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We are very excited to present this amazing interview with Mrs. Keerthana. She is an Autism advocate and a loving mother of an exceptional daughter. Mrs. Keerthana shares her unique neurodivergent life with her daughter Vaanya. We bring to you this story of spectrum of hope – Vaanya in her mother’s own words. Be that parent to love your child unconditionally, because love might not come easy to them! Being a mother in India is tough… You are constantly judged, questioned, and suggested about how to be the right mother for your child. Now… Imagine being a special needs mother in the same “India”. Shaming you is not enough. Now the child will be shamed too. “Your child will be excluded and you will be avoided.” Be that friend to enjoy their life with because they strive for a company just like all of us! After fighting with ignorance and lack of awareness, in my own societal circle, I got my daughter Vaanya clinically diagnosed at the age of 2.5 years. I always knew there was something amiss with her. And it was neither her upbringing, nor her horoscope. Vaanya was diagnosed to be on the Autism spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a broad range of neurological conditions characterized by challenges with social communication skills and repetitive or restrictive behaviors or thinking. Every child on the autism spectrum is very different from the others. Vaanya is a verbal child but cannot communicate, which means she can’t use her speech to communicate her needs or feelings. She sings in five different languages and yet asking me for a cup of water has still been a difficult task for her. Though she is constantly overwhelmed by the whirlpool of sensations inside her body caused by sensory processing disorder and struggles to communicate her needs and feelings, she never ever gives up and rises like a warrior every single day to triumph. To face our demands and to learn to survive in a world not designed for them is not an easy feat. It is that relentless spirit the whole world can learn from. The initial days following her diagnosis were really tough. It broke me inside and crippled my heart. Not that she was “Autistic”. But the fact that I couldn’t reach her. She was trapped inside this body. Neither could we understand her world nor did she have any clue about ours… When similar parents around me were running around finding cures for autism , I was striving to find a connection with my child… Only when I could let all those ideas behind me could I actually embrace my child for exactly who she was and connect with her. And I did. I finally did… It was a slow process. But it was the biggest unlearning journey I ever experienced. Unlearning everything, I was taught about parenting or about living life in general. Only when I could let all those ideas behind me could I actually embrace my child for exactly who she was and connect with her. And it was just magical. To be able to see those smiles on her face again. To be able to provide her with a safe space. That was the biggest milestone for us in our parenting journey… This wouldn’t have been possible without listening to the actually autistic community who helped me understand the autistic experiences and what my child was feeling internally. By knowing this I couldn’t erase her struggles I could definitely give her the much-needed support and more than anything the ACCEPTANCE that she is wonderful however she is… This journey of parenting a disabled child wasn’t the easiest. It’s like a roller coaster ride of emotions and adaptations. Giving up on a life we had imagined in our head about how family and future would look. To accept the new reality… But the reality is just different. It’s not bad or less… It’s just different… Be that advocate your child needs to fight against society and grow to their fullest potential against all misconceptions!  Every day we learn so much from our daughter about perseverance, patience, and the joy in little things that we have started embracing this different life of ours…. The whole world is talking about therapies and prognosis and development, but there are rare conversations about our disabled children’s mental health, well-being, and autonomy. This is exactly what I wanted more people to be aware of and conscious of through my blogs. I want more and more parents to find acceptance towards their autistic children and see them for the beautiful souls they are. Our children’s disability is already making their life much more challenging. Parents and society are both unknowingly making it even more difficult by snatching away all privileges a typically developing peer easily enjoys. Our children are constantly instructed, restricted and directed in the name of therapies by careers. And society rubs isolation on their face through their discrimination and ignorant judgments. I believe strongly that it’s not success in life that matters but the happiness in our hearts and soul that makes this journey called life so worth it. So, though the world is filled with parents forcing their autistic children to be normal. Therapists that show off their success rates, I only hope to make my daughter a happy and peaceful person. Because… There is absolutely no learning or success without HAPPINESS!  Please drop us a comment if you liked this Spectrum of Hope – Vaanya story! If you wish to feature someone, please get in touch with us! #autismspectrumdisorder #curesforautism #SpectrumofHopeVaanya

We bring to this wonderful story of Ms. Maureen Bennie , the founder-director of the Autism Awareness Center , United States of America. Ms. Bennie’s vision for the future of Autistic people is what led her to establish the Autism Awareness Center. She is transforming the world with Autism Awareness Center. The center believes education is the key to success in assisting neurodiverse people. They host several conferences, and webinars, and publish blogs and books easily accessible to people. Their website has every resource a person may need to understand and navigate Autism. Ms. Bennie strongly believes that open-access information on her website will help thousands all over the world. I want to encourage new parents facing a second diagnosis that it’s not the end of the world. We are very grateful to Ms. Bennie for sharing her journey with us. Let’s hear it in her words. Raising more than one autistic child is a unique experience and not without its challenges. When I tell people I have an autistic son and daughter, they ask questions like, “Is it common to have more than one autistic child? Is it harder than having one? How do you cope? I’ve never heard of a boy and girl in the same family – does that happen often?” Families like mine are not as rare as you might think. Parenting two autistic children, now adults are challenging and keeps me on my toes seven days a week. It’s hard to keep things on an even keel, but there are some great rewards. My son, Marc, was 2 years and 10 months old when he was first diagnosed with autism . I will never forget the moment I received the diagnosis. I experienced many emotions and felt life was completely unfair to me. There were signs – that Marc wasn’t reaching certain developmental milestones like responding to his own name or waving bye-bye. When I found out that Marc was on the spectrum I was devastated, but I was also relieved that my other child was a girl because I thought there was little to no chance of her being autistic too. By the time Julia was 16 months old, I was rethinking that. Like Marc, Julia wasn’t exhibiting age-appropriate behavior: there was no baby talk and she wasn’t responding to her name. One year after Marc was diagnosed, I was told that my daughter was also on the spectrum. I will never forget the moment I received the diagnosis – I experienced many emotions and felt life was being completely unfair to me. I was full of resentment over having 2 autistic children. It seemed impossible – how could this happen in one family? Over the years, I have seen a beautiful friendship develop between Marc and Julia that remains intact in their adulthood. What was hard in the early years was the level of difficulty each child had and how differently those difficulties presented themselves. Our son, Marc, had no language until he was almost 5. He relied on stimming to help with anxiety and self-soothe, engaged in rewinding videos a lot and obsessed over ceiling fans. His play cantered on arranging toys. It took him hours to fall asleep at night and he woke up frequently. Marc followed a strict gluten-free/casein-free diet from age 15 months on. He had many meltdowns and was hypersensitive. A paper cut could result in a 3-hour crying jag. Julia, 2 years Marc’s junior, had the same language difficulty and also didn’t speak until nearly age 5. She would fall asleep at night but woke at 2 am as if it was morning and run around the house like a whirlwind. Julia had a more imaginative play, concentrating on figurines and dolls. She was stubborn, determined, socially anxious, and withdrawn. Julia would hold on to my leg all day. It took one year of assistance to get her successfully out of the house. She followed the same diet as Marc, but would not eat the same foods within that diet. She was hyposensitive, requiring a high degree of sensory input, and had a high pain tolerance. Marc loved using a Time Timer; Julia felt anxious about it. Each child was motivated by something different. While there were similarities between both children like toilet training difficulties, sleep disturbances, difficulty transitioning, anxiousness and sensory processing challenges, their learning styles required different approaches. For example, Marc communicated using PECS; Julia used sign language. Marc loved using a Time Timer; Julia felt anxious about it. Each child was motivated by something different. Marc was eager to please; Julia didn’t care what anyone thought. When it came time to start school, Marc needed a specialized setting with a high level of aide support; for Julia, an inclusive setting suited her needs. The decision for these two educational settings was the right one and both flourished. Marc received more therapy for a longer period of time than Julia did. Marc had speech apraxia; Julia didn’t. Over the years, I have seen a beautiful friendship develop between Marc and Julia that remains intact in their adulthood. They’re best friends and rarely have a disagreement. Further, both are interested in each other’s passions and willing to try what makes the other one happy. Even though they have such different needs, I’m impressed by how they fold into each other’s daily routines so harmoniously. Julia takes on a caregiver role with Marc; he is happy to be cared for by her. Marc can interpret every facial expression Julia makes, and Julia his. Develop flexible thinking because it’s easier for us to adapt to the children than the other way around. Having two autistic children has taught me how unique each child is even with the same diagnosis. Boys and girls present differently. Further, I’ve had to be flexible in my approach because what works for one child doesn’t for the other one. I use different supports for each child. I read many books to find new ideas to try and keep up with current developments. My expectations changed raising multiples – not only for my children but for me. I’m adept at self-preservation. I need to be physically fit and well-rested to tackle each day. I also have my own career, interests and pursuits, and alone time. So, nothing has come easily, but I want to encourage new parents facing a second diagnosis that it’s not the end of the world. Just remember that each child has unique needs and what worked for one child may not work for the second or the third. So, develop flexible thinking because it’s easier for us to adapt to the children than the other way around. Learn what motivates each child, how they communicate, and what their learning style is. Respect an autistic person as an individual with their own interests and dreams. Our parental role is to provide the support to help them live meaningful and good life. Kindly contact us if you wish to feature someone! #autismawareness #AutismAwarenessCenter #AutisticChildren #Autisticpeople

Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit in humans today. The major percentage of the population of India suffers from milder degrees of hearing loss and unilateral (one-sided) hearing loss. According to World Health Organization (2018) data, 63 million people suffer from a significant auditory loss in India.  The prevalence of hearing impairment in India is around 6.3% (Deafness and hearing loss (who.int) The estimated prevalence of childhood-onset deafness is 2% and adult-onset deafness in India is 7.6%. The Government of India has regularly endeavored to offer the differently-abled persons with aids/appliances at minimum costs, to make them independent. Also, this helps to multiply their family revenue and underwrite the development process. The necessity for the provision of essential aids and appliances to the differentially abled persons for their socio-economic and vocational rehabilitation came into major focus after the execution of the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995), which came into force in 1996. further, The Government of India introduced the scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP) with effect from April 2005. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment implements the ADIP by providing grant-in-aid to the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and other executive agencies of the Centre/State Governments. 1) Eligibility of the beneficiaries under ADIP Scheme A person with a disability: It should be an Indian citizen of any age. Should be certified by a Registered Medical Practitioner that he/she is disabled and fit to use prescribed aid/appliance; holds a 40% Disablement Certificate. In the case of dependents, the income of parents/guardians should not exceed Rs. 20,000/- per month. Who have not received assistance from the Government, local bodies, and Non-Official Organizations during the last 3 years for the same purpose. However, for children below 12 years of age, this limit would be 1 year. Employed/self-employed or getting pension and whose monthly income from all sources does not exceed Rs 20,000/- per month. 2) Quantum of assistance Aids/appliances which do not cost more than Rs. 10,000/ – are covered under the Scheme for a single disability. However, in the case of students with disabilities, for students beyond IX class, the limit is Rs.12,000/. In the case of multiple disabilities, the limit will apply to individual items separately in case more than one aid/appliance is required. The quantum of assistance and income limit under the ADIP scheme is as follows: For people with income of up to Rs. 15,000/- per month, the amount of assistance is full cost of aid/ appliance. For people with income of Rs. 15,001/- to Rs. 20,000/- per month, the amount of assistance is full cost of aid/appliance. 50% of the cost of aid/appliance 3) Documents required for registration Disability certificate Two passport size photographs of the client Income Certificate from Revenue Agencies/ BPL Card/ MGNREGA Card Disability Pension Card/ Certificate from M.P or MLA or Councillor or Gram Pradhan and failing which Notarized Affidavit Authorized identity proof of beneficiaries (Photocopy of anyone) 4) Aids & Appliances for persons with hearing impairment Analogue Behind the Ear Hearing Aid Mild Class Hearing Aid Moderate Class Hearing Aid Strong class Hearing Aid Extra Strong Class Hearing Aid Digital Behind the Ear Hearing Head Type II Type III Trimmer Digital Behind the Ear Hearing Head Type II Type III Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will recognize an institute of national stature from each zone to recommend children eligible under the scheme for a cochlear implant, with a ceiling of Rs. 6.00 lakh per unit to be borne by the Government. Ministry also identify suitable agencies for providing cochlear implants (500 children per year) under the scheme. The income ceiling for beneficiaries will be the same as for other aids/ appliances. ADIP Scheme is one of the vital initiatives of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Various surveys conducted in the past show that India has, a large number of persons with disabilities. Many of them belong to low-income groups. Disability restricts their independence and opportunities for having functionally productive lifestyles. With the help of an adequate hearing amplification device hearing loss in children, once they grow up can lead an  independent life if provided appropriate speech and language training. However, a major number of persons with disabilities do not have adequate funds to purchase them. As a result, they do not get the benefits of these aids. This is a growing concern. So, the government continues the ADIP scheme and modifies it in such a way that it becomes more user-friendly and the needy are not deprived of adequate hearing aids. Proper management with the support of devices is essential for their socio-economic wellbeing and vocational rehabilitation. If they can achieve economic self-dependence, persons with disabilities can live and pursue their activities with self-esteem. Book your appointment For more ideas check out our other blogs HAPPY LEARNING! #HearingImpairment #hearingloss #SchemeforHearingImpairment

Movies are one of the most successful visual media to have a wide audience in the contemporary world. While autism remained a barely understood condition. When a movie revolves around an autistic character and attempts to represent the life around them; Do they portray their struggles in the real world? Do they create erroneous stereotypes of autistic characters? Does it dispel misconceptions about autism or create new myths? Let us explore a few movies to know how the most successful mass media represented autism. Autism is considered a disability from a legal point of view. This is because Autistic people need access to extra support, care, and government aid. Since each person with Autism is unique, their need for support also varies. 1. Rain Man While talking about movies and autism, one can’t ignore the Tom Cruise starer “ Rain Man ”, released in 1988. It was one of the first mainstream movies to portray the condition. It is a road comedy-drama about two siblings – one, the selfish and abrasive younger brother who wants to inherit his departed father’s estate; and the other, the elder brother with autism and savant syndrome. The plot is about their transformation and bonding on their journey to Los Angeles. The movie was successful in dispelling numerous myths about autism. It has exposed the failure of public systems in accommodating people with autism. Although it was effective in creating awareness about autism, unfortunately, it created stereotypes that people with autism typically have savant skills . It is unwise to expect everything about autism in a single movie. Although “Rain Man” was one of the first mainstream movies to portray the condition, it didn’t throw the limelight on how was autism largely understood by society in the 20th century. 2. Temple Grandin “ Temple Grandin ”, released in 2010, based on the real-life character with the same name, brought attention to how was autism misunderstood as an untreatable mental disorder and required institutionalization in the early 20th century. It also notes the severe discrimination and harassment against them. It brings forward the struggles through her college and workspace; and how she excelled in her career as an animal behaviourist despite the challenges. It shows her strength as a visual thinker and learner, and her struggle with socialization and understanding social clues. It also brings light to the perseverant efforts put by her mother and her teacher Dr Carlock, in helping Grandin realize her potential. This movie breaks away many misconceptions, thus bringing the audience closer to their everyday challenges in society, without victimizing their role completely. 3. My Name is Khan In 2010, a dramatic movie was produced in Bollywood, bringing attention to an autistic character to the Indian audience. It was “ My name is Khan ”, starring Shahrukh Khan. It was one of the first Bollywood movies to portray a protagonist with Asperger’s Syndrome. The movie revolves around the context of racial discrimination against Muslims in the US post 9/11. The movie brilliantly portrays the innocence, determination, and unprejudiced mind of an autistic character. 4. Barfi And it is a long list of movies. The heart-warming Bollywood movie “ Barfi ” (2012), shows the little things the autistic character loves and finds beautiful. 5. Life animated The documentary film “ Life animated ” (2016) narrates Owen’s relationship with Disney movies. It shows how Disney movies helped him to understand and express himself better, More Movies on Autism Change of Habit (1969) It is a crime drama musical otherwise, starring Elvis Presley as Dr Carpenter, is a movie about three incognito nuns preparing for their final vows and one of them eventually falling in love with the doctor. However, the movie shows them trying to assist a boy with a speech impediment and a girl who is non-verbal and autistic. The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) It portrays a non-verbal autistic teen, Eric Gibb, who is obsessed with birds and his dream to fly. Little Man Tate (1991) It is an emotional roller-coaster about a child prodigy, Tate, and his single working-class mother’s struggle to provide the support and stimulation he needs. House of Cards (1993) House of Cards is a drama film directed by Michael Lessac and starring Kathleen Turner and Tommy Lee Jones that was released in 1993. It follows a mother’s struggle to reconnect with her traumatised daughter after her father’s death. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993 before being picked up for distribution by Miramax Films in June of that year. It is about an unconventional journey of a mother, who struggles to enter her autistic daughter’s mind and comprehend the seemingly bizarre things she perceives. Killer Diller (2004) It is about the friendship between Wesley and Lucan Black. Wesley is a car thief and musician, and Lucan Black is an autistic piano player. The movie narrates their journey to create the Killer Diller Blues band. Mozart and The Whale (2005) It is a love story between two savants who have Asperger’s syndrome and their mutual struggle to cope with their condition and fragile relationship. Snow Cake (2006) It is a thought-provoking movie revolving around the relationship between an autistic woman and a man who was traumatized after a fatal car accident. Yuvvraaj (2008) It is an Indian drama about two brothers. The story revolves around the inheritance left by their deceased father to their eldest sibling with special needs. Adam (2009) It is a comedy-drama which portrays the enigmatic relationship between Adam and Beth. Adam is a lonely man with Asperger’s syndrome and Beth is his neighbour, a writer with a painful past. Ocean Heaven (2010) It is a heart-wrenching story of a terminally ill father, who tirelessly loves his autistic son. This movie is about his attempts to teach his son essential life skills. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) It is an adventurous drama about a nine-year-old child with a developmental disorder and his search within New York City for a message when he comes across a mysterious key left behind by his father. Some of these movies have misrepresented and exaggerated the autistic personality. Being part of mass media these movies have successfully brought the limelight to autism spectrum disorder . These movies portrayed their challenges and intentions in everyday life. Autistic people are neurodiverse. Further, it simply means they are different than you and me. Additionally, Autistic people have different ways of social interaction. They communicate differently than the rest of us. Further, some autistic adults and children may speak or use gestures to communicate. Furthermore, they have diverse responses to sensations and much more. You can also read about the books on autism here. #autismspectrumdisorder #developmentaldisorder #autisticwoman #autisticcharacters #autismmovie

Online Occupational Therapy is newly gaining momentum since the pandemic. For instance, we are navigating different routines as a new normal. These include ordering things online and schooling online. Just as working from home, intervention therapies have also gone online. To understand, online Occupational Therapy has been in practice for many years for remotely based clients. Consultationswh the OT and following a home program for a certain number of weeks. Online Occupational Therapy works because: Online occupational Therapy works well in presence of a caregiver/parent. Yes, the main advantage is guided intervention at home. But also, the presence of the parent throughout the session improves clarity and transparency. The parent also becomes skilled at in-house therapy for the child. Read here about Occupational Therapy Activities in Autism Tele Therapy sessions are planned as below: The level and interests of the child are assessed. The therapy plan is designed by using regular things available at home. Also, it is cost-effective and saves traveling time. Lastly, the parent or caregiver observes the sessions and masters the home therapy program. Skills taught via Online Occupational Therapy Intervention: Attention and concentration Emotional Regulation Gross motor skills along with Bilateral Integration Fine motor skills Visual Coordination and Visual Perception Activities of Daily Living As well as, balance and coordination Remember, these concerns are identified initially. Watch an example of an Online OT session here Benefits of Online Occupational Therapy: Familiar environment for safe navigation Fun and interesting ways of session delivery Interactive and engaging activities Online groups for similarly skilled children More time for skill learning and refinement A flexible method of delivery Use of engaging and interactive computer applications Limitations of Online Occupational Therapy: Lack of clinical equipment is a major limitation. For this, the therapist modifies the available resources at home. For elderly therapy seekers, the therapist advises constant Caregiver presence. This is mainly to prevent falls and injuries. Joint protection techniques and energy-saving methods need to be followed strictly for the older population. Because it is easy for children to move away from the screen, we suggest one parent attends the session with the child. Factors that make online Occupational Therapy successful: High-speed internet and Laptop, computer, or a tablet. Also, Some free space, the size of a yoga mat A book, crayons, and sketch pens Available toys like stacker, balls, alphabet board, fridge magnets, cotton, grains, bowls and spoons, scissors. Ability to follow basic instructions during an online session with caregiver’s help Lastly, a comfortable work surface and a chair. Note, that a child’s therapist plans and shares a list of materials to be readied for the session beforehand. The family most likely would not need to buy new things. What do sessions look like? Firstly, the therapist uses sessions at home including the child’s family members to teach skills like patience, turn-taking, communication. Also, sharing and borrowing, ideation, planning, emotional regulation are other skills that a child learns via this mode of therapy. Secondly, individual sessions are effective for school-going children who can handle the basic workings of a computer system. The child uses the mouse or touchpad to connect shapes, identify hidden objects, or replicate a simple design! Thirdly, for toddlers, parents help by modeling movements and performance planned by the therapist. These include games like stackers, throwing balls in a bin, finger dabbing, and so on! Above all, the clients learn skills in their living environment. Thus, it is easy to address the challenges they face. Is it difficult to use steps in the house, independent access of washrooms, kitchen handling, concerns with using taps, sitting or getting up, and such? To conclude, Online Occupational Therapy works for a few clients for the discussed benefits. Some, however, will need in-person sessions for Intervention. Your therapist will be able to guide you with this decision. If you think your child needs intervention, get in touch with us at info@1specialplace.com. We would be happy to help your child. #OnlineOccupationalTherapyIntervention #Telehealth #occupationaltherapy #Teletherapy #BenefitsofOnlineOccupationalTherapy #OnlineOccupationalTherapy

Children learn and develop language in two different ways. There are two ways of learning language namely, analytic and gestalt styles. This article will help you identify “Is My Child a Gestalt Language Processor?” It is crucial for every parent to know which style their child is following. Further, some kids process language analytically or follow gestalt or a mix of the two. Why should you know this? If you know which way of processing your child is using, it’ll help you understand your child’s communication. Furthermore, it’ll help you identify the best ways to support their communication. Analytic versus Gestalt Language Processing Analytic language processing is where the child learns the meanings of single words. Then, he/she combines these single words to make 2–3-word combinations. Finally, speaks to them in a meaningful context. In other words, learning is from parts-whole / words–phrases. Gestalt language processing is where the child memorizes chunks of phrases first. Then, he/she processes backward and learns the meaning of words in the phrase. Further, these children develop language in phrases rather than single words. Learning is from whole-parts / phrases – words. Furthermore, this is in the form of delayed or immediate echolalia. So, the child imitates what he/she previously heard. Over a period of time, the child learns to mix and match these phrases to make new sentences. Note: Some Autistic people follow the gestalt language processing method. So, if your child is Autistic, this article can help you understand their communication better. Let’s look at some examples: Analytic language processor The child says “water” or “go” when he/she wants to drink water or wants to go outside. Here the child understands the word and is using it in context. Gestalt language processor Your child says “wheels on the bus”, every time the family gets ready to go outside. Your child learned this phrase from the rhyme they heard “wheels on the bus”. So, they associate this phrase with going outside. Your child may not understand each word in the phrase since they memorized it as a chunk. Overall, the child echoes or says phrases they heard in rhymes, songs, or people speaking in their environment. Signs of Gestalt Language Processing Here are a few red flags that indicate your child may be a gestalt language processor, Delayed speech and language skills A child is Autistic or belongs to the neurodiverse population Learns to speak in phrases rather than in words Speaks in phrases taken from rhymes/ songs Echoes rhymes or numbers to communicate Says long strings of unintelligible phrases Sings or uses rich intonation while communicating Says phrases that may sound non-meaningful in contexts Language use is restricted and situational Uses delayed or immediate echolalia Communicates as echolalia or as scripts May mix up pronouns while speaking Hyperlexic If your child is a gestalt language processor, consult a Speech-Language Therapist to support their development. Stages of Gestalt Language Processing Children who are GLPs go through six stages while learning the language. So, identify which stage your child is at to help them support better. Stage 1 Echolalia: child speaks in delayed or immediate echolalia. Stage 2 Mitigated Gestalts: child uses mix and match of echolalia chunks to make phrases Stage 3 Isolation and combination of single words: Here the child says isolated words without grammar. Stage 4 Self-generated phrases and simple sentences: the child has meaningful words and simple grammar Stage 5 Self-generated sentences used in everyday situations: the child’s language has more advanced grammar at the sentence level Stage 6 Self-generated sentences used in more complex situations: language consists of sophisticated grammar Overall, work along with your speech-language therapist to identify which stage your child belongs to. Then, support your child to develop further communication. Tips to Remember Not every child is a gestalt language processor Children can use a mix of analytic or gestalt language processing Every child is at a different stage of language learning Children may take time to progress from one stage to another in GLP. Support your child’s communication skills by following their lead. What scientific research says about GLP? Several researchers around the world are constantly working to study gestalt language processing in Autistics. One of the first studies was done by Prizant in 1983 on communicative behaviors in Autism. His study reviews autistic communication such as echolalia as gestalt cognitive processing. He stresses the importance of reconsidering echolalic behaviors, patterns of social interaction, and patterns of cognitive-linguistic development in Autism. Further, another study done by Manning et al, in 1989 describes language-learning patterns in echolalic children. They talk in-depth about the gestalt language processing in Autistics. They also discuss how assessment and intervention can be done if the child is a GLP. Furthermore, Westby, 2012 studied language processing in Autistics and said there is a high possibility they process language as gestalts. Please drop a comment if you liked the article. If you wish to know more about Speech Therapy, kindly contact us. #communication #languageprocessor #Autism #echolalicchildren #speechtherapy

Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes mental disability. Many parents report that children with Fragile X syndrome have a variety of problems. Some of them are social and, behavioral issues, speech and language difficulties, and sensory issues. There is no cure for this disorder. However, therapy services can help children learn important skills. Services can include therapy Speech therapy, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Behavior therapy, etc. Therapists also help you in providing tips to work at home. This article mainly focuses on Speech tips for Fragile X syndrome. Causes of Fragile X Syndrome Fragile X is caused by a change in the Fragile X Mental Retardation 1 (FMR1) gene on the X chromosome. Normally, the gene produces a protein known as Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein or FMRP. This protein is necessary for brain growth. This change in the gene results in producing only a small amount or none of the protein. This causes Fragile X symptoms. For more information about please read this article Fragile X syndrome . Before we learn the speech tips of Fragile X syndrome, it is important to know their speech-language features. Speech and Language features Delayed speech and language skills. Short word utterances. Repetitive speech. Fast rate of speech with fluctuations Poor speech clarity for sentences. Understands better than speaking. Poor social skills. Limited vocabulary. Poor rhythm in speech. Memory difficulties. Hearing problem. Speech and Language Tips Early identification and intervention are important for children with fragile x syndrome. Before it is too late parents should gain knowledge and skills about the treatment process. Speech therapy is personalized for each child. The therapist considers child development, strength, and needs to design a therapy plan simultaneously gives speech tips to parents. There are many techniques to implement at home. Above all is creating a barrier-free environment for the child. Speech Tips for Fragile X Syndrome Here are some “Speech tips for Fragile X syndrome” and how to cope up with speech-language difficulties in daily life. Tips to develop attention Choose the child’s area of interest. For example- child’s favorite music, toys, etc Teach new things by showing pictures. Talk to the child loudly and clearly. Work for short periods. Improve eye contact skills. Pick calming activities. For example- stress ball, playdough, etc Provide sensory toys to improve vision and hearing skills Tips to strengthen oral motor skills Teach the child simple exercises to strengthen the jaw, lips, and tongue. Practice in front of the mirror for clarity. Show the placement of each sound while practicing. Activities like blowing and sucking also helps. Help the child with some tools like sensory brushes, teethers, etc Speech Tips to reduce repetitive speech Video/ Audio record the child’s speech and play for feedback Demonstrate correct rhythm of speech Demonstrate correct rate of speech by speaking slowly Play rhymes and encourage the child to sing along In addition, you can enact for each word. For example, sing Twinkle twinkle- do the hand moments Speech tips to improve articulation Show placement of each sound. For example- /p/ join your lips together Explain how we say the sound. For example – join your lips, press and release air to produce /p/ Combine each sound with vowels, such as /pa/, /pi/, /pu/, etc Identify the difficult sounds and say simple words with that sound. Further, practice sentences and stories Tips to improve language skills Introduce new words every week. Show pictures or real objects while teaching. For example:  take picture of any fruit and say the name. Make sure the child uses those words in his daily life. Encourage the child to speak in short sentences. Give opportunities to communicate because children understand the need to speak. Use alternative communication for non-verbal children. Have regular storytelling time during nights. Ask simple questions. For example: Where is mommy? Provide enough time to respond to the questions Use facial expressions and hand movements during daily conversations Give feedback to the child as soon as he responds to you. For example- Good job, Clap, etc Tips to increase social skills Play various games with the child. Pretend play- ask the child to pretend as a superhero. Roleplay like a doctor and patient, Mother and child, etc Children best learn with peer groups. Therefore, allow the child to play with peers every day. Further, the child must interact with the elderly group. Responding to social greetings and smile is necessary. Because imitation skills are strong, group play will benefit them. Children with Fragile X syndrome have some anxiety concerns. To deal with day-to-day life “The National Fragile X foundation” suggests some strategies. Here is the link to go through those strategies . In summary, Fragile X syndrome children need therapies and compensatory strategies throughout their life. As we already know children need support based on their strengths. Therefore parents must identify the child’s potential and reinforce them to grow in every way possible. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 1SpecialPlace | Speech Therapy (@1specialplace) #speechtherapyforFragileXSyndrome

Oral motor skills develop before birth and continue to develop after birth. A sign of good oral motor development is easy chewing and swallowing of food by the child, without, coughing, choking, or gagging. Sometimes, a therapist might wonder if the eating issues for a child are sensory processing based or Oral motor based issues? Would an Occupational Therapy intervention help or Speech Therapy help? Occupational therapy (OT) teaches you how to adapt to different situations. It can assist you in completing any task at school, work, or at home. If you need them, you’ll learn how to use tools (also known as assistive equipment). If you have pain, injury, disease, or a condition that makes it difficult for you to accomplish your job or schooling, care for yourself, complete home duties, move around, or participate in activities, this type of treatment may be beneficial. In Occupational Therapy for Oral Motor skills intervention, it is necessary to include a history of feeding concerns faced by the child if sensory issues are observed during the assessment. It is equally important to be aware of motor exercises for strengthening. Oral motor development begins in the womb and continues throughout a child’s first few years. Oral motor skills deficiencies in children can have an influence on speaking, swallowing, or both. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can assist children in these areas by focusing treatment on specific muscles or movement patterns. Oral Motor skills include: Feeding skills: Firstly, the hold,  strength, and tactile awareness of hand for a child to hold the spoon. Secondly, eye-hand-mouth coordination is another skill. This helps with selecting food, picking it. Oral motor abilities are the most refined of the fine motor skills that humans develop. Other skill is, getting food towards the child’s mouth. Eating skills include: Chewing food, salivation, bolus formation and management, swallow. Eating difficulties can be seen due to medical or structural or sensory deficits. The oral motor strengthening, sensory discrimination sense as well as eating skills, all contribute to the skills of good articulation, sound production, awareness, and coordination between oral structures and musculatures. Read more about oral motor exercises here What contributes to efficient eating skills in children? Sensory awareness and oral discrimination sense together help the child with an understanding of food textures, tolerance to food textures, realize the movement of jaw, lips, tongue to make certain sounds or chew different items and manipulate a variety of foods and drinks and according to textures. If there is a Sensory discrimination issue with feeding, the child faces difficulties in tolerating different food textures, temperatures, and tastes. There may be aversions to tolerating any of these three things. The child’s awareness of food in the mouth is reduced too and there may be spillage. Examples of Sensory issues affecting feeding: An Occupational Therapist looks at the sensory history for a child with eating difficulties: A child who is hyper-responsive to sensory stimuli may respond negatively to experiences of different food textures, temperatures or even biting sounds in the mouth. Aversive responses to certain textures limit the child to use the oral motor structures further limiting their development. These contribute to children limiting to only fluids or semi-solid foods. As against this, a sensory-seeking child would prefer to bite or nibble on crunchy food items. However, once they have softened due to salivation, a youngster may limit these encounters and may abandon one biscuit in favour of a new one. There may be limited tolerance to textures of cutlery too, plastic, metal, silicone, and so on. The child would either swallow or spill the food without exploring it. Some more Feeding behaviors observed are: A child prefers to stuff their mouth and swallow quickly. This is done to avoid the sensation of various food textures or tastes. Low oral tone and awareness may also contribute to inefficient chewing, management of food, bolus formation, or swallowing. Read More about Occupational Therapy and Oral motor skills  Rigid behaviors or stereotypes can contribute to the child preferring certain colored foods and tastes. Since the child never learns the motor demands of chewing, it contributes to limited development and strength of oral musculature So, the sensory deficits and limited oral motor skills both contribute to difficulties in feeding, eating. Inability to understand the force needed to chew may result in sloppy eating. This is a result of limitations in proprioceptive feedback. Limited preferences in taste are seen in children with sensory feeders too. These contribute to a child limiting himself to either bland food, in case of avoidance. Otherwise, tart, hot, salty in case of sensory seekers. Occupational Therapy for oral motor skills: Calming exercises help with better body awareness, regulation, and attention. This helps with a sit-down activity of eating. Sensory Integration Therapy helps by reducing seeking behaviors. It also helps to increase alertness. Also, it addresses sensory discrimination and aversive responses seen towards food. Thus, it is beneficial for a therapist to be aware and educated about oral motor strengthening exercises. A thorough sensory history helps in the treatment plan.  Contact us if you think your child has difficulty with feeding or eating #occupationaltherapy #oralmotorexercise #OralMotorSkills #OralMotorskillsintervention

Sensory play is an interesting approach for developing many fine motor skills in a child. It helps a child to understand a sensation that is received by various textures. Also, it helps in experiencing fine motor skills as grip grasps, release, pressure, and textures. When we talk about sensory play, it’s a pattern of play where an array of things is made available for a child. Then, the child is encouraged to have a free hand. Sensory play for toddlers helps a child to understand pressure needs while using hands. This is during holding something, clapping, squeezing. Also, the child understands releasing things from the hand as well as brushing off or dusting off hands. With sensory play, a child is not only learning fine motor skills but also exposed to developing eye-hand coordination.  Visual-motor coordination, visual coordination, eye-hand mouth coordination are others. Know more about Sensory activities to promote speech and language development  Let us look at some fine motor skills we aim to improve with sensory play: Hand awareness: Sensory play includes exploring and feeling various textures with hands. So there is immediate awareness about things being slimy (flax seed gel), grainy (semolina), oily (coloured oil), sticky like boiled rice, soft and stringy like boiled noodles. Visual-Motor Coordination: Mixing and pouring things, dipping things like taking drops of coloured oil or beetroot paste on boiled noodles. We encourage the child to mix these with hands. Proprioception: The child understands hand pressure needs when things like sago or pot pearls are pressed. Note that, by squishing bananas, the child receives immediate feedback about the amount of pressure needed or applied. This also happens while squeezing a wet sponge. Grasp patterns: The child uses various hand patterns like three-jaw chuck, lateral grasp, palmar, grasp, pincer grasps while playing. Mobility and Stability Pattern: Sensory play also includes elements of pouring a coloured liquid from one container to another or simply mixing different coloured fluids. Here, the child holds on to a plate or a bowl while pouring or mixing something with the other hand. So both the dominant and non-dominant hands are involved. Some more skills are: Bilateral hand use: A child claps to dust of flour from hands, or rolls dough on a surface with both hands. Rolling or squeezing things between palms also help with bilateral hand use. Note that, these activities also help to strengthen small muscles of the hands. Eye-hand mouth coordination: The child picks some flour, brings it close to the mouth and blows on this to form flour clouds. Mouthing something edible is also one simple way. Cutting: A child cuts the rolled clay or uses scissors to cut long pasta. Tactile awareness: Through the pressure inputs, grip and grasps, we achieve increased tactile awareness for hands. Read about sensory play ideas These learnt skills help a child by: Enabling a child to lift a pencil and start writing, to lift a crayon and to start colouring. Also, picking finger foods and bringing them to the mouth is a fine motor skill. Zipping or unzipping, buttoning, and unbuttoning, are examples of activities that require fine motor skills in everyday life. They also help a child with pulling out books from bags and organizing their items. These skills help with play and leisure in form of holding a book correctly to read, switching buttons to change the song, or simply fixing a few building blocks. Read here about fine motor skills More benefits of Sensory play are: Sensory play with a caregiver/ parent/ sibling improves communication, joint attention, turn-taking and ideation So, a child develops enhanced play, self-help, activities of daily living. These help with increased awareness of hands and independence in the above skills. A child feels confident in handling everyday fine motor demands like lacing, eating, cutting, writing, colouring. Enabling activities to boost the self-esteem of the child. *Pre-plan this play session.  During the session, take the child’s lead. Adult supervision is of utmost importance. So spread a mat, gather items, and encourage the child to explore, enjoy and relax. To know more about 1Specialplace , visit us #occupationaltherapy #Sensoryplay #finemotorskill #PlayandOccupationalTherapy #sensoryplayfortoddlers

Are you wondering if bilingualism for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder is difficult? Read original research about bilingualism and children with ASD published by Park at From the instant a child is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, parents are required to make countless decisions. Especially, what language to use with their child. Parents, therapists, and educators make choices about language, treatment, and instruction for bilingual children with ASD every day. However, they might not know the research findings to support their decisions. While there is a misconception that bilingualism for children with ASD would only confuse them and lead to further delay in language development, it has resulted in families, teachers, and clinicians using only one language (typically, English and not the primary language) with these children. Read more about raising children in multi-lingual environments Why is using ONLY ONE LANGUAGE recommended most often? Typically, the recommended language is English, as it is the dominant language of education and treatment services. Essentially, the notion that becoming bilingual is too challenging for children with ASD and might even cause additional language delays is the major reason for using only one language (Bird, Lamond, & Holden, 2011; Yu, 2009). What are some PERCEIVED advantages and Disadvantages of Bilingualism? Bust some myths related to learning to talk  What are the Challenges and Concerns of Raising Children with ASD Bilingually?? Across the globe parents of children with ASD have listed very many concerns regarding exposing their children to bilingualism. Let’s look at them … The development of Receptive and Expressive language is delayed in ASD. Considering this many parents feel that using two or more languages would be too difficult and confusing for the child Also, tt is an unreasonable demand given their developmental disabilities Additionally, parents do not want to confuse the children with two or more languages Parents fear that child might not become fluent in the second language Moreover, most educational and intervention services are available ONLY in English. Native language alternatives are rarely available. Hence, parents are left with limited choice for opting two or more languages. Parents feel that English is necessary to function in society . With the prevailing beliefs about the complexity of learning two languages, they stick to one language- English . Despite all these fears and apprehensions regarding the complexity of learning a second language …. Why is learning a second language important ? In 2021, it was found that 60% of the world population can speak more than one language fluently. At least 43% of the world population can fluently speak two languages, 17% can speak more than two languages. Only 40% of the world population is fluent only in one language. Here are some views on the importance of bilingualism and practical examples narrated by parents: “When we talk in our native language at the dinner table my child with ASD gets disinterested and engages in watching TV or other activities!” “I stopped taking my child with ASD to the church as he does not understand the sermons in our native language!” “Wish I could use my native language while playing with my child with ASD. I feel more confident and expressive in my native tongue than in English. I am not confident in speaking English!!!” These examples tell us that depriving a child the exposure to the native language or a second language , deprives him/her of many opportunities of social interactions and cultural experiences which are important for socio-emotional development. Many bilingual parents find it difficult to make an emotional connect with the child in a non-native language such as English . Social interaction between parents and children is of utmost importance in the language development of a child. Thus, deprivation of a second language or native language might affect the social interactions between the parents and the child with ASD. Also, it was found across research that when exposed to the same language at home and outside, proficiency is better . Exposure to languages in bi/multilingual families helps in Cultural experiences Social interactions Ethnic identity Emotional connect Can Children with ASD Become Bilingual Without Further Delaying Language? Some research across the globe suggests that there may not be negative effects of bilingualism in children ASD. Many researchers have found no differences between children with ASD from bilingual families and their monolingual peers in the following areas: Conceptual vocabulary Expressive and receptive communication skills Socio-communication levels Number of words, presence of word combinations, babbling or vocalisation Age of first words, first phrases and communicative abilities In addition, some interesting findings about Bilingual children with ASD were: They had a larger total production vocabulary They demonstrated more gestures, pointing, more leading to desired objects and greater pretend play Bilingual toddlers with ASD cooed or babbled more often than a monolingual peers Some concluding remarks to help you make a better decision Research does not support many misconceptions about bilingualism in children with ASD yet. They are more of faulty beliefs than proven facts. Though research on bilingualism in ASD is rudimentary, the existing research indicates that ‘bilingualism does not lead to additional language impairments in children with ASD’. Research does not support or advocate the use of ONLY English language for educative or rehabilitation purposes. Focusing on providing a bilingual environment at home, school and social situations might be beneficial rather than considering it a disadvantage. Further research might resolve most conflicts on this issue… always lookout for new information! #Autism #autismspectrumdisorder #childwithASD #multilingualfamilies

Introduction This blog is about what is oral placement therapy? What is the need for OPT?  What does OPT entail? Some more queries related to OPT. Before we jump into it, let’s get some background information. The world is moving forward and advancing so, is our field of speech and hearing. Speech therapist targets lots of communication issues. One of them is the clarity and intelligibility of speech. Adults and children both can have these issues. It can be due to various causes. Such as Parkinson’s disease , Cerebral palsy, mis-learning, articulation disorder, etc. Distortion, substitution, and omission are some of the errors. For example ‘I want mo tood’(I want more food) ‘That tat is dood’ (That cat is good). Articulation therapy along with oro-motor exercises tackle this issue.  Basically, look at me, hear me, and try to copy me. Oro motor exercises are movements of the tongue, jaw, lips, etc. These work on the movement, range, and strength of the structures. What is lacking? Some difficulties with traditional therapy are The client may not just learn by hearing and seeing. (auditory and visual models) Often kids require tactile input as well. That is, using touch to show the placement of sound. It is difficult to practice oral-motor exercises every day. No matter how fun you make it. The kids might be stubborn at times. Speech is not just producing sound. It has other elements running in the background. For instance, muscle memory and awareness. Stability of oral muscles, endurance, and gradation. Traditional therapy does not take this into account. We often see that a child with /r/ sound distortion takes therapy for 2 years or more. They still show minimal improvement. Occasionally, kids do not have any muscle weakness. They still can’t get rid of distortions. Traditional therapy is not sufficient to correct this kind of error. It is not targeting the cause correctly. Autistic kids have sensory issues. This makes feeding difficult. They may have errors or distortions. These are difficult to treat through the traditional method. In PD traditional oro motor therapy may be insufficient. It may not stop the progression of the disease. Hence due to the above reasons, OPT is the need of the hour. Background regarding Oral placement therapy Talking or producing speech sounds is not a simple process, as everyone thinks it is. What we want to say is coordinated using numerous brain processes. These are also in planning the movement and then saying it. Production of speech requires the following elements: Awareness of oral structures which is nothing but teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw. If the child has a deficit in feeling these structures or has a negative reaction to this feeling. This may lead to hypersensitivity, hyposensitivity, or a mix of both. It is often present in kids with autism, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, and CP. You will often see that they are picky eaters. They also dislike certain textures or tastes. We are angry at kids. But, remember kids are not doing it on purpose. It is due to a lack of awareness. Placement is the second element. If the placement of the oral structure is right, the sound comes outright. Childhood apraxia of speech requires adequate placement and planning of movements. These kids require tactile cues the most to produce the sounds. Strength, stability, endurance, and muscle memory is the third element. Like any other muscle of the body, the muscles of speech also need to build their strength to keep moving. They need stable movement and not be wobbly. As this will lead to distortion. Endurance and muscle memory help in repeating the movement. All these elements impact speech clarity and also lead to feeding issues occasionally. Sara Rosenfeld Johnson (Founder of OPT) felt the need to address this. Thus, OPT came into existence and it targets all these aspects. What does Oral Placement Therapy entail? This therapy technique combines visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation to improve speech clarity and feeding. It is an extension of the phonetic placement technique by Van riper. It helps kids who have difficulty understanding visual-verbal cues. For example, bring your lips together to say the /p/sound. OPT is practiced on both adults and children. It can be included in plans for various disorders. For example, PD, CP, dysarthria, autism, fluency and voice disorders, etc. Before going ahead with OPT, an assessment of oral structures is done thoroughly. For example, jaw slide, jaw jut or tongue-jaw discoordination, etc. is ruled out. A certified therapist can practice OPT. Program experts train the therapist. How does Oral placement therapy work? OPT is a small part of the speech and language program. It should not be done in isolation. It uses a variety of ‘Therapy Tools’ like horns, chewy tube, z-vibe, straws, jaw graders, etc. In a hierarchical and structured manner.  This helps kids improve their skill levels. It is done by maximizing all the sensory systems. The activity selection is done carefully. They should target the movement used in speech production. For example, we need to round our lips in a graded manner for producing a ‘sh’ sound. Horns targets this movement. But, this should be combined with traditional therapy. Once a kid is more aware of his oral structures, OPT works on stability, strength, endurance, and muscle memory. To simplify this, muscles are taught movements with help of increased repetition. This leads to movement becoming more automatic and is not lost easily. This strengthens the new neural connections as well as adds new ones. This is done in a hierarchical and structured manner. If you see their tools as well, all of them have levels. For example, horn no. 7 or straw no. 8, etc. A certain criterion of success is set at each step. The number of repetitions must be followed closely to achieve this. This is the hierarchy Facilitate speech movements with help of therapy tools (straw chewy tube etc.) and tactile cues. Facilitate without tools and tactile cues (fading) Transition movement into speech with and without tools How to use OPT with traditional Speech Therapy? Therapy tools along with tactile cues and traditional therapy help in correcting speech clarity and feeding issues. For example, to develop a good foundation for speech and feeding skills, it is important that the jaw is strong, stable, and graded adequately. If your jaw is moving with the tongue (tongue-jaw discoordination) it will lead to distortions of sounds, drooling, and other feeding issues. OPT focuses on the gradation of the jaw by using jaw graders. They also help in developing jaw strength and stability. Chewy tubes also help with jaw strengthening. This in turn helps increase clarity and improves swallowing. For example, a kid has misarticulation on /t/ and /d/ sounds. Therapy tools and tactile cues help in teaching placement and movement of these sounds. This along with auditory differentiation and visual cues will help the child reach the target faster. Another example of building stability, endurance, and muscle memory is via the Horn Hierarchy. A client has to blow the Horn 25 times in rapid succession. This helps the client become aware of his structures. He/She also learns how to purse his lips for blowing. It also strengthens his/her lips to endure that movement 25 times. It also teaches the muscles the automaticity in the movement (muscle memory) so that the client purses or rounds his lips the minute he/she sees the Horn. This is the basis for a sound like /oo/. In adults, chewy tubes, jaw graders make the jaw stronger. This reduces the neuro-degeneration speed. Z-vibe is for kids with a sensory processing disorder. It helps with their hyper or hyposensitivity. Is oral motor therapy and oral placement therapy the same? Oral motor therapyOral placement therapy No end product of speaking via tongue lateralization or tongue putting up towards the nosePlacement is taught with tools. For example, horns are used for blowing but also to understand the placement of sounds such as ‘w’ ‘o’, etc.It encourages gross and exaggerated movements not small precise movements required for speech.Movements are precise. These are faded gradually. To read more on the difference click here Conclusion I have personally found this to be very effective. I have seen tremendous improvement in terms of muscle strength and movement in Down syndrome kids. Feeding difficulties reduce. The progression of disease slows down in PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Children become more aware of their oral structures which reduces hyper or hyposensitivity. For example, with the use of a chewy tube hypersensitivity may reduce. They understand the placement of the tongue and lips to produce various sounds.  Drooling reduces due to increased stability and strength. In conclusion, the tools are a fun addition. Above all, it is also a more effective manner. Talktools experts conduct the training program. Speech therapists can enroll in the course. The course has different levels. I feel OPT is a blessing. A trained therapist will show good results. It may have the opposite effect if not applied correctly. A kid can produce speech and endure it using only auditory and visual stimuli. In this case, the treatment plan will not include OPT. Videos on OPT by Talktools here If you wish to know more about Speech-Language Therapy , For more ideas check out our other blogs Book your sessions now #oralplacementtherapy #speechandlanguageprogram

About Occupational Therapy – We, as Occupational therapists , focus on improving child’s ability to perform activities of daily living. Also on improving ability that promotes movement of the body. We use various toys for children who need assistance to get through their daily living activities. Also helping them with sensory needs in low pressure scenario. Selection of toys is very important. We are here to discuss top 10 toys for Occupational therapy.  These will help in improving quality of life and making children independent. Toys are a fun way to get little hands & little bodies grow & develop. How occupational therapy helps through play – toys? Surprisingly, Toys can nourish and enhance various skills. Well, in this blog I have mentioned top 10 toys for occupational therapy . It covers wide range of skills which are essential for child’s development. I have also shared various ways to use a particular toy. List of top 10 toys for occupational therapy – Ball – There are many ways to play with ball as a prop. This toy helps in developing numerous skills. It helps in sensory inputs like proprioception – with ball pressure & resistive ball exercises. It can help with visual & motor skills by target hitting or just a mere act of catch, throw or kicking the ball. Treasure hunt is possible in ball pool giving lots of sensory inputs. Also, basic activities like ball sorting & matching according to its color, size, and materials can be done. Beads stringing – Firstly, this assists in developing motor abilities & hand eye co-ordination. It can also help in visual scanning. Asking the child to scan a object can help them to develop visual perception skills. Also, transferring beads with an object like cloth clip, spoon, etc. can improve hand functions. Kids can learn colors, shapes & counting numbers. Building blocks/ magnetic tiles –  It helps in enhancing perceptual skills like matching & sorting, copying pattern or making a pattern as per instruction. Child can learn counting numbers, color identification through this play. Also, helps in fine motor strengthening by pulling or pushing the blocks. These toys promote hand – eye co-ordination through fun & engaging play. It can help child use their imagination to create something new on their own. Sensory bin – It is good to keep some form of sensory kit at home. It can be of play dough, sand, etc. which helps in various ways like visual scanning for particular object in the bin. Also, helps in fine motor strengthening essential for pre-writing skills. Children also get to learn about various textures & materials. This can help in child’s overall development. Read more on this Stacking pegboard – This helps kids with fine motor skills , and helps to place the pegs properly on the board. This enhances your child’s visual perception skills, and motor co-ordination in a fun & enjoyable way. This is great for all kids and a constructive toy too. To stack and place the pegs correctly on pegboard the eyes & palms should co-ordinate. It also requires grasping the object and maintaining the grip. One can simply match the colors as they stack or copy the pattern. Scooter board – This scooter is great for young children working on improving balance, co-ordination & building gross motor skills. It is hard & durable and can be used on any hard flooring. Try different tasks for improving instruction following. It also helps in motor planning & gives your child a sense of direction. However, constant supervision is advised. Memory board – This helps in improving higher functions like attention, impulse control, thinking & planning etc. This activity helps in matching objects and increasing memory span (Short term/long term) Twister – This is one of the most popular toys for gross motor skills. Also, it helps in balancing, co-ordination, proprioceptive input and motor planning. It can be a great activity for few kids playing together also learning concept of waiting & taking turn. It promotes body awareness as well among children. Puzzles – A puzzle teaches a child the concept of a whole and that each piece is a part of a bigger picture. It also helps in developing basic skills such as shape recognition, goal setting, patience and much more. This helps children in various activities. Moreover, it also promotes spatial awareness – perception of themselves with respect to the objects in space around them. Alphabets & numbers – Last but not the least, letter & number recognition is crucial as it is lays base for reading & writing. It also helps in visual discrimination and learning letter sounds. In conclusion, don’t mistake alphabet pieces for just being toys, as benefits of letter games are amazing. IMPORTANT NOTE – Consider which ideas are age appropriate. Make sure it is safe for your child. Safety is a must. Be cautious of choking risks when performing any activity. #occupationaltherapy #childsdevelopment #sensorykitathome #finemotorskills #howdoesplayhelpindevelopmentofkids