Pay Attention to Your Child’s Senses:

It Can Make a World of Difference

Why Sensory Integration is so important

By Catherine Risigo-Wickline, OTR/L Founder/President and Ann-Christin Hyatt, MS, OTR/L

Children’s Therapy Center, Therapy Unlimited, Kangaroo’s Korner Early Learning Center

An Occupational Therapist trained in Sensory Integration can be very helpful in working with children who are having difficulty paying attention and learning, or with those who are described as “overactive”, “have difficulty sitting still,” “in constant motion,” or the “disorganized child.” The ability to attend and learn are dependent upon the ability to integrate and organize information from our senses.

The five basic senses that we are most familiar with include sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. But there are two hidden senses that we often forget about. The vestibular sense -- the sense of movement, and the sense of proprioception – or muscle awareness. Both are very important and must be taken into account to understand the full benefit of Sensory Integration.

Unorganized sensory input creates a traffic jam in our brain, making it hard to pay attention and learn. To be a successful learning, all our senses must work together in an organized manner. In other words, we must have integration of our senses or Sensory Integration.

When a person has difficulty learning, paying attention, behaving appropriately, or is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, he or she may in fact have an immature nervous system causing Sensory Integration Dysfunction. As we have just said, the relationship between sensory integration and learning and attention is important. When sensory integration is not working properly, it’s hard for a person to filter out nonessential information, background noises, and/or visual distractions and to focus on what is essential.

The sense of touch

Each of our senses has a discrimination and protective component. We learn about our environment through touch. This includes knowing how heavy, smooth, rough, big or small an object is just by holding it. The system also protects us when the body is threatened by causing us to pull away from hot water or something that is unpleasant. Tactile (touch) integration is important for the development of body awareness, fine motor skills, motor planning and being comfortable with touch. People who have difficulty being in crowds, who pull away from touch or hugs, who are bothered by certain clothes and/or temperatures and textures of foods – as well as those who touch everything – have unorganized processing of tactile input. Children can’t learn if they are focusing on the seams in their socks or the tags in their clothing instead of what the teacher is saying.

The vestibular sense

The vestibular sense provides information related to movement and head position. The vestibular sense is important for the development of balance, coordination, eye control, attention, movement, emotional security and some aspects of language development. A person who has disorganized processing of vestibular input may have difficulty with attention, coordination, following directions, reading (keeping their eyes focused to follow) or eye-hand coordination. Disorganization may also be seen in someone who is constantly in motion, has an extreme fear of movement or is described as an overly sensitive, lazy or sedentary person. Immature language skills are often the reason a child is initially referred to therapy, but the language delay may be the result of immature sensory processing.

The proprioceptor sense

To know where our body is in space and how we are moving, we need information from receptors located in our muscles and joints, called proprioceptors. Our proprioceptive sense is very important for the development of body awareness. This sense does not work in isolation: information from the vestibular, the tactile and vision senses are constantly interacting for functional movements. When this sense does not process information properly, we may see someone who is clumsy, bumps into other people, and falls or stumbles frequently. Children with this problem can also seem overly aggressive because they might seek input by pushing other children and/or frequently crashing into things. Some may chew on toys, shirt sleeves or food and/or be messy at mealtimes. It may take them a long time to learn new tasks because of poor motor planning, and when a new task is slightly changed they have to learn it all over again. These children might have to put so much effort into staying in the chair in school that they are not able to focus their attention on what is being said in the classroom.

The auditory sense

Auditory input also has an impact on our level of alertness. For example, most of us know what music calms us down and what music makes us ready to dance. The amount of auditory input that we prefer or can tolerate is very personal. You may have seen a child in the classroom covering his/her ears when music is played or when someone is crying. At the same time, that particular child might be one of the loudest in class. By making loud noises, the child will cover up the sounds that bother him/her. Some children seem as though they hear every little sound, including noises that wouldn’t be noticeable by someone else. It can be very hard for a child with auditory processing problems and auditory defensiveness to pay attention to a classroom teacher without corrective strategies and an appropriate environment. 

The visual sense

Light helps us to initiate and maintain alertness. Color helps us to orient, pay attention and learn. We use visual information the same way we use auditory information – to calm us down or to alert us. A cluttered environment is very distracting for most children. To improve attention, we often choose a certain place in a room to make sure we can see and hear. Organization of belongings is another task that is often visually related. Many children with attention difficulties need help to organize their belongings in order to be more successful. Delays in the area of visual-motor and visual-perception skills are common in children with sensory processing problems.

The senses of taste and smell

Taste and smell are two senses that we use to relate to food. These senses can remind us of something pleasant or can cause a “fight or flight” response. We can alert our taste buds with something spicy or sour, and calm down with a warm drink, etc. The sense of smell can be both alerting or calming, depending on the aroma and how a person responds.

Sensory Integration Dysfunction is still not widely understood by many doctors and education professionals. In fact, Children’s Therapy Center is one of only a handful of sites in Connecticut with staff trained to implement the Sensory Integration Praxis Test, a comprehensive evaluation designed to pinpoint SI problems. If therapy is recommended, the Center’s staff develops a “sensory diet” which consists of activities designed to challenge the child’s ability to respond appropriately to sensory input.  The Center works with the parents, teachers and other occupational therapists if the child’s school has them, to come up with strategies they can use in any setting. When a child’s sensory systems are fully functioning, learning comes easily. But immature systems can make paying attention difficult and learning frustrating. Through sensory integration therapy, many of these difficulties can be overcome.

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How Do I Know if My School-age Child

Needs Occupational Therapy?

If your child is experiencing three or more items on this checklist, occupational therapy services may be helpful.

If your child is experiencing three or more items on this checklist, occupational therapy services may be helpful.

My child:

• Finds it hard to focus attention or is over-focused and unable to shift to the next task

• Hangs on people or furniture or props to support self

• Jumps from one activity to another

• Can’t work with background noise

• Gets frustrated when trying to find objects in competing background, e.g., a cluttered drawer or messy room

• Craves movement, is always on the go, has difficulty sitting still, is fidgety

• Fearful of movement, reluctant to participate in play activities

• Is a picky eater

• Touches people and objects to the point of irritation

• Avoids getting messy

• Leaves clothing twisted on body

• Tires easily, seems weaker than others of same age

• Cries easily, is stubborn and uncooperative

• Dislikes handwriting

• Exhibits poor pencil pressure, breaks pencils and Crayons frequently

• Reverses letters; can’t space letters on a line

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Ten Tips for Parents of Special Needs Children

Being a parent is the starring role in our lives, isn’t it? Parenting is more rewarding than we ever imagined…but for most parents, it’s also more challenging than we expected it to be. The challenges start with simple but important decisions like choosing a pediatrician and daycare provider and buying the right toys. These challenges shift and intensify as our children become school age and we have to be the at-home teacher, disciplinarian, coach, and primary motivator.

Now imagine that you are the new parents of a baby with special needs. Enter a whole new set of challenges for which most parents are completely unprepared, according to occupational therapist and special needs expert Catherine Risigo- Wickline.

“Parents of children with special needs – whether they are physical disabilities, learning disorders, behavioral challenges or a combination – often don’t have the support and expertise they need, so they’re incredibly frustrated and stressed,” she says. Risigo-Wickline is founder and president of Children’s Therapy Center, a leading, statewide program dedicated to helping children reach their optimal development.  The Center provides hands-on care, training programs and a wide collaboration network for families, caregivers, educators and health care professionals.

While much of her focus is on evaluating and treating children with special needs, Risigo-Wickline says that an equally important part of her job is to give the parents of these children the support they need to fulfill their roles. The following are ten tips she has developed based on her experience working with the parents of special needs children.

1. Keep a good paper trail. Having a special needs child leads to a seemingly endless number of medical appointments. Be sure to request copies of all reports from physicians and specialists who examine and evaluate your child. Risigo-Wickline explains that the report you’re looking for is not a copy of the insurance form, which you always receive at the end of an office visit, but the written assessment of your child developed by each practitioner who sees that child. Unless you ask, you won’t receive it and this report can be helpful to other to share with other team members such as other healthcare specialists and school systems.   

2. Be a good detective. Once you learn that your child has special needs, begin researching the resources available in your community. One of the most helpful resources for parents of special needs infants is Connecticut’s Birth to Three program (www.birth23.org). InfoLine (dial 211) can also provide you with a complete list of resources in your area.

3. Follow your gut. Depending on the nature of a child’s medical situation, getting a firm diagnosis and treatment plan you are comfortable with can be a challenge. Risigo-Wickline says that parents should listen to their intuition if they aren’t comfortable with what their child’s healthcare practitioners are telling them. “When it comes to learning disabilities, it’s not uncommon for two experts to disagree on the root of the problem and on the best approach to help the child,” she explains. This is where the parents must use their best judgment and, above all, be assertive in seeking other opinions if necessary.”

4. Find a home care provider with whom you are comfortable. Families with a special needs child may be good candidates for a home health care provider to assist with certain tasks associated with the child’s physical needs. If you find your family in this situation, make sure that the home health nurse and/or aide are comfortable interacting and playing with your child in the way that you expect. This will greatly enhance the experience for both you and your child.

5. Find a qualified daycare provider. Finding a day care provider who is trained and equipped to care for a special needs child can be another challenge. This is why Risigo-Wickline founder and president of Kangaroo’s Korner Early Childhood Learning Center, which cares for children of “all abilities”. Kangaroo’s Korner is located in Watertown, Connecticut.  To locate a day care provider in your community who serves children with special needs, call InfoLine at 211.

6. Find and train a qualified baby sitter. This can be a real challenge because most sitters are unprepared to care for a special needs child. Ask your child’s therapists, daycare providers and other families you know for recommendations of responsible sitters with experience caring for children with additional needs. Then, work to train the sitter to care for your child, asking for help from therapists and home health providers with training if needed. Info line (211) can also assist you finding qualified child care providers.

7. Select appropriate toys. Ask your child’s teacher or therapists for advice for toys that are appropriate to your child’s development level. Don’t rely on toy manufacturer’s marketing pitches since all children vary in terms of what toys are right for them. “The goal is always to encourage curiosity but not over or under stimulate the child,” advises Risigo-Wickline. 

8. Don’t neglect your other children. “Parents of a special needs child can sometimes feel so overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for this child that they tend to let their other children operate on ‘autopilot,’” explains Risigo-Wickline. She suggests setting aside a special time every day for each child.

9. Read and sing to your child. Risigo-Wickline says that regardless of the child’s age or developmental level, it’s always so important to read to them, and if you’re comfortable, to sing. In addition to stimulating verbal development, the sound of your voice is comforting and soothing.

10. Take time to have fun with your child. Don’t let doctors’ appointments and worry about your child’s future take over your life, says Risigo-Wickline: “Take time to experience the joy of having such a special child in your life. Learn to just let go of any worries and have fun. Children all have important lessons to teach us.”

Risigo-Wickline points out that if there were a handbook for parenting special needs, it would encompass much more than ten tips. But she advises that the most important keys to thriving in this situation are finding trusted professional support and finding joy in the moment. “Parenting a special needs child requires a combination of endless love, diligence and faith,” she says.

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Childhood Movement:

Fun Now, Academic Achievement Later

Movement is part of being a child. When children run, jump, climb, crawl under and over objects, and spin around they are actually practicing many skills. While it simply looks like pure fun and games, these motor skills lay the foundation for learning. Their ability to master these movements directly affects their reading, writing, and abstract thinking.

What’s more, research – and our own clients’ experiences – have shown that providing opportunities for a wide range of movement activities when a child is young may help eliminate or minimize certain types of learning disabilities.

Teachers and educators of young children should look for ways to include movement opportunities and activities throughout the day. Not only will you be helping the children improve their strength and coordination, you will enjoy fewer discipline problems. Most importantly, you will be laying the foundation for handwriting, creative writing, reading comprehension and critical thinking.

Following are recommendations for movements that may help develop specific skills needed for academic achievement:

• Avoiding perceptual problems – Certain problems with perception aren’t typically identified until the demands of second grade. The activities that relate directly are those incorporating movement on opposite sides of the body such as crawling, hand-over-hand climbing and moving on a balance beam.

• Building strength for fine motor skills – Preschoolers who have many opportunities to develop their shoulders and upper arm muscles have better fine motor control for handwriting. Since we develop from our trunk out to our hands, we need to work on strengthening the upper arms and shoulders before expecting the hands and fingers to be well coordinated. Climbing on jungle gyms, wheelbarrow walking, crawling through tunnels and under obstacles, working at the easel and doing exaggerated arm movements during finger plays and songs can help develop muscles needed for writing.

• Preparing for planning and organizational skills – Children learn from concrete to abstract and their bodies provide the most concrete experience for planning and organizational skills. A child must first experience controlling his body in space before he can organize pictures and letters on a page. Also, children who have many opportunities to use their bodies in a predetermined sequence (as in an obstacle course or movement song) are learning the abstract sequencing skills of beginning, middle and end, and how to order and plan. Anticipating the next segment and experiencing closure are important skills required on the abstract level for reading comprehension and creative thinking.

• Developing abstract thinking – When children move their bodies, they are simultaneously stimulating the corresponding areas of the brain that relate to abstract thinking. Movement on the right side of the body stimulates the left side of the brain, which in turn controls systematic, convergent thinking. Conversely, movement on the left side of the body stimulates the right side of the brain, which is associated with creative, divergent thinking. Obviously, both types of thinking are necessary for problem solving, generalizing and applying information and developing ideas. When both sides of the body are involved, it physiologically stimulates the connections between the two sides of the brain and literally helps the child develop more cohesive and extensive thinking skills. This includes activities such as crawling, jumping, running, swinging, using large manipulatives and materials requiring two hands. Also helpful are activities where children cross the midline, such as “Simon says touch your right ear with your left hand.”

• Social/emotional development – Movement has a direct impact on social and emotional development. In fact, discipline problems are often related to restricted or inadequate movement opportunities. For many children, a short period of play outside each day is not adequate. They need access to a variety of movement activities throughout the day. Any classroom can provide these activities no matter how small the space or restricted the budget. For example, make a tunnel by putting a blanket over the table; use sturdy milk crates for building; place masking tape over the floor to “jump over the river”; jump through large hoops; have children stretch big elastic bands using two different parts of their body.

So, when planning your class curriculum, look for ways to include movement opportunities throughout the day. The children under your care will reap the benefits.

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What Parents Can do to Help

When Homework is a Battleground

By Catherine Risigo-Wickline, OTR/L

Unless your child is like Jason, the precocious brain in the comic strip, Fox Trot, who begs his teacher for more homework, you’ve probably had to nag a few times to get the latest reading or math assignment done. At worst, homework can become a constant source of stress for parents and kids.

Even if your house is a homework battleground, take heart. There are strategies parents can use to encourage a more positive approach toward completing school assignments. There are many reasons that kids find homework difficult. The key is to understand and help them overcome those barriers. By doing so, you’ll help to set the stage for independent learning.

Here are some tips that can help make homework easier and more enjoyable:

1.      Make sure your child isn’t chronically overtired.

Many kids today – even young children – are so overscheduled with sports, karate, dance lessons and the like that it takes all their energy to get through the day. In those cases, children can have so much on their plates that there’s no time for an adequate night’s sleep. If your child isn’t getting enough sleep, give his or her schedule an honest look and cut back if necessary.

2.      Look at what they’re eating.

Kids who don’t eat nutritious foods, and instead fill up with sugary foods at lunch and candy or soda in between, may experience abnormal energy highs and lows. This can leave them either too fidgety or too sleepy to concentrate on homework. This is one of the many good reasons to encourage healthy eating. 

3.      Use foods to create the right mood.

You can introduce foods to help your child feel more alert, calm or better able to concentrate. If your child is sleepy – cold, spicy, minty or sour foods can perk them up. Try cinnamon or mint sugar-free gum or hard candy. On the other hand, children who have a hard time sitting still may benefit from warm, smooth or sweet foods and beverages. Try a banana or some warm cider. And if concentration is a problem, something chewy such as raisins may be helpful.

4.      Establish a routine.

It’s easier to complete homework that’s performed at the same time each day. After the child comes home from school and has time for play, it’s always homework time, no questions asked. If homework is done before dinner, remember that it’s important to give them time to run around and burn off some energy before they sit down to work. And don’t let them watch TV before homework. A number of studies have shown that kids get over stimulated and have a hard time making the transition from television to working in the two-dimensional world of books and paper.

5.      Set up the right environment

Work with your child to find the right place for homework. Older children may prefer the quiet of their room while younger kids often want to be with Mom or Dad. Work with their preferences and find a spot that isn’t distracting.

• Provide a stable base of support for writing. If a table or desk is used, the child’s feet should touch the floor (use a stool if necessary) and the table surface should allow elbows to rest at a 45-degree angle from the body. Some children find it helpful to kneel or sit on the floor at a low coffee table, others may do better with an easel that places paper at an angle for ease of writing;

• For reading assignments, children may want to sit in a comfortable chair with a bed reading pillow or lie on their stomach on the floor over a pillow;

• Soothing music in the background can be helpful for some children although others may find it distracting;

6.      Take frequent breaks

Encourage kids to get up and run around every 20 minutes or so. Activities such as jumping, spinning, bike riding, running around, even doing household chores, can help burn off excess energy and get them refocused on attending to sitting and completing their homework.

7.      Try fidget toys for better concentration

Since movement helps us concentrate better, some kids benefit from something to fidget with while studying. Try a Koosh ball, flexible straw, rubber band, stress ball, silly putty, pop beads or bendable animals.

8.      Get creative in another dimension

Encourage your kids to try studying vocabulary words by using a moveable alphabet on the refrigerator, or writing words on different surfaces like a magna-doodle, white board, chalk board. Younger kids may have fun tracing words in flour, sugar or even finger paint.

Give these strategies a try until you find the right combination for your child. You’ll be amazed at how a few basic changes can make doing homework easier and even enjoyable.

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Tips for Children’s Backpack Safety

Is your child's backpack placing him or her at risk?

Backpacks have become a must for every school-age child. They offer a convenient way for your child to carry his/her belongings to and from school. Yet backpacks can pose a risk to growing bodies. Many parents are not aware of the risks or underestimate the need to set safety guidelines.

Many children begin carrying backpacks as early as preschool. As they progress from elementary school to middle school, and eventually to high school, the amount of weight carried in their backpacks significantly increases to accommodate more homework and extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, your child’s ability to carry more weight doesn’t necessarily grow with age. In fact, heavy backpacks can still pose a risk to the child entering puberty, which generally occurs between the ages of 12 and 18. During this time, the spine undergoes rapid growth and is not able to withstand excessive stresses placed upon it.

Several researchers have examined the affects that these backpacks are having on children and have raised serious concerns. They report that the incidence of back pain in children is approaching that of adults. This is especially prevalent as children enter adolescence. In addition to increased pain, researchers have also noted significant forward leaning postures when they are carrying heavy backpacks, thus throwing the spine out of alignment. This can lead to a host of problems such as ?

Some researchers have proposed that the maximum amount of weight a child should carry in his/her backpack should be no more than 10% of their body weight. This means that a child who weighs 100-lbs. should carry no more than 10-lbs. in their backpack. The following recommendations have also been suggested to minimize back pain and provide optimal positioning of the spine:

• ·         Your child's backpack should not hang more than 4-inches below his/her waist. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.

• ·         A backpack with individualized compartments helps evenly distribute the contents, so that all of the weight doesn’t rest entirely on the shoulders.

• ·         Make sure that heavier items are packed closest to the back, with pointy or lighter bulky items packed away from the back.

• ·         Look for a backpack equipped with a padded back to reduce the pressure on the bones of the back.

• ·         Bigger backpacks are not necessarily better. The bigger the backpack, the more items your child will pack into it and the heavier the pack will be.

• ·         It is important for your child to wear both shoulder straps. Carrying the backpack on one shoulder can cause an uneven walking posture and strain that shoulder.

• ·         Buy a backpack with adjustable, wide, padded straps to ensure proper fit and comfort.

• ·         To reduce backpack weight, discuss with your child the importance of carrying only necessary items.

·         Talk to your child's teachers about creating handout or workbook alternatives to heavy textbooks.

·         And most importantly, talk to your child about the proper use of backpacks and why it is important for their health so that they can monitor their own safety.

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Helpful Sensory Activities for Children

By Catherine Risigo-Wickline, OTR/L Founder/President, and Janet Gagas, RPT

Children’s Therapy Center, Therapy Unlimited, Kangaroo’s Korner Early Learning Center

Calming activities to help a child organize him/her self:

• Roll up child in a blanket like a hot dog, pretend to rub and plop condiments on his back

• Roll a therapy ball or bolster over his/her back like steam roller, or pretend to roll a pizza

• Have the child stand with their arms against the wall and push the wall down with one steady push

• Do the wheelbarrow walk, where the child walks on their hands while you hold their feet in the air

• Imitate animal walks like a cat, dog, polar bear, etc.

• Jump on a trampoline – combine with games such as hop one time and stop, hope three times then stop put one hand on your head and hop two times, etc.

• Roll over various objects like pillows or mats. Try holding something between knees or feet and then roll

• Roll up an incline wedge

• Carry, push or pull heavy objects

• Theraputty pull with extra firm theraputty

• Make a pancake out of theraputty or clay by pressing down with hands on the table while standing

• Roll child up in blanket and have him/her do a puzzle

• Vestibular activities to help child process sensory information:

• Roll back and forth putting together a puzzle. Place pieces at one end and puzzle board at the other. Arms should be held straight out overhead.

• Roll in a straight line as fast as possible

• Roll and knock down bowling pins

• Stand against a wall and turn yourself around, moving down the wall.  Child should be moving down the wall, not staying in one place.

• Scooter board activities

• Pass a ball over your head then under your legs of another person

• Try keeping a balloon up in the air by hitting it with your hands

• Have child lie on a blanket with two adults holding the ends, than swing child back and forth.

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Sensory Integration Disorder Often Misdiagnosed

 “Michael” has trouble sitting at his desk without squirming, gets distracted from his schoolwork by the sounds around him, and lands in the principal’s office for doing things that are not only impulsive but potentially dangerous – like charging into the woods during recess.

An initial diagnosis pointed to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and doctors recommended medication for Michael. But his parents weren’t comfortable with medicating the seven-year-old and did some more research into other possible options. It was then that they found out about Sensory Integration (SI) Dysfunction, which shows many of the same signs as ADHD. Michael was tested by Occupational Therapists trained in detecting this complex disorder and found to have an SI disorder.

“Research has shown that many children who have developmental or learning difficulties have problems with sensory integration,” according to Marie Mancini, OTR/L, manager of Children’s Therapy Center, a program based in Oakville, Connecticut that provides hands-on care, training programs and a wide collaboration network for families, caregivers, educators and health care professionals.

Often associated with developmental disorders and learning disabilities, sensory integration involves the way the brain organizes and processes the sensory experiences of touch, movement, body awareness, sight, sound and the pull of gravity, explains Mancini.

She says children with Sensory Integration Dysfunction have trouble relating to the world around them – to their surroundings, to the things they touch, taste, hear, smell and experience. “As a result, they have a hard time acting what society considers ‘normal’ and this leaves them wide open to failing the expectations of teachers and even the parents who love them,” she explains.

“For example, to know where our body is in space and to move appropriately, we need information from receptors located in our muscles and joints, in conjunction with our senses of balance, touch and vision. When these senses don’t process information correctly, we may see a child who is clumsy or overly aggressive because they might seek input by pushing other children or constantly crashing into things. They also may have such difficulty staying in their chair at school that they can’t focus their attention on what’s being said in the classroom,” says Mancini. 

It’s no wonder that Sensory Integration Dysfunction is often treated as a behavioral problem. In fact, Mancini says that children with an SI disorder may have poor self-esteem. This is why an important part of her mission is to educate parents and teachers, as well as other health care professionals working with these children and their families. “Families with children who have sensory integration problems often require additional support to deal with the emotional issues surrounding this disorder, so we collaborate with mental health professionals. We also work with nutritionists because we’ve found – and research is discovering – a link between sensory integration dysfunction and diet in some children,” Mancini explains.

The fact remains that Sensory Integration Dysfunction is still not widely understood by many doctors and education professionals. In fact, Children’s Therapy Center is one of only a handful of sites in Connecticut with staff trained to implement the Sensory Integration Praxis Test, a comprehensive evaluation designed to pinpoint SI problems. If therapy is recommended, the Center’s staff develops a “sensory diet” which consists of activities designed to challenge the child’s ability to respond appropriately to sensory input.

“We work with the parents, teachers and other occupational therapists if the child’s school has them, to come up with strategies they can use in any setting,” says Mancini. “When a child’s sensory systems are fully functioning, learning comes easily. But immature systems can make paying attention difficult and learning frustrating. Through sensory integration therapy, many of these difficulties can be overcome.”

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Use your Imagination When Toy Shopping For Kids

With so many toys on the shelves these days, it’s more confusing than ever to shop for the kids. Added pressure comes from the children themselves, who are lobbying for the latest video game, do-it-all doll, or electronic whiz-bang item. Sure, we want to make our kids happy, but local child development expert, Catherine Risigo-Wickline, says the hottest novelty items may not always be in their best interest.

“Parents should never underestimate the importance of toy selection. Think of it this way: play is a child’s way of learning and developing successfully. It’s their “job”. Children learn through movement, interaction and through the information they take in from all of their senses. Toys provide a rich opportunity for them to do that,” explains Wickline, an occupational therapist, special needs expert and founder and president of Kangaroo’s Korner Early Learning Center and Children’s Therapy Center in Watertown. Children’s Therapy Center is a statewide program dedicated to helping children reach their optimal development. 

Risigo-Wickline says children learn about themselves and others through the toys they play with. And often, the toys and games that have been around a long time offer the best overall benefits. “Many of the time-tested toys offer more opportunities for hands-on manipulation, imaginative play and interaction with others. Toys that literally play themselves, like certain electronic toys and dolls that come with every accessory known to mankind, are not particularly helpful in fostering good development. If a child just sits there and presses the button, they’re not challenging all the senses that are so valuable to learning,” she explains.

Selecting the proper toys for a child’s level of development is also very important, she says. “Toys that are below a child’s level of development will not challenge them and toys that are above their level of development can be overwhelming. If your child receives a toy that is above his developmental abilities, put it away until it is appropriate for them,” advises Risigo-Wickline.

Parents can never go wrong buying toys that encourage children to use their imaginations and develop their creativity and social skills, she explains. For example, play sets with miniature figures (such as farm sets or doll houses), kitchen toys, tea sets, doctor kits, dress up costumes, and pretend telephones all foster learning about the world around through dramatic play.

Equally important are toys that promote the development of focus, concentration and problem-solving skills. For babies through pre-school-age children, these include shape sorters, stacking toys and puzzles. Building blocks are another time-tested toy that make a great gift. “Building blocks are really important for development. Blocks not only encourage creativity and logical thinking, but are a great sensory experience too,” she explains.

In addition, Risigo-Wickline advises that parents provide plenty of toys to stimulate creativity, imagination, and fine motor development at all ages. “Art supplies are wonderful gifts for this purpose. A big box of paints, crayons, paper, and three-dimensional objects such as beads, feathers, and sequins can provide hours of fun. Playdough and modeling clay are great for exercising their imaginations and creativity, and at the same time providing a great sensory experience and developing their manual dexterity,” she says.  A pair of quality scissors is also a good item to include in the craft kit because scissors have surprising benefits. “Scissor cutting activities are incredibly beneficial for children to develop hand skills for proper pencil grip development,” explains Risigo-Wickline.

She advises that parents who are under pressure to buy video games consider books on tape instead, especially for use in the car. “Video games can overstimulate kids to the point where they have trouble concentrating in school or going to sleep at night and some children – such as those with Attention Deficit Disorder – may be more susceptible to this than others,” she cautions.

The following questions can be helpful for parents to keep in mind as they prepare for holiday gift-giving:

1.      Is the toy developmentally appropriate?

2.      Is it interesting and fun to use?

3.      Does it really stimulate creativity and imagination?

4.      Does it encourage inquisitiveness and resourcefulness?

5.      Is it a tool for learning?

6.      Is it challenging, yet not frustrating?

7.      Does it invite repeated use? (Avoid one-hit wonders)

8.      Does it require interaction? The more the better!

9.      Does it meet my child’s developing needs and emerging skills?

10.  Does it have the kind of effect on my child’s overall behavior that I’m comfortable with? (Consider this question when purchasing certain video games)

By putting some careful thought into toy purchases, parents not only further their child’s development and learning, but benefit in other ways, too. “A lot of the newer toys can be expensive and then get minimal playing time because they’re not adaptable for imaginative play. This means we end up buying more toys just to keep our kids busy,” points out Risigo-Wickline. “The ‘tried and true’ toys often cost less and provide a lot more enjoyment and learning.”

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SUMMER ACTIVITIES CAN IMPROVE

 SCHOOL-YEAR LEARNING

With the school year winding down, parents are starting the annual search for fun, safe and meaningful summer activities. It’s a search that can push a parent’s organizational skills and creativity to the limit. But, according to one local child development expert, some of the most basic activities are not only fun and easy to implement, but can build much-needed skills for success in school.

“Summer is a great time to work on two of the most fundamental skills for school-age children -- the ability to focus attention and the ability to write well. So much of their success as learners stems from these two skills, and yet we’re seeing more children who are challenged in one or both areas,” explains occupational therapist and special needs expert Catherine Risigo-Wickline. She is founder and president of Children’s Therapy Center, a statewide program dedicated to helping children reach their optimal development.  The Center provides hands-on care, training programs and a wide collaboration network for families, caregivers, educators and health care professionals.

Risigo-Wickline says that children who find it hard to focus on tasks such as schoolwork or reading can benefit from a “sensory diet” that is lean on television and computer games during the summer months. “While it’s tempting to use TV, videotapes and computers as babysitters, it’s very important to limit these mediums because research has shown that they over-stimulate developing brains and make it harder for kids to focus on the tasks in front of them,” she explains.

Risigo-Wickline recommends that parents help strengthen their children’s sensory systems by encouraging traditional games and activities instead. For example, while on a vacation car trip, children benefit by playing listening and verbal games geared toward their interest. “Sing songs, play guessing games, listen to stories on tape, have everyone in the car take turns naming all the animals they can think of that begin with each letter of the alphabet,” she suggests.

There are also a number of summer activities parents can adopt to help with handwriting skills. Ongoing work on handwriting skills is particularly important for children whose gross motor development has not fully matured, she explains. Risigo-Wickline says many children have issues with their gross motor development because of the “Back to Sleep” movement. “So many children have not been given enough time to be on their bellies and crawl, which are essential to building upper body and shoulder strength,” she explains.

Gross motor development, which lays the foundation for handwriting, and sensory integration (the body’s ability to take in all of the information from the senses), are key to successful learning, says Risigo-Wickline. To develop these skills, she suggests activities such as jumping on a trampoline (“only with full side netting on for safety”, she stresses), jumping on the trampoline while playing catch with a ball, wheelbarrow walking on hands, climbing on jungle gyms, crawling through tunnels, and enjoying the summer heat with a “slip and slide” type of water mat.

“Summer is the ideal time to encourage children to crawl, jump, run and spin around. These activities help them master important motor skills that lay the foundation for reading, writing and abstract thinking,” Risigo-Wickline explains. There are also fine motor activities that can enhance writing. One of the best is learning to cut with scissors. “Parents can devise projects that encourage kids to do a lot of cutting out shapes and materials of different thicknesses. These are fun for young children and great for handwriting development,” she says.

The bottom line, says Risigo-Wickline, is that parents who involve their children in a variety of summer activities are not only encouraging them to have fun, but are actively shaping better learners and more successful adults.

Children’s Therapy Center is a leading, statewide program dedicated to helping children reach their optimal development. The Center provides hands-on care, training programs and a wide collaboration network for families, caregivers, educators and health care professionals. Children’s Therapy Center is affiliated with Kangaroo’s Korner Early Childhood Learning Center in Watertown, and Therapy Unlimited, LLC, which provides services to Connecticut’s Birth to 3 Program, childcare centers, home care agencies and public and private schools. Located at 900 Main Street in Oakville, Children’s Therapy Center may be reached by calling 860-945-1301.

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Child behavioral problems hard lesson for pre-K parents

Yale study sees dropout pattern

By G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Globe Correspondent  |  September 4, 2005

They arrive on day one equipped with juice boxes and sharp pencils, ready to begin a long career of school-based learning. But within a few months, thousands of 3- and 4-year-olds nationwide will be pre-kindergarten dropouts, outcasts because of their unmanageable behavior.

That is the troubling pattern, identified for the first time earlier this year by Yale University researchers, which has advocates, teachers, and parents exploring whether anything could happen to make this year's results unfold differently.

To find answers, they are looking closely at what tends to transpire when a child repeatedly acts up.

All too often, some say, teachers with limited training and mounting concerns about liability look for ways -- some more subtle than others -- to get problem children to go away and not return.

''I think the pattern of kids getting kicked out is the pattern of [teachers saying], 'I don't get paid enough, and I'm worried about getting sued,' " said Catherine Risigo-Wickline, founder and president of Kangaroo's Korner, a preschool in Watertown, Conn., where six of the 59 children were expelled from another site.

But, she added, a few structural adjustments to a program can often make children less explosive. Her teachers, she said for instance, have successfully diffused many a tinderbox by making sure activities are age-appropriate.

''Motor and movement are the foundation to learning" in young children, Risigo-Wickline said. ''So when we began to integrate more motor [skills] into our curriculum, that helped [reduce] some of the biting and screaming and hitting and throwing and all the things that were happening."

Despite its fun reputation, preschool opens nationwide this year against a sobering backdrop. Thanks to a May report from the Yale Child Study Center, parents and advocates now know educators turn to the expulsion solution three times more often with troublesome preschoolers than do their colleagues who teach kindergarten through Grade 12. Survey responses from 3,900 teachers showed preschool boys were 4.5 percent more likely than girls to get expelled. African-American children were twice as likely as their white or Latino peers to be expelled.

In preparing parents this year for what can happen, however, advocates are making sure they know how subtle the expulsion process can be.

''Parents would be called in and told, 'Maybe your child needs to take a break. Why don't they take the rest of the semester off?' " said Don Owens, spokesman for Pre-K Now, an organization based in Washington, D.C., that pushes for universal access to pre-kindergarten programs. But that apparently voluntary choice can have unintended consequences.

''Once the child is expelled or asked to leave, in many communities across the country, there are no other options for them. . . . It's just like filling out a job application or applying for credit: these schools want to know where your child has been," and will refuse admission to those with a checkered history.

Lisa Mathey of Ashburn, Va., understands those frustrations. Her 3-year-old daughter, who has attention deficit and oppositional defiant disorders, had to leave one program after a few months and soon after raised liability concerns at a second one. Her erratic behavior included removing all her clothes and climbing to high spots where she could not be reached. She was allowed to stay, Mathey said, but only because the parents agreed to work with a psychologist at their own expense. Meanwhile, she pleaded with local county officials to admit her daughter into a federally mandated program for children with disabilities.

''I said, 'Look, if I don't get help, my daughter is going to be removed from pre-K, and I don't have anywhere else to go. What do I do?' " Mathey said. Her daughter is now enrolled in the mandated public program.

Across the country, more than 800,000 children participate each year in state-funded preschools, which can include for-profit and faith-based programs.

Receiving public funds, however, does not obligate preschools to educate all comers, according to Walter Gilliam, author of the Yale study. Since no state requires preschool attendance, he said, expulsions generally do not trigger legal problems. But a problem child with potential to endanger others certainly can.

''When you're talking about K through 12, you're talking about the legal concerns of the individual child pitted against the legal concerns of all the children in the classroom," Gilliam said. ''When you're talking about preschool, it's legal concerns for liability toward all the other children in the classroom, but no legal concerns for the [rights of] the individual child. So it certainly tips the balance."

Teachers on the whole ''are genuinely concerned about liability," according to Marilou Hyson, senior adviser for research and professional practice at the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

In a field where some educators have bachelor's degrees and specialized training while others lack a high school diploma, she said, teachers need more help from consultants, as well as from parents willing to take a collaborative approach.

''It's hard not to think of [intervention] as a huge criticism of your child," Hyson said. ''But being bad is even more stressful. No one wants to be in trouble all the time. . . . It shouldn't be an adversarial relationship" between parents and teachers, all of whom want behavior to improve.

Still, preschool problems are sometimes handled so informally that parents take offense. Raquel DeNigris of Watertown, recalled a preschool teacher pulling her aside during pickup time one day when her son was 3 years old. A girl's parents were threatening to withdraw their child, the teacher said, because DeNigris's son had been harassing her.

''They never told me, 'You're going to have to take your kid out of here.' It was alluded to," DeNigris said. ''I didn't want my child to be labeled by the school as the problem child," DeNigris said, so she voluntarily withdrew him. He has now enrolled at Kang