Nurture Occupational Therapy for Children

31/01/2023

A quick message about regulation.

Regulated does not mean calm.

People yelling and screaming at a sports event- that energy is ok for that setting.

Someone quiet and still when meditating- that energy is ok for that setting.

All emotions are fine and we do feel them all at one time or another.

For me personally, it’s whether I can come down from those intense emotions after the fact. Can I get back to feeling calm after I’ve had an unpleasant interaction with someone? Can I get back to calm after my kids have been screeching at each other for 5 hours? Can I return to a neutral energy state after I’ve been somewhere super exciting? I usually can’t. That energy consumes me. I feel it for the rest of the day, or even several days. This dysregulation is made worse by sensory overload, stress, and exhaustion.

The answer? Try and reduce those things as best I can. And Stimming. For me, singing and dancing is the most effective.

For more info on regulation, go check out these fine accounts:
Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist
Perth Children's Occupational Therapy
The Well-Balanced OT
(instagram)autisticot (instagram)
The ND OT

Em ☺️✌️🌈
AuDHD SLP

ID: Image is artwork that says “Regulated means your energy levels match the task. It does not mean ‘calm’.” There’s a drawing of a kid running through the grass with a kite.

23/06/2022

Some great advice for parents at this time of the year.

For our kids it can be daunting to feel like all of their schooling achievements are dependent on whether they get straight A's or not.

Things like nurturing friendships and becoming more independent are not graded but are just as important when it comes to our kids learning and developing 👩‍🏫😊

14/04/2022

These autumn days are a perfect time for children to enjoy being outside.

Wonderful weather to be outside, play and get those feet dirty!
Photo credit: Wilder Child

12/04/2022

Love this.

07/04/2022

Joy and humor can lighten the energy and foster connection with children....so powerful!

"Joy is a powerful tool for solving childhood challenges and promoting brain health. Yet in our culture of doing, teaching, treating and pathologizing, too often we forget that when a child needs help, the first thing we should increase is joy."
— Mona Delahooke, Ph.D.



✨If you would like to be kept in the loop on everything Neurochild please submit your details here http://bit.ly/neurochild-connect

03/02/2022

Teaching children empathy can be an ongoing task that can often span many years . For some children, understanding the thoughts and emotions of others doesn't come naturally. But it's a task we just keeping working on , and chipping away at in OT, because its an important skill so necessary for deep human connection.

13/12/2021

So true!

20/09/2021

In the year prior to starting Prep, children need lots of opportunities to draw and experiment with crayons, chalk and pencils. For those who are reluctant, consider a range of media... chalk, whiteboards, painting, drawing on a fogged up shower screen, drawing in wet sand at the beach.
Focus on having fun, and attempting pre-writing shapes. Prewriting shapes like circles, horizontal and vertical lines, crosses, diagonal lines, and squares form the basis of all printing, so a child who can imitate these will have great foundational skills for learning to print when they start school!

This resource covers age-appropriate specifics on how to teach coloring skills at each age and stage, from babies, to toddlers, to preschool, to Pre-K, to elementary aged children.

🖍 HOW TO TEACH COLORING SKILLS 🖍

https://www.theottoolbox.com/how-to-teach-coloring-skills/

12/09/2021

So true!

02/08/2021

Be that safe place for your child.

20/06/2021

See more affirmations here >> https://selfsufficientkids.com/affirmations-for-kids/