HELPING CHILDREN WITH SEPARATION WORRIES
10 Practical Strategies

As most of you will know children experience a huge range of emotions. As adults we love seeing kids happy and excited and we don’t mind watching them be silly or cheeky either but what we do find extremely difficult is seeing kids distressed, worried, anxious, sad, angry, scared and/or upset.

We have to remember that learning about emotions is part of a child’s growth and development. Children have to learn how to process and cope with different emotions and feelings. To learn these really important skills, children rely on the adults around them to help. However, often when we witness our children experiencing these uncomfortable emotions, we find it hard to regulate our own emotional experiences which makes it difficult to support our children. The initial response from us as parents is that we just want to jump in and save them from this uncomfortable feeling, instead of helping them recognize and respond to these emotions appropriately.

As children learn to manage their emotions and overcome everyday fears, worries and disappointments their confidence grows and it enables them to take on new challenges. Parents, carers and school staff play a crucial role in helping children develop their emotional regulation skills.

It’s natural for all kids to worry at times, and because of personality and temperament differences, some may worry more than others. With the right support parents can help kids learn to manage stress and tackle everyday problems with ease. Children who can manage their emotions will develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them master life’s challenges, big and small.

There are so many different ways to help our children learn how to cope with common childhood emotions but today I want to give you a few practical ideas to help your child cope with separation worries.

We all have to leave our kids in the care of others at times and when our children are sad, clingy and emotional during these drop offs it is heartbreaking and can be an awful experience. I’m sure the thoughts of “I don’t want to leave them here”, “Should we just all have a day off school?” “What can I do to help?”, “What could have happened to cause this?” or “Am I a bad parent?” have crossed your mind. The feelings are totally overwhelming and the thoughts going through your mind are endless. If you relate to this then I hope these practical tips make a difference in your drop offs whether this be a friend’s house, school, kinder, childcare, grandparents’ house or anywhere really.

Disclaimer: Please note that if your child is experiencing extreme separation anxiety then you do need to consult a child Psychologist. The ideas below are to support families dealing with the typical challenges of parenthood.

GENERAL TIPS:
• Explain to your child what will happen at drop off. Remember to let them know when you’ll be back, and where you’ll pick them up from.
• Remember to involve the teacher/friend that will be looking after your child in the process as they will be left with your upset child.
• Don’t hang around at school or prolong the goodbyes.
• NEVER sneak out – make sure your child knows you have left.
• Try to appear relaxed with a happy or calm expression.
• Set up a reward chart in which your child works towards something special.

FUN PRACTICAL IDEAS

1. BEAUTIFUL BOOKS TO READ WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Magic Heart: Magic Heart is warm, reassuring and filled with as much love as a mother’s hug. A beautiful tale about conquering anxieties, taking ownership of nerves and surviving the first day of school.
Available to purchase at https://www.booktopia.com.au/magic-heart-amy-cox/prod9781925807417.html

 

The Invisible String: A powerful book teaching children that when you love someone you can be near or far.
Available to purchase at Building Blocks Therapy

Hey Warrior: A book for kids with anxiety to help them find their ‘brave’. Kids can do amazing things with the right information. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does and where the physical symptoms come from is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. Anxiety explained, kids empowered! Available to purchase at Building Blocks Therapy

2. POCKET HEARTS
Small home-made hearts that you can slip into your child’s pockets when you send them off, so they can carry a tangible bit of love and comfort while they’re away.
Instructions on how to make hearts: https://curlybirds.typepad.com/curly-birds/2011/01/a-sprinkling-of-love-throughout-the-day.html

3. THE HUG BUTTON
Sew a tiny little heart button onto your child’s clothes – this can be as subtle as in their pocket or on their sleeve as long as your child knows where to find it. Teach your child to give the button a little squeeze or hug if they miss you and when they do, to remember that you love them all the time.

Alternatively, you can also draw a heart on your hand and your child’s hand and let them know that when they’re feeling worried, they can press the little heart as a button.

4. SHARING A SPECIAL OBJECT/TOY
Encourage your child to choose one of their special toys that they would like you to hold onto during the day and you as parent/caregiver do the same. Find something small and special that will remind your child of your relationship. Something that they can keep in their pocket to touch or look at when they do feel a little sad/worried. Just before you say your goodbye exchange toys with your child.

5. ZIP BAG TO PLACE WORRIES IN

Children often have so much going on in their little minds and once the worried thoughts start it all seems to spiral out of control.
I suggest giving your child a little zip bag that they can keep near them or even on them.

Whenever they start having a worried thought then encourage them to write it down or draw something – getting it out of their head and leaving it in the special bag so that as soon as you (parent/carer) pick them up you can discuss the things that they were worried about during the day. This is an opportunity for you to help your child process, rephrase and cope with the thoughts and feelings that overwhelm them.

6. WORRY MONSTER
Spend some time with your child creating their very own personalized Worry Monster – all you will need is some pipe cleaners, a tissue box, plain paper and textas and you can create something very special together.
Once complete encourage your child to write or draw their worry on a piece of paper.
When they have identified their worry then they can let it go by feeding it to the Worry Monster.

If you prefer to have something that your child can take along with them then you can make a Worry Pet.

Worry Pets are small enough to fit in a pocket. They are made with soft snuggly fabric and poly-pellets inside providing comforting sensory input and something to rub between worried fingers.
How to make Worry Pets: https://www.fairfieldworld.com/project/worry-pets-sensory-buddies-anxiety/

7. FELT DOLL
Create a little character with your child. I recommend using felt (can be purchased at Spotlight) and cutting out a person (small enough to fit in your child’s pocket).
On the back of the character you created write a few phrases that as a parent/carer you would say to your child when they are upset or worried.
Encourage them to keep this character in their pocket and to pull it out and read the phrases when they start feeling a little sad or worried.

8. LITTLE WUPPY PUPPY
The Little Wuppy® – a sausage dog worry puppy – has been designed as an aid to help ease children’s worries and to comfort them. Children can talk to it, hold it, pop it in their pocket or bag, place it under their pillow, keep it in a special place, or use it in any way their imagination takes them. The colours used are neutral, and the simplistic shape/design was chosen to avoid overwhelming an already anxious child. The luxurious minky fabric that backs the puppy is soft to touch, and makes the Little Wuppy® perfect for cuddling.
Available to adopt online at Building Blocks Therapy or instore.

9. WORRY STONE (OLDER CHILDREN)
I love using worry stones with older children as it’s a “tool” that doesn’t make them look different. Never ever do we want to make children uncomfortable with the “tools” we suggest for them to try to help them overcome these uncomfortable feelings.
Children can use any stone (a small smooth rock is recommended) or they can make their own (see below).
When worried, encourage your child to label what they are feeling (even if they do it quietly and internally) and then rub or touch the stone whilst doing some deep breathing exercises to calm their body and ease their worries so they can continue to participate in daily school/community/home activities.
How to make your own worry stones: http://creativeelementaryschoolcounselor.blogspot.com/2012/10/worry-stones.html

10. CALM DOWN CUBES (OLDER CHILDREN)
Using a permanent marker write a safe “cool down” strategy on each ice cube (these can be purchased on eBay) to remind your child of practical strategies they can implement when feeling overwhelmed. For example: count to ten, walk away, talk to a friend, take three deep breaths, etc.
Encourage your child to keep their cubes in a jar somewhere safe where they can access it should they need.

I hope you found these strategies practical. They are only a glimpse into some of the tools we use in Occupational Therapy.
Please remember that it is really important to talk to your children about emotions. Just giving them a tangible object alone won’t help them manage their uncomfortable feelings but it’s a start to help them manage their separation worries.

If you want to read a little more about how to help your child manage emotions then this is a great link: https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/age-6-12/raising-resilient-children/managing-emotions

If your child is having a lot of emotional regulation challenges, please make sure you speak to a Psychologist or call us at Building Blocks Therapy (03) 9404 0338 and we will be able to direct you to services in our community that can support you and your family.

Lize Roos

Director/Occupational Therapist

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”

 

Why is it important to incorporate Mindfulness into our day?

• Mindfulness improves attention, memory processing and decision making
• Mindfulness increases our self-awareness, social awareness and self-confidence
• Mindfulness increases our ability to self-regulate our emotions
• Mindfulness improves our empathy and our understanding of other people’s feelings and thoughts

Here is a quick video on ‘Why Mindfulness is a Superpower!’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4

 

Why should my child engage in Mindfulness?

Mindfulness has been shown to reduce the severity of depression, anxiety and ADHD in children. It also builds resilience by giving children the skills to help them cope better with stress.

 How do I incorporate Mindfulness into my child’s day?

Here are a few of my favourite YouTube videos. These could be a great start in helping you incorporate Mindfulness into your child’s life:

• Breath Meditation for Kids
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvF9AEe-ozc
• The Magnificent Garden
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNKA2k44aTw
• Mindfulness Meditation for Children
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYQKF-9poLM
• Hot Air Balloon Ride: A guided meditation for kids
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlv6Y1tq1sQ

Also check out this great book from Building Blocks Therapy!

See each letter of the alphabet paired with a word that teaches young children important mindfulness topics, like compassion, breathing, empathy, gratitude, and kindness. 

Pairing simplified mindfulness principles with each letter of the alphabet, ABC Mindful Me features colourful illustrations of children and animals, as well as playful rhymes to explain each concept to toddlers (and their parents!).

These key concepts will help to grow young readers’ concentration, listening skills, and ability to manage emotions, stress, and anxiety. Buy online or in our clinic now!

Mindfulness Groups at Building Blocks Therapy

During the January 2019 school holidays, Building Blocks Therapy will be running a mindfulness group called “Let’s Get Mindful With The Senses”. This will run for 6 sessions and we will focus on:

• Learning to practice Mindfulness using the senses
• Making new friends
• Letting go of any self-doubt and gaining confidence
• Helping with anxiety and letting go of worries
• Learning to be grateful for all that we have

If you are interested in enrolling your child into this group, please call Building Blocks Therapy on (03) 9404 0338.

Chandni Manjee

Occupational Therapist

Now that it’s starting to warm up outside, what better time than to get the whole family outdoors!

Here at Building Blocks Therapy, we are big believers in putting down the iPad, putting on some runners and getting moving! There are so many things that you can do outside – the options are endless! Here are our top 10 fun family activities that can be done outside to encourage gross motor skills development

1. Water bombs

Best on the hot days! Set up a target or just have a good old-fashioned water bomb fight! Either way you are working on hand eye coordination, strength and throwing.

2. Paint a wall with water

This can provide hours of entertainment for a child! Grab a bucket of water and a paintbrush, or a water spray bottle and paint the side of a garage with water!

3. Ball games

Increase balance, crossing the midline, coordination and hand-eye coordination! Throw the ball around to each other, pass the ball above the head, below the knees, to the right of the body or to the left. Throw a ball into a ring or try to knock down bottles

4. Obstacle course

Great opportunities for children to develop a wide range of skills including strength, balance, coordination, planning and sequencing. You can use anything in the backyard – hop between 2 trees then throw a ball to a target to move on to the next section. Include a balance beam! Include social skill development by making it a relay so the kids have to work together to complete the course.

5. Go to the park

There are so many options at the local park! Swings, monkey bars, slides, tunnels, balance beams and climbing. The park requires so many gross motor skills and are fantastic opportunities for kids to take risks and push their limits through play

6. Chalk

Grab a few different colours and create masterpieces in the driveway or on some concrete. The whole family can get involved with this one! Draw on a hopscotch and practice jumping and hopping, or try drawing squiggly lines to balance along like a tightrope!

7. Trampoline

Bounce! Bounce! Bounce! Strength, balance and coordination are required to jump on the trampoline. Endless of hours of entertainment working on such important gross motor skills

8. Runway Game

Do you think you have what it takes to land your plane on the runway to score points? Encourage some playful competition between children to fly their plane the furthest along the runway. They will need a certain amount of control and coordination to land on the 100 points!

Find this game online here: http://www.buildingblockstherapy.com.au/shop/runway-game/

9. Animal walk races

Pick your favourite animal and have a race to see who can get across the backyard faster! You could be a bear, a frog, a crab, a bunny hopping or even an elephant stomping! Animal walks are a fantastic way to develop strength, endurance, core strength, balance and coordination.

10. Joey Jump Launching Board

The Joey Jump Launch Board can be played by yourself or in pairs! Put one foot on the end of the board to propel a bean bag into the air to catch! This is a fun way to practice balancing and catching. Find this board online at BBT here: http://www.buildingblockstherapy.com.au/shop/joey-jump-launching-board/

Should you have any concerns or would like an assessment regarding your child’s gross motor skill development, please consult an Occupational Therapist at Building Blocks Therapy

Sharni Wright

Occupational Therapist

Does this picture look familiar?

I can imagine most parents will be nodding their head whilst reading this.

Its 8.30am on a Monday morning, school begins at 9am.

Your child has 20 minutes to get themselves organised before you all make your way to school.

Its now 8.45am and your child still isn’t ready. You are wondering what they have been doing for the last fifteen minutes.

We now have five minutes to get ready to leave the house. Everyone is now in a rush and the calm family breakfast feels like a long lost memory.

You keep telling your child what they are meant to be doing. It can’t be that hard?! Get dressed, brush your teeth, pack your lunch and get into the car.

Why can’t we just get to school on time?! You are in grade 3 now.

Sound familiar?

You are not alone. Organisation skills are a challenge for many children.

So what exactly is organisation?

It sounds simple.. you just get everything ready, right?

In fact, organisational skills are multifaceted and highly complex.

To be organised, one must first initiate an idea, think of the next step/s, and adjust their responses to meet the demands of the environment.

Lets look at an example of brushing your teeth:

First I need to:

1. Use my core or foundational cognitive skills, such as: arousal, alertness and consciousness
2. Use my long-term memory to help me perform this skill. For example., do I have prior knowledge in order to perform this task? Have I done this before?
3. Use my short-term memory to locate the items that I need. For example., have I memorised the steps that I need to do?
4. Next I need to sequence my ideas. What do I do first? Second? Third?
5. Hmm.. there is no toothpaste.. now I need to use my problem solving skills to figure out what to do next. For some children, this becomes the ‘stuck’ point.
6. I then use the use reasoning skills to go to the pantry and get some more toothpaste.
7. Do I remember what step I was up to? Have I gotten distracted? Have you told me something else I need to do? Ohhh the TV is on. I want to watch the show.

This in a nutshell is organisation. It contains lots of steps and this is just one of many that your child may be participating in during the morning school routine.

In fact, organisation skills are used throughout the day during activities such as:

• Following routines
• Getting ready in the morning
• Organising the items required for school and performing school activities
• Completing homework. How many children leave their homework to the last minute!?

Often a common concern that we hear from parents is ‘how will my child be able to get the items they need when they are at school?’ Think about how many times you as a child went back to your locker to get the items that you need. Many children will often have four to six different subjects per day at school. That is a lot of items to get organised!

So how do I know if my child is struggling with organisation?

Children who struggle with organisation may:

• Present as distracted, for example., not attending to tasks or looking to peers to see what they are meant to be doing.
• Have poor task initiation, e.g., may have challenges translating a thought in their head down onto the paper or have difficulty knowing how to start a task. For some children, thinking about how to write a story can be a real challenge!
• Have difficulties following steps containing multiple instructions, e.g., brushing teeth, packing school bags, completing assigned tasks at school, and remembering to complete homework.
• Need constant verbal reminders or prompts in order to stay on task. Often parents or carers will remark that they are ‘always reminding’ their child to finish the steps of an activity.
• Present as a child who fleets between activities. For example., if multiple activities are available, children will complete one or two steps of an activity and then move onto another activity.
• Have difficulty with narrative tasks, such as, telling a story or recalling what they did on the weekend.
• Forgetting items that they require, e.g., leaving items at home or in their locker.

What can be some of the consequences of a disorganised student?

• Decreased academic performance, such as not being able to complete activities to the same level as their peers, being late to class, or forgetting to complete homework activities.
• Task avoidance or refusal and low self-esteem, e.g., ‘it’s too hard’
• Behavioural challenges, either as a means to avoid a task, distract others, or as a consequence of their emotional state.
• Parents and teachers who may feel ‘worn out’ by always needing to attend to the disorganised student.

How can Occupational Therapists help your child with their organisation skills?

• Task break down
  • Occupational therapists can help your child to break down the task into manageable chunks. Completing activities in a step-by-step fashion not only helps them to develop their skills in a chronological manner, but also helps them to build their own self-esteem and self-efficacy. Its much easier to complete an activity if you do it one step at a time.
• Visual schedules
  • Visual schedules are a series of pictures or words that break down a task into each individual component. These schedules can be created to suit the needs of your child and can be used in both a discrete manner or within classrooms. Visual schedules help to empower children to perform tasks themselves and build their independence.
• Checklists
  • Gathering all the items you need for class can be daunting. Checklists provide clear and easy to follow steps to ensure that your child has everything they need. How often has your child left something at home, e.g. their hat, water bottle, or lunchbox?
• Diaries
  • Diaries are a great way to help children keep on top of homework tasks and plan ahead.
• Creating consistent routines
  • It is far easier to be organised when a set routine is in place. Many children thrive on routine and helping families to implement a consistent approach can be beneficial for organisational skills.
• Consideration of the environment and helping children to ‘de-clutter’
  • For some children, performing schoolwork in environments that have fewer distractions can be beneficial.
  • Implementing a folder system can also work wonders. For example, creating folders according to subject area, or administration processes from teacher to parent, such as permission slips for school excursions.
  • Putting systems in place that will help your child to be organised. For example., finding the right stationary item in a messy pencil case can be an emotional trigger for some children. By assessing the antecedents, we can implement strategies to help with your child’s organisation before it becomes a concern for your child.
• Building cognitive strategies
  • For many children with organisational challenges, a piece of the puzzle is missing. Occupational therapists can help families to explore where the child requires assistance and design tailored interventions to build their skills. Some examples could include:
    • Sensory processing interventions, for example., you can’t brush your teeth if your body is too busy seeking or avoiding stimulants in your environment, such as auditory, visual, or tactile experiences. You also can’t concentrate when your body is ‘trying to get the wriggles out’.
    • Play skills, e.g., helping children to learn how to play. For some children, this process needs to be explicitly taught. Occupational therapists can help your child to initiate and respond to play scenarios.
    • Sequencing activities, e.g., helping your child to figure out what happened first, second, and third.
    • Building foundational skills. For example, has your child mastered their foundational handwriting skills so they can perform the expected class activity?
    • Attention and concentration games to build child’s tolerance to attend to tasks.
    • Designing supportive visual aids, such as, ideas sheets, visual schedules, and timers.
    • Building self-esteem, such as resilience.
    • Developing problem-solving skills and flexibility.
    • Helping children to regulate their emotions, for example., managing frustration in a more age-appropriate manner.
    • Relaying with a multidisciplinary team, for example., speech pathologists and psychologists.

Often in Occupational Therapy we need to go backwards in order to go forwards!

What can you do at home to help your child with their organisation skills?

• Start by creating a plan and starting small.
• Declutter! It is much easier for your child to be organised if there are less choices to choose from.
• Provide your child with processing time. Often children are processing huge amounts of information at once, and providing your child with extra processing time can assist with their organisation. A good rule is wait 30 seconds and if the child hasn’t completed the next step, remind them again. Often people will tend to over prompt a child and whilst this is well intended, it can sometimes confuse your child even more. Ask your child to repeat instructions back to you to ensure they have understood what is required of them. Or ask the child to teach you!
• Provide specific instructions. Stating ‘get ready’ doesn’t specifically outline what your child needs to do. By delivering instructions in a more specific manner, it can help avoid assumptions and thus help your child with their organisation.
• Add visual gestures to verbal prompts. Often words can go in one ear and out the other. Adding a gesture can help children to initiate an action.
• Make learning fun! Does your child need to sit at a table to complete their homework? Learn about what helps your child and integrate it into your routine, for example, tossing a ball back and forth whilst doing maths homework, racing down the hallway to collect the right answer, writing equations in sand, or using playdoh. The possibilities are endless! Utilising multiple learning methods can help your child with their ability to stay with a task and help translate information into their long-term memory.
• Implementing visual schedules into your child’s day. The TomTag Toolkit can help your child to pack their bag independently!
• Look at your child’s performance and assess where the task may be breaking down.
• Break down the steps for you child to reduce the cognitive load. How many times have you sat in a lecture and after an hour, left wondering what on earth the teacher said? This is what it is like for kids with organisational challenges. For example, a cutting and pasting activity becomes first a cutting activity and then a pasting activity. Maths homework becomes a series of small equations performed over a series of days, rather than a 45-minute block of homework.
• Play memory and problem solving games such as Uno, Jenga, Charades, Go Fish, Guess Who, Battleship, Rush Hour, Building Games, and Cubissimo.
• Encourage your child to beat the clock! Providing clear timeframes can help children to stay on task and can increase motivation.

Interested in completing some further reading on this topic? These websites are a great starting point:

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/executive-functioning-issues/executive-functioning-issues-strategies-you-can-try-at-home

https://www.socialthinking.com/Articles?name=10+Steps+to+Foster+Organization+Homework+and+Beyond&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=article_10_Steps_to_Foster_Organization_Homework_and_Beyond

If you have concerns regarding your child’s organisation skills, please consult an Occupational Therapist at Building Blocks Therapy

Alice McKinnon

Occupational Therapist

Handwriting is a skill that will be carried with a child from the start of schooling right through to adulthood. However, motivating a child to practice their writing, to develop correct letter formation, size and spacing can be challenging. Here are ten easy ways to freshen up handwriting practice so children don’t feel like they are ‘writing lines’, as would have been the way in years gone by.

1. Change up the writing tool. As wonderful as it is to start with the classic led pencil, that you can erase, it’s grey and boring! Try using chubby chalk on the pavement, a multicolour pencil, ten colour pen, or magic markers that change colour . Making writing practice colourful increases the fun factor!2. Do away with writing implements and write with your fingers. Finger strength is required for endurance and precision with handwriting, particularly the thumb and index finger. What a crazy idea, but it’s just as fun to change the medium we write in. A tray of salt, a shower screen covered in shaving foam, a steamed-up shower screen are all blank canvases that can mix up how we practice spelling words or letter formation practice. Using the dominant index finger to trace out letters and words is great for developing finger isolation, and the strength to manipulate a pencil/ pen.3. Change the writing angle. Developing shoulder stability and strength is key for handwriting endurance. Writing on   vertical surfaces like an easel, or taping paper to a window mixes it up for children. You can also tape paper to the  underside of a chair and have the child lay under the chair and write laying down reaching up to the paper to build shoulder strength.

4. Story dice/ story box. Sometimes even motivating a child to write anything can be hard, so story dice/ story box can help to spark an idea for a silly story line. You can then set the challenge of the length of the piece of writing based in the child’s ability.

5. Story starter. The Scholastic website (http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/story-starters/)has a fantastic pokie machine style story starter that is super fun for the child to activate to create a theme and style to write in. The prompts generate some different ideas and ways to write, keeping it interesting for the writer and the reader.

6. Play-dough letters. To develop an understanding of letter shapes and formation is one of the key elements of handwriting. Rolling out play dough to form capital and lowercase letters is a great way for children to understand each letter’s shape. Tracing over the letters with their index finger, also reinforces finger isolation and helps the child to remember the correct starting point and letter formation sequence.

7. Write a letter to a special friend or parent. Writing short notes or longer letters (depending on the age and abilities of the child) is a fun way to involve handwriting. You could start off with writing a little note or joke and putting it in your child’s lunch box, and encourage them to leave you a little note under your pillow to find later. You may even want to have a special note book to send back and forth between you, to keep your notes safe in. Writing letters to friends, or helping to write out birthday cards is also a variation of letter writing.

8. Design a word search for friend. Learning to spell and making your own words search is a great way to practice letters, be it upper case or lower case. You can encourage your child to pick a theme and then think of words to hide within the word search, then fill the surrounding gaps with random letters. Here is a blank template http://experiencenorthcape.com/make-your-own-word-search-printable-template-picture-highest-quality/own-a-word-tire-driveeasy-co/

9.  Be an undercover detective. Set a theme for your child to write down all the things they see in their environment that start with a particular letter, or are a particular colour, or used for a specific purpose. Giving them a role to be a detective to look closely to find items that fit the theme, and write them down on a clip board makes handwriting in this instance more of a game.Alternatively, detectives and spy’s often use a decoder to write out code messages. You can write out a coded message for your child and have them use the decoder to write out the actual message.

   

10. Use a handwriting stylus when using apps like: Writing wizard for kids. This app has the Victorian pre-cursive font that are used in the majority of Victorian schools as well as 8 other hand writing fonts commonly taught. The App pencil (edugrip.com.au) is a handwriting stylus to use with a tablet, which has a triangular shaped grip to facilitate correct finger placement for dynamic tripod pencil grip. Instead of using isolated index finger to draw letters, the App Pencil allows practicing of perfect pencil grip while using a table device.

    

Hopefully some of the above suggestions will motivate your child to become more engaged in handwriting at home.

If you have any concerns about your child’s handwriting, letter formation, or endurance for handwriting, please get in touch with us at Building Blocks Therapy for an individual consultation.

Tricia Mauger

Occupational Therapist

Importance of Play in relation to classroom learning:

Play is anything that we do for fun! This could be dress ups, turn taking games, pretend play, constructive play, social play, games with rules etc. Once we start having to work and it is no longer fun, it is no longer play.

For children (including babies) play is academic, it is essential for teaching them lots of different skills that help with their development.

Some skills that play teaches include:

• Turn taking
• Problem solving
• Creativity
• Sharing
• Rules
• Making mistakes
• Negotiating
• Having fun
• Being someone else
• Trying new things
• Numbers
• Story telling
• Motor skills
• Culture
• Experiencing emotions
• Self-regulation

Basically play can teach us everything! Dr. Jed Baker stated “when it is hard to use one’s imagination, it becomes harder to solve new problems, and the likelihood of frustration increases, which may lead to meltdowns”. How do people learn to imagine? Through play!

When we reflect on when we were younger – what are your memories that come to your mind? Is it sitting in the classroom learning letters or sounds of letters or is it playing outside with your friends? What about when you think about the best day of your childhood – was it doing your homework or was it playing with your sibling?

For us to succeed in a school environment is important that we have a range of skills already established – we need to be able to express our needs, negotiate, take turns, wait, organise ourselves, make friends, understand rules, express emotions….and the list goes on.

If we look at what is required specifically for children in Prep, from the Victorian Curriculum we can see how play is essential for children to practice in the early years.

However play is not always easy for children and they need help. Successful play involves processing multiple pieces of information at the same time and sharing our imagination. In therapy sessions we will help build a child’s play skills to help them develop the range of skills mentioned above, it is also more motivating for the child because it is fun.

Lastly, a quote for Alison Gopnick “children are eventually going to learn to recognise letters. But learning how people work and what’s in others’ minds is a much deeper and more profound learning.” Go have fun with your child – adults can play too!!!

If you would like to ask any questions or have any concerns, please consult an Occupational Therapist at Building Blocks Therapy.

Katie Power
Occupational Therapist

What is attention?
Paying attention seems like such a simple process – we just do it! But there is much more to it than we think.

Every day we use attention skills to assist us in selecting and focusing on tasks. We then use concentration skills to sustain our attention to that specific task. Using these skills allows us to filter through irrelevant stimuli to be able to focus on the most important information at that moment.

What does reduced attention/concentration look like?
– Not being able to focus on a task when required, or when it is too challenging
– Easily distracted
– Difficulty following instructions
– Unable to sit still
– Becoming easily overwhelmed by large amounts of information
– Making the same mistakes repeatedly
– Find it physically difficult to calm down or alert themselves
– Constantly jumping between many activities, rather than completing one before moving on

What are the factors influencing a child’s ability to pay attention/concentrate?
– Sensory processing difficulties
– Core strength
– Self-regulation difficulties
– Auditory processing difficulties
– Environment
– Reduced motivation
– Learning disability or existing diagnosis

How can we improve our children’s attention and concentration?
Movement breaks: Physical activity is great for attention and concentration! It is so important to incorporate regular movement breaks throughout the day. A movement break can be done easily at home and in the class room and often require little to no equipment.

Fidget tools: Why would we give a child something to fidget with?! The children who are always fidgeting are seeking extra sensory input to help themselves stay regulated. We refer to these children as having a higher threshold to neurological input. When we reach our threshold for input, our mind is alert, meaning we can pay attention more easily. Fidget tools provide extra sensory input in a less distracting way.
Building Blocks Therapy offer a great range of fidget tools online! You can view and buy here.

Timers: These are a great tool to use with children as they can see how much time they have left to do their work. Timers can be used as a warning when transitioning between activities – ‘in 5 minutes we are going to start handwriting’
View and buy timers here.

Flexible Seating Options: This gives students different types of sensory input, which is great for increasing attention and concentration, as well as developing their core strength as well! Balance discs are a fantastic flexible seating option, allowing children to fidget in their seats without getting up. You can view these here.

Break the task into smaller pieces: As children complete small parts of a big task, they feel a sense of accomplishment and be motivated to keep going. It is much easier to complete small parts at a time rather than one big chunk!

Visual schedule: Some children can lose attention quickly simply because they have forgotten what the next part of the activity was, or they aren’t sure about what it is exactly that they should be doing. Providing them with a visual schedule that includes all parts of the task to complete is a great tool to keep children on track. You could even make it into a checklist to motivate children to tick off when they have completed a task!

Memory games: Teach children how to concentrate! The simple act of focusing for a length of time, while in the mental ‘play space’ of a game, is a valuable practice of concentration skills. Card games such as Go Fish, Snap, Memory and Happy Family are great. Commercial games like Guess Who, Uno, Battleships and Jenga are also examples of games to help practice the skill of concentration.

If you have concerns regarding your child’s attention and concentration, please consult an Occupational Therapist at Building Blocks Therapy

Sharni Wright
Occupational Therapist

WHAT ARE PRE-WRITING SKILLS AND HOW CAN YOU HELP TO DEVELOP THEM AT HOME?

You may have heard your Occupational Therapist refer to pre-writing skills before but what exactly are pre-writing skills and how can you help to develop this important set of skills at home?

Pre-writing skills are the fundamental skills that children need to develop before they are able to write such as holding a pencil, drawing a picture, copying shapes/letters/numbers and colouring in (1).

Pre-writing skills allow a child to be able to effectively hold a pencil and use it confidently and fluently to produce legible writing. If a child cannot effectively complete handwriting tasks it can lead to them feeling frustrated, embarrassed, confused and can have an impact on their self-confidence. Often these children find that they are not able to keep up with the class or that they are not able to read what they have written.

What are the building blocks necessary to develop writing readiness (pre-writing)?

• Hand and finger strength: An ability to exert force against resistance using the hands and fingers that allows the necessary muscle power for controlled movement of the pencil.
• Crossing the mid-line: The ability to cross the imaginary line running from a person’s nose to pelvis that divides the body into left and right sides.
• Pencil grasp: The efficiency of how the pencil is held, allowing age appropriate pencil movement generation.
• Hand eye coordination: The ability to process information received from the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the performance of a task such as handwriting.
• Bilateral integration: Using two hands together with one hand leading (e.g. holding and moving the pencil with the dominant hand while the other hand helps by holding the writing paper).
• Upper body strength: The strength and stability provided by the shoulder to allow controlled hand movement for good pencil control.
• Object manipulation: The ability to skilfully manipulate tools (including holding and moving pencils and scissors) and controlled use of everyday tools (such as a toothbrush, hairbrush, cutlery).
• Visual perception: The brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of visual images seen by the eyes, such as letters and numbers.
• Hand dominance: The consistent use of one (usually the same) hand for task performance, which allows refined skills to develop.
• Hand division: Using just the thumb, index and middle finger for manipulation, leaving the fourth and little finger tucked into the palm stabilising the other fingers but not participating.

So how can you help your child to develop these important skills at home?
Building Blocks Therapy has an amazing array of resources available online or at our Time To Shine Clinic in Mernda.

Featuring a great range of affordable games/activities/toys/equipment that can all be used as therapeutic tools to help children develop pre writing and writing skills.

Here are some of my favourite tools and how you can use them at home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fruit Salad Wooden Threading Beads

Good old lacing activities! There is a reason why these activities have been used for a long time as they work to develop a range of pre-writing and fine motor skills such as bilateral integration, hand eye coordination, pencil grasp, concentration, object manipulation and problem solving.

Vehicles Tap Tap

Construction and building toys are a great way to encourage early development of pre-writing skills in particular fine motor control and dexterity, object manipulation and bilateral integration. This set is recommended for children aged over 3 years but construction activities can be introduced as early as age 1 with simple stacking blocks or even Duplo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putty

Putty can be used in many different ways – stretching, pulling, squeezing, manipulating, building, pinching – this list goes on. Imagine all of that exercise for tiny little fingers! It’s a great workout and a fun way to develop strength and dexterity in the fingers, wrist and arms. Try our fabulous Discovery Putty and find all the hidden objects! Once you’ve found them all, hide the pieces again for endless fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peanut Ball 

Parents and therapists love these peanut-shaped therapy balls that only roll 2 ways and are easier to control! Peanut balls feature a unique “saddle seat” that easily holds 2 people while providing moderate mobility and extra security/stability. A favourite occupational therapy tool, peanut balls are great for working on balance, body awareness, core strength, body stability, providing vestibular input, and most importantly POSTURE. So many kids who are finding handwriting difficult (and some of those that aren’t) are slumped over the table with their heads down and shoulders pulling forward. Swap the chair for a peanut ball and this will naturally encourage them to sit tall and at the same time it will challenge their core muscles to keep them stable.

For early learners (toddlers and kinder kids)
We try and expose our children to a range of different experiences that allows them to learn about numbers and letters to help develop their number and letter recognition. We have a fabulous range of toys, games and craft activities available that are perfect for parents to provide these experiences for their kids. Some of my favorites include books, blocks with letters and numbers on them, puzzles, stencils and pegs.

If you have any concerns about your child’s handwriting, please talk to your Occupational Therapist at Building Blocks Therapy.

Click here to shop our full range of resources.

Written by Holly Kruse – Occupational Therapist

1. https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/writing/writing-readiness-pre-writing-skills/
2. http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/wrist-extension.html

10 THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN DEALING WITH FUSSY OR RESISTANT EATERS

• 1. Eating is the most difficult sensory task that children do.
  a. Knowing your child’s sensory preferences and the sensory properties of their always foods is important and a helpful place to start when introducing new foods. This will allow you to tune into their signals, cues and feelings.
  b. Keep in mind your sensory preferences will probably be different to your child’s and will be impacting your choice of what to buy at the shops, what meals to prepare, how you prepare them.

• 2. Understanding the danger Centre response is key.
  a. The information gathered by our sense organs and receptors has the ability to influence our thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviours and vice versa- our interactions and emotional and behavioural responses affect our sensory experiences, preferences and memories.
  b. Strong, significant or different sensory information causes an alerting and arousing response. This alerting response can activate a DANGER centre or stress response in the brain.
  c. The danger centre makes a quick judgment of a situation and prepares for anything that may be unsafe (allowing us to at before we think). The danger centre does this by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenalin that activate the fight, flight, fright or freeze response- i.e. Racing pulse, rise in blood pressure or respiration, redirection of blood away from the gastrointestinal tract and loss of appetite.
  d. At the same time this is happening, the brain is creating an emotional response to the sensory information it receives. This is strongly influenced by how you the caregiver is responding to your child’s sensory experience: facial expressions, body language, language, tone etc. They then produce a memory that will be stored for later experiences

• 3. Emotional memories from mealtime experiences in the past may have significantly shaped your child’s sensory preferences.
  a. You can have hope because of the brain’s capacity to change! We have the opportunity to ‘re-write’ these early experiences with repetitive positive, calm, safe and pleasurable experiences.

• 4. Discover what calms your child.
  a. This will be helpful for creating mealtime experiences that are safe, positive and pleasurable.

• 5. You are the “provider” and your child is the “decider”.
  a. Your role is to PROVIDE safe, positive, regular/routine, brief (5-20 mins), nutritious meals and snacks.
  b. Your child DECIDES what and how much they eat. This helps them feel safe, in control and in the calm-alert state. (If the child is calm/alert and they are medically well managed, you can typically trust them to eat enough to meet their unique needs).

• 6. Allow and encourage opportunities for your child to play with their food.
  a. Children learn through play. That’s how they explore and discover the world in a fun, safe and calm way.
  b. Provide opportunities for food play not at meal times for the soul purpose of play and exploration without any pressure or expectation of eating.
  c. As they explore food with their hands and face they will begin to tolerate more sights, sounds, smells and textures.

• 7. The main meal is not always the most important meal.
  a. Consider that your child may eat more when they are calm-alert. This may be in the morning or in the middle of the day. The end of the day may be when they are most tired and easily overwhelmed.

• 8. Provide an environment that has very little to no pressure or expectation.
  a. The common culture at many mealtimes where a child is rewarded with dessert for eating all their food can be unhelpful. This idea can negatively reinforce the idea that you have to eat the ‘yucky’ food before you get the desirable ‘yummy’ food. It also brings in unnecessary pressure to the mealtime.
  b. Avoid using the phrase “if you try… then you can have…”. Research tells us that if a child previously liked a food, the use of ‘if, then’ statements can shape them into not liking the food.

• 9. Caregiver modelling is important.
  a. The likelihood of your child trying a new food is increased when others eat the same food at the same time.
  b. Caregiver modelling also teaches the child what it looks like to explore food, enjoy food, use cutlery and chew and swallow in a safe way.

• 10. Involve your child in the entire mealtime process
  a. Provide positive experiences with food by encouraging your child to grocery shop with you and be involved in the preparation and cooking of the meal.

Naomi Tesdorpf  (Occupational Therapist)

In order to best answer this question, it’s important to understand what exactly and Occupational Therapist does when working within a paediatric setting.  

Occupational Therapy (OT) is a fascinating career that involves working with the child to help them to grow and reach their full potential, ensuring the family is involved every step of the way. This involves providing kids with a variety of strategies and just right challenges to assist with the development of skills in the following areas: 

• Physical – gross motor and fine motor skills
• Self care skills
• Social skills
• Emotional and behavioural self regulation
• Sensory processing skills
• Academic skills

 This may be as the result of a diagnosed disability, or as simple as a child not necessarily keeping up with their peers or children around them in terms of development.

So how do you know if your child might benefit from input from an Occupational Therapist? 

Whilst no two children are alike, some of the more common signs to look out for which might indicate that your child requires an extra helping hand, include: 

Falling behind at school/kinder due to difficulties with:

• Pencil grip
• Letter formation or letter reversals
• Difficulty holding and using scissors correctly
• Difficulties maintaining attention and concentration

 Difficulty performing self care tasks:

• Difficulty using cutlery at meal times
• Difficulty dressing themselves i.e. unable to use buttons or zippers or putting on clothes back to front
• Difficulty with tying shoelaces
• Decreased independence with toileting

 Sensory regulation difficulties:

• Covering ears when there is noise around
• Overreacting to sensations such as touch, smell, or light
• Extremely fussy eating

 Emotional regulation difficulties:

• Crying and becoming overly emotional for no apparent reason
• Excessive meltdowns and tantrums
• Difficulty calming down when a meltdown occurs

 Delayed social skills:

• Avoiding eye contact
• Challenges making friends
• Physical or aggressive behaviour towards other children
• Delayed or reduced verbal communication

 Delayed motor skills:

• Falling or clumsy behaviour
• Difficulty throwing and catching
• Reduced hand eye coordination
• Avoiding climbing and jumping activities

 If you are unsure, there are a number of professionals you can talk to in order to get advice about the need for OT input. This can include discussions with the child’s paediatrician, your GP and your child’s teacher.  

A referral is not needed in order to see an OT and the initial assessment is always completed during the first session to ensure that this is the most appropriate service for your child. 

If you would like any further information or to arrange an initial assessment for your child, feel free to contact Building Blocks Therapy.

Natalie Revy (Occupational Therapist)