The holidays are upon us! The giving season is a great time of year to reflect on the purpose of toys – which is to play! Play is a child’s work! It is how they learn, explore, and engage! Read our new blog post to learn what to look for when choosing a toy & what to consider avoiding all together.
Read MorePrimary (or sometimes called primitive) reflexes are motor responses to sensory stimuli that are foundational to all mature and voluntary movement. Like a solid foundation is essential to the structural integrity of a house, primary reflexes set up the nervous system for optimal development. As we grow and mature, these reflexes are supposed to become integrated into our motor system. A variety of factors may cause these reflexes to remain active, causing incoordination, poor attention, poor ability to handle frustrations, sleep disturbances, bedwetting, low tone, poor posture and more. Click on the link to learn more about reflexes and their importance in our ability to function and THRIVE in our every day lives.
Read MoreCraniosacral Fascial Therapy (CFT) is a very gentle, natural approach with beneficial therapeutic effects. Craniosacral Fascial Therapy is the work of Dr. Barry Gillespie and is based on his theory that the Craniosacral and Fascial systems are not separate but one interconnected system. CFT blends two established modalities of Cranial Sacral Therapy by Dr. William Sutherland’s Cranial Sacral Therapy and John Barnes’ Myofascial release, along with the dental technique developed by Dr. Gillespie’s experience as a periodontist. Read on to learn more about CFT and who this technique may help!
Read MoreBreastfeeding is a goal many expectant mothers set for themselves early on in pregnancy. It can be so hard to find accurate and quality information in our electronic based world. How your baby latches is one of the most important things to learn on your breastfeeding journey to make it successful and joyful. Breastfeeding may be natural, but it is a learned skill. You and your baby have to learn together what feels best. Like learning a dance, it may be challenging, or you might step on a few toes first, but you will find a rhythm that works for you and your baby.
Read MoreFunctional communication is a term used often in the therapy world but is also an often-misunderstood concept. Many think that functional communication consists of requesting wants and getting needs met. Although these are unarguably important FUNCTIONS of communication, they are NOT the only important functions of communication.
Read MorePhoto Gallery from the first All About Infants: A Mini Conference for New & Expectant Moms hosted by ProActive Pediatric Therapy on August 18, 2022 at Hotel Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids.
Read MoreLearning to ride a bike is a major milestone for kids, providing them a sense of freedom and an overall increased level of independence. While the goal of self-propelled locomotion is thrilling, developing the skills for riding a bike can be tedious and at times frustrating. Here are some tips and tricks on how to help your kiddo progress through the learning curve of bike riding!
Read MoreTechnology is most definitely a blessing and a curse. In these past few years, more than any other time, many of us have relied on technology to connect us to each other. And that most definitely is a good thing.
But what is happening to our children and youth in this age of excessive technological use? How can we embrace the good parts of technology, while still allowing our children to THRIVE?
Read MoreLetting your baby get messy when eating may mean more work, but it is worth it in more ways than you may think. Check out our blog post to learn about the benefits of letting your baby or toddler get messy and play with their food!
Read MoreProper potty positioning is not as straightforward as it seems! Thinking back to cultural roots, people squatted over a hole. That is the best position to be in! Ergonomically, squatting lines up your colon so when a peristaltic wave comes (a movement of your digestive muscles to push food and waste away), you can get a better release. Read on to learn how to help your child improve potty functioning just by adjusting positioning.
Read MoreYou may have heard your therapist or doctor use the word “echolalia” to describe your child’s language. But what does echolalia really mean? When is it a good thing and how can we build on it? Echolalia can be confusing. But by understanding why children use it and how it serves as a bridge to more flexible language, you will be better equipped to help a child who uses echolalia.
Read MoreBreastfeeding can be challenging and so rewarding at the same time. One thing that can be hard when you’re first starting is positioning for you and your baby. Below are 6 positions to try to see what is most comfortable for you and baby, as well as some general pointers.
Read MoreShoes can be one of the most challenging obstacles to come across once our babies start to become more mobile! Deciding between styles, colors, brands, and unique details specific to your young one, it can become a bit overwhelming.
Our pediatric physical therapist Nicole, decided to “step in” and provide some of her favorite shoes by section with some quick tips to consider - please note, for the vast majority of children, whatever shoe you can make work is okay! As long as they fit your child, they wear them well and safely, it will likely be a great fit for them.
Read MoreWhen we have identfied a toddler as a “Late Talker”, what many do not know is that there are a set of crucial, foundation skills that are needed BEFORE those words can come. If any one these skills are disrupted, you will likely see a delay in language but if several of these skills are missing, a stall in language development is inevitable. However, when we intentionally work to help late talkers obtain each of these foundational skills, he or she will likely begin to talk! We must focus on addressing the underlying issues, or missing skills, that have created the delay.
Read MoreWhile it’s a well-known fact that adequate sleep is essential for a child’s growth and development, approximately 15-25% of children do not get enough sleep. Not only is the quality of sleep important, but so is the quantity of sleep! Long periods of deep, restful sleep are crucial for the body to produce and release nerve growth factor, which supports overall growth and brain development. Read our new blog post to learn more about the recommendations for sleep and the various behavioral and physical changes that can be implemented in a child’s daily routine that can positively impact sleep.
Read MoreWe all hear about tummy time and instinctively have our babies play on their tummy, but we often forget about side-lying. Read on to learn about benefits and recommendations with side-lying play!
Read MoreDid you know that it's common for children to have at least one ear infection before their first birthday?
Fluid in a child's ears can make it harder for them to hear and can even cause a measured degree of mild hearing loss! Imagine trying to listen to someone talk while underwater. Words will sound muffled, and many sounds will be difficult to hear at all.
If a child cannot hear, then they cannot practice language, and they cannot hear subtle speech differences (like the difference between 's' and 't'). Just a few infections will probably not impact your child's speech and language development. But, constant and untreated (especially for a long period of time) CAN impact their exposure to language and this can delay their development.
Read MoreWhen it comes to developmental milestones, the ones that parents most often recall are the “big” ones, like rolling over for the first time, taking their first step, and even saying their first word. Crawling, however, seems to be largely overlooked and underappreciated as there are many whole body-brain benefits from doing so! Read our new blog post to learn about the benefits of crawling!
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