What is a food jag? Many children, especially those with feeding sensitivities, tend to find a preferred or “safe” food and will get stuck in a pattern of only wanting to eat that food for every meal possible. This pattern is referred to, in the world of feeding therapy, as a “food jag”. Why do...

Nothing even happened and they just started having a meltdown”. There is always a reason why a child is engaging in challenging behavior, we just have to figure it out! Every instance of behavior has 3 common components, Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence. The ABCs of behavior are beneficial when determining the functions of behavior. There...

Parents are very good at predicting their child’s needs. After all, YOU are the expert on your child. Nobody else can know them better. You know if they want the blue ball or the red ball. You know which cup is their favorite. You know if they like the original goldfish crackers or the rainbow....

What is a sensory diet? A sensory diet is a set of strategic sensory activities implemented in a child’s day to proactively meet their sensory needs. The purpose of a sensory diet is to provide sensory input that organizes the central nervous system and regulates a child. What types of sensory activities are included in...

When exploring a new food with your picky eater, it is easy to fall into the trap of simply wanting your child to eat what is placed in front of them. This expectation can easily lead to frustration and negative feelings surrounding food and meal time for all involved. Let’s take the pressure off and...

What is a visual schedule? A visual schedule is a collection of pictures and/or materials that visually represent and break down tasks into a sequence of activities. What is the purpose of a visual schedule? Visual schedules serve as a least restrictive option for prompting. It helps guide learners to be more independent. It may...

Introducing new foods is fun and exciting; however; can be stressful when introducing known allergens! Begin introducing purees and baby foods at about 6 months old. Introducing low allergen foods early can assist in creating a wide range of foods and flavors your baby will accept. Introducing high allergen foods before 12 months old can...

Tummy time is the time that baby spends awake on their belly. It is an important position for baby to begin soon after birth! Start with smaller increments, around 5 minutes 4-5 times per day. Eventually, baby should be spending at least 60 cumulative minutes in tummy time each day. Break this time up in...

What is sensory processing and why is it important? Sensory processing is our brain’s ability to retrieve, organize, and process information from all of our senses and turn it into useful information necessary for proper development. Early exposure of sensory input to all sensory systems (tactile, auditory, visual, oral, olfactory, vestibular, and proprioceptive) allows the...

What is a concussion? A concussion is an unpredictable injury to any area of the brain, resulting in immediate or delayed changes in the brain’s chemistry and function. Concussions occur with rapid movement changes or when the head is directly hit. Often seen in playground accidents, falls, motor vehicle collisions (whiplash), and contact sports such...