropout rates, drug use and crime. In fact, good executive function is a better predictor of success in school than a child's IQ.”

You may be thinking….but I provide my child all of these wonderful instructional toys! This surely improves their cognitive skills. Sure it does, but in a different way. Imaginative play help strengthen skills that build the foundation for successes in school and social relationships.

Please read this eye opening article! You can even listen to the radio broadcast online.

The moral of the story…turn off the TV! Encourage your children to put down those toys that can only be used in one way! Boxes can be cars or spaceships. Have some pretend play toys such as props or dress-up accessories. Play house, pirates or jungle explorer. Encourage problem solving and creative thinking in your little ones and the benefits are endless. Plan play in advance- discuss what the story will be, who the characters are and what the “adventure” or “problem” is. Aim to spend 30-45 minutes per day engaging in these activities with your children or facilitating play between your child and friend.

Here’s another great NPR article that gives some tips based on the the Tools of the Mind preschool curriculum.