child mental health

Using Sensory Strategies to Improve Behavior

Sensory strategies have a significant impact on the behavior of children and adolescents with developmental, mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and sensory processing challenges. Deep pressure touch provided by pediatric occupational therapists through massage, brushing, weighted blankets, mat sandwiches and other sensory strategies are described as extremely positive experiences for children and adolescents with […]

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The Importance of Parents

As an occupational therapist working with children and adolescents who have special needs, I am repeatedly impressed by the amazing love and perseverance of their parents.  Supporting and encouraging parents is the most important job of doctors and therapists who are trying to help children and adolescents.  I repeatedly recall my doctoral dissertation on parental

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FAB Strategies® to Improve Self-Control

FAB Strategies® are Functionally Alert Body Strategies that can be used by parents, teachers, as well as Occupational, Speech, Physical, and Mental Health therapists to improve youngster’s functional behavior.  FAB Strategies® were developed to guide transdisciplinary intervention for individuals with developmental, mental health, post traumatic stress disorder, and sensory processing challenges. FAB Strategies® combines developmental,

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Brain Based Emotion Regulation Strategies

Brain based therapy applies current neuropsychology to developing emotion regulation strategies. Emotion regulation involves learning to non-aggressively express strong feelings. People initially process anger and other negative emotions unconsciously in the right cerebral hemisphere, but require cross-hemispheric communication involving the left cerebral hemisphere for conscious awareness, verbal expression and emotion regulation (Riggs et al., 2006; Shobe,

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My Perspective on Sensory Integration

I frequently use Sensory Integration/Sensory Processing Intervention in my work as an occupational therapist with clients who have severe behavioral, sensory processing and developmental challenges. I get criticism both by professionals who question the validity of sensory processing intervention and those who dislike my integrating it with other treatment approaches. It is time to transcend

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Behavioral & Sensory Strategies for Young Students

Integrated sensory processing and behavioral strategies improve the behavior of pre-school and kindergarten students. Combining Positive Behavioral Support and sensory processing adaptive equipment and techniques can help regular and special education students behave better, pay attention, and learn. A helpful initial resource for pre-school and kindergarten teachers is www.pbisworld.com which suggests behavioral strategies and classroom

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Sensory Strategies Improve Learning

Classroom environmental adaptations can enhance behavior and learning.  However, effectively using adaptive equipment and techniques involves more than handing out adaptive equipment.  To improve learning and avoid causing additional classroom management problems it is important to specifically consider how sensory strategies can improve an individual student’s behavior for enhanced learning. Sensory Integration and Positive Behavioral

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FAB Strategies to Improve Body Scheme

FAB “Functionally Alert Behavior” Strategies promoting body scheme can improve behavior in children and adolescents with sensory processing, developmental, learning, and mental health challenges.  Improving body scheme is particularly important for children and adolescents because it impacts the development of their behavior and learning.  Improving body scheme can also promote self-esteem, organization, and motor planning

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Touch Intervention to Improve Child & Adolescent Behavior

Evidence based touch strategies are an important part of my occupational therapy interventions for children and adolescents with behavioral, psychiatric, developmental, and sensory processing challenges. Although touch is a component of typical attachment and development, many excellent mental health therapists do not include touch in their interventions with children and adolescents, and warned me against

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