Our Blog
MoveSpiration
Jan 9, 2024 | Core Strength & Exercises
g and SHINE on! Coordinated, organized movement can have a positive effect on arousal level and regulation. This, in turn, can increase attention to task and overall engagement in everyday occupations. This month’s MoveSpiration is inspired by Yoga movements. Each of...
Why OTs Focus on Core Strength: Six Easy Exercises You Can Try at Home
Jan 9, 2024 | Core Strength & Exercises
Dr. Amy Wheadon, OTD, OTR/L KidSHINE LLC Owner and Pediatric OT Why do OTs target core strength in treatment sessions? This is a great question that often comes up when I am talking to parents, educators and physicians about our KidSHINE programs and our philosophy...
Four Easy Exercise Games for Home
Jan 5, 2024 | ExerSHINE POWER Bootcamp, Kids Fitness
EXERSHINEkids Bootcamp Inspired Family Fitness Fun! By Dr. Amy Wheadon, OTD, OTR/L 2024 has arrived, and many adults will set goals for themselves and their families for the new year. Increasing daily exercise and facilitating overall fitness is usually at the top of...
Top 5 Ways to Help Your Child Breathe
Jan 5, 2024 | Breath Work
I got an apple watch for Christmas this year, which has been amazing for my productivity- I can check email and respond to texts more quickly and stay on schedule for my clients and meetings. But there is an interesting feature on the apple watch that I am still...
Teaching Girls how to Look BEYOND the Mirror
Jan 3, 2024 | Girls Empowerment
We have so many mirrors at KidSHINE. A whole wall of mirrors. Sometimes the mirrors can be a distraction (especially when we are working with preschool aged children- preschoolers LOVE to stare at themselves in the mirror). My staff and I have learned to use...
CORE Foundations for Fine Motor Skill Development
Jan 3, 2024 | Core Strength & Exercises, Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Building Strength from the Inside Out! Last week we posted an article from the Inspired Treehouse that discusses how and why children's fine motor skills are declining. Modern conveniences such as "carry everywhere" infant car seats and cell phones/tablets have...
Building Strong Hands: Think Outside the Box!
Jan 3, 2024 | Pediatric Occupational Therapy
As Occupational Therapists, one of the first concepts we learn in graduate school is "proximal stability improves distal mobility", which is a fancy way for saying, if you have a strong core, you will increase your ability to use your hands functionally. If your child...
What I Learned this Week in Preschool
Jan 3, 2024 | Pediatric Occupational Therapy
This week, I spent several mornings in two area preschools, observing 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds in action. My OT "trained eye" was looking for sensory processing challenges, fine motor delays, gross motor challenges, and other areas of concern, and my goal was to...
Five Ways to Listen To A Child With Sensory Processing Challenges
Dec 29, 2023 | Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Parents and educators and other professionals are dedicated to facilitating growth and development in children. If a neurotypical child needs something, he or she simply asks, and an adult is able to respond to the child’s needs. But what happens if a child has...