Libraries build healthy brains
Here in Calgary, we are very proud of our new Calgary Central Library – Architectural Digest even named it “One of the 12 Most Anticipated Buildings of 2018.” As a self professed library nerd, I made it to the new facility within a week of it’s opening. What I found was a truly world class facility, one that has ushered Canada into the forefront of information sharing and community building. While there, I bumped into a friend. Tanya McFerrin has a Education Degree from University of California – Berkeley and uses that expertise in her role as a day home provider, parent and a founding member of “On a Velo” – a […]
3 unexpected benefits of being a “therapy family”
Editor’s note: We are thrilled to have an experienced therapy parent write a blog post for us today. While she is not named, she writes this with support for our clinic and profession and for all families near or far. Three of my four children have received one form or another of therapy support, which means I have spent my fair share of time in a clinic waiting room. I mean, a lot. We have been to the clinic 1-2 times weekly for the past three years. While sitting in those waiting rooms my thoughts have ranged from deep gratitude, to political rants on healthcare solutions, to creative ways to […]
Potty training the challenging child – Where to start?
Parents have been successfully potty training their children for years. Often, taking away underwear and spending a few days close to home and potty is enough to teach a child to successfully use the toilet. But, what about the trickier child? Whether it’s a diagnosis of Autism or Sensory Processing Disorder, or the skills are just not clicking by preschool age, here is exactly where to start with potty training a challenging child. Tracking for pee training If your child is struggling with using the potty for both pee and poop, start with pee training. In my experience, most children learn this skill first. Step one is to track your […]
Ready, Set … Impulse Control
‘Tis the season of the busy four year old child! Each year, we seem to have waves of children working on the same issue. This year, other than challenges with potty training, (so much poop!), we are seeing loads of children with a similar profile. Bright, sweet and goes a mile a minute. Does Aiden understand the word stop? Sure he does! Does Aiden have the ability to stop? Nope. This is where OT’s look at the baseline building block of impulse control. Without it, Aiden keeps running in gym class and can’t follow the simple hoola hoop game. But, how do we teach it? For more ideas […]
Oprah touts healing through relationship
When the Guru Oprah touts her latest report for 60 Minutes as a “game changer,” you sit up a take notice. When that report is about childhood trauma, healing through relationship and features a Therapy Guru who influences one’s daily pediatric work, you write a blog post about it! Healing children through relationship Oprah’s report featured the research of Dr. Bruce Perry, the founder of the Child Trauma Academy, and who pioneered the approach of healing children from trauma by using relationship. Insight from a Calgary-based behaviour therapist Sarah McMillen is a Calgary-based Behaviour Specialist with 20 years experience. Currently, she is a consultant with children aged 18 months to 13 years […]
3 tips for keeping kids active over March Break
Whether you’re on a family trip or enjoying a “staycation” most parents have great intentions of keeping kids active over the March Break. Are you revved up with plans and ideas, or needing some help to find your inner camp counselor? We’ve got ideas to help parents continue to build healthy brains while on holiday. Less apps, more mess A child’s brain is hardwired for sensory input, particularly children aged 5 and under. Think about a typical preschool and kindergarten and you’ll recall few screens and lots of sensory play. Children learn through sensory input – which is why printing is taught first with paints and colouring and sandpaper letters […]
Self care for the caregiver – a therapist shares her challenge
One of my favourite quotes is from Brene Brown’s TED talk on shame, where she referenced her “vulnerability hangover” after her speech (on, you guessed it, shame and vulnerability) went viral. Those two words just sum up so much. And, while Spring OT’s platforms are not (yet) attracting millions upon millions of followers, sharing best resources and information with parents, caregivers and other therapists in this format can be really scary, and prompt lots of “gulp” moments. So, why not take it one step further do something even scarier? Here, I am sharing my latest personal challenge. Do I need multiple public accountability partners? Any little bit helps. But, most […]
Why won’t time outs work for my child?
Most of our parents complain “We’ve tried everything to keep our child calm and to stop the tantrums and it’s just not working!” Further discussion reveals that “everything” is most often traditional behavioural strategies, such as punishment and time outs. Families are amazed when OT explains the concepts of emotional regulation and why time outs don’t work for every kid. Time outs don’t promote emotional regulation The work of Dan Siegel, MD, continually informs our daily OT practice. His book, The Whole Brain Child, is the “must have” resource for parents and therapists in our clinic – it has a prominent place in our clinic waiting room. Dr. Siegel describes […]
The effect of physical space on emotional regulation
A year ago, Spring OT expanded our clinic. New staff, new programming and continued client growth have made up a large part of the expansion process. But, one of the biggest and most important decisions was finding our physical space. I knew the right space would have a massive impact on the emotional regulation of children and families. Expanding the space for emotional regulation When I set out to deliver OT services in a private setting, back in 2013, my first real goal was to find a few clients, build a collection of materials, and use best practices and my enthusiasm, to keep kids (and parents!) happy and returning. Within […]
Should my child continue with Occupational Therapy over the summer?
As the weather turns, so too do parents’ thoughts about summer plans. Come spring, our clients ask us for advice; should their child take the summer off or continue with therapy? Therapy during the summer gives families more time As much as we focus on our little clients, parents are our clients too. The best part of summer therapy is that parents have more time. In our clinic we find that less school plus more sun equals more engaged families – that’s math I understand! As always, we let best practice be our guide, and research has shown that parents who are involved and engaged in their child’s therapy has a […]
