Brain Builders

06/12/2026

Your baby is gaining weight... but feeding still feels really hard?

Your baby is gaining weight... but feeding still feels really hard?

If feeding your newborn feels harder than you expected, trust your instincts.

While some feeding challenges improve with time, others may benefit from support sooner rather than later.

Some signs that may warrant a feeding evaluation include:

👶 Frequent coughing, choking, or gulping during feeds
👶 Difficulty staying latched to the breast or bottle
👶 Clicking sounds while feeding
👶 Taking longer than 30 minutes to finish a feeding
👶 Falling asleep after only a few minutes of eating
👶 Excessive leaking from the mouth
👶 Poor weight gain or slow feeding progress
👶 Significant stress or frustration during feedings

Feeding should be a time for nourishment, connection, and growth, not constant worry.

At Brain Builders, we work with infants and families to identify feeding challenges, support successful feeding experiences, and help parents feel confident during this important stage of development.

Sometimes small adjustments can make a big difference.

💙 You know your baby best. If something doesn't feel right, it's okay to ask questions.

📍 Serving infants and families throughout Bel Air, Abingdon, Harford County, Baltimore County, and Cecil County.

06/10/2026

06/09/2026

Did you know that scooping, pouring, and exploring an ocean sensory bin builds much more than play skills?

During Ocean Week, our occupational therapists are targeting:

🐚 Fine motor skills
🐚 Hand-eye coordination
🐚 Sensory processing
🐚 Attention and focus
🐚 Bilateral coordination

Children are learning while they play and often don't even realize they're working hard.

These foundational skills support everything from handwriting and dressing to classroom participation and independence.

What's your child's favorite sensory activity?

💙 Tell us below!

06/08/2026

Just like ocean waves, language development doesn't happen in a perfectly straight line.

One child may start talking early and then grow gradually. Another child may seem quiet for months and then suddenly start using new words every day.

As speech-language pathologists, we expect children to develop skills in stages. First they learn to understand language, then they begin using gestures, sounds, words, and eventually sentences.

That's why comparing your child to a sibling, cousin, or friend can be misleading.

Every child follows their own developmental path.

What matters most is not whether your child talks exactly like another child their age but whether they are continuing to make progress and meeting important developmental milestones.

If you're worried because your child isn't talking as much as their peers, trust your instincts.

Early support can help us identify whether a child simply needs more time, or if they would benefit from speech therapy.

❤️ Every child grows in their own time and we're honored to support that journey.

06/07/2026

One of the biggest feeding myths we hear is:

"If my child didn't eat it, it doesn't count."

Actually, progress often starts long before a child takes a bite.

Looking at food.
Touching food.
Smelling food.
Playing with food.
Kissing food.
Licking food.

These are all important steps toward expanding a child's food repertoire.

This week we're celebrating every small win because confidence around food develops just like confidence in any other skill, one step at a time.

🍎 Every exposure matters.

06/03/2026

If therapy feels like play, children learn more 🍦

This week we’re using ice cream-themed activities to build:
🗣️ language
✋ motor skills
🥄 feeding confidence

Sweet skills all summer long ☀️

06/02/2026

Play-based activities can build so many important OT skills. 🍦

✋ Hand strength
🎯 Coordination
🧠 Motor planning
✂️ Bilateral coordination
🍨 Sensory exploration

Scooping, stacking, squeezing, and pretend play all help children develop the foundational skills needed for everyday tasks

Because therapy works best when it feels like PLAY

06/02/2026

Please extend a warm welcome to our newest Brain Builders therapist, Lindsey Yost! We are so happy to have you!

Lindsey is a Maryland State licensed and NBCOT certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. She has previous experience as a school-based occupational therapy practitioner, focusing on promoting meaningful participation within the school setting through goal-driven interventions and collaboration with educational teams. Lindsey strives to provide compassionate and comprehensive care through (fun!) purposeful and meaningful activities and is passionate about supporting children to explore and thrive in their daily occupations.

06/01/2026

Sensory needs can feel overwhelming and may lead to meltdowns, avoidance, or constant movement in children. Noticing these signals is the first step to helping them feel safe and calm. Have you seen this in your child? What helps most?

06/01/2026

Ice cream play is FULL of opportunities for language.

This week in speech therapy we’re targeting:

🗣️ Requesting (“more please!”)
🎨 Describing (“pink ice cream”)
🔄 Turn taking
❓ Answering questions
🍦 Core words like: “want”, “go”, “eat”, “more”

The best part?
Kids learn best when they’re having FUN

Try this at home:
Pretend to run an ice cream shop and let your child “order” flavors + toppings! 🍦