Blogs

Dressing is a very important skill. Children need to develop many complex motor patterns to be able to manipulate the clothing and their body to put clothes on. They practice getting dressed often so they learn it. Occupational Therapists help children who have trouble developing these skills. When should children start dressing themselves Before children can learn to dress themselves, they have to be able to take off socks, shoes, and pants.At about 18 months, children will start  to undressing themselves because this is an easier skill. This is why you often find a nude child running around the house. They don’t…

The picture above is a great example of how children should hold their pencils correctly. When children come in for a handwriting assessment at our Bondi Junction clinic, parents are often amazed at how early pencil grasp begins to develop. Our Occupational Therapists explain that the early steps in learning to hold a pencil correctly start before the child turns one. What is a pincer grasp? The pincer grasp, or pincer grip, is what children do with their hands to hold objects between the thumb and any of the fingers. It allows the child to pick up and place small items using…

What are gross motor skills? Gross motor skills are what children need to perform whole body movements using large muscle groups. This includes movements with their arms, legs and other large body parts. Gross Motor Skills are what the child needs to be able to perform everyday activities such as standing, walking, running and jumping. This is what helps them sit at the dinner table or school desk. It also includes skills such as throwing, catching, and kicking. Children need gross motor skills to ride their bike or scooter, and to go swimming. Occupational Therapy can help with gross motor…

What is low muscle tone? Muscle tone is the amount of tension (or resistance to movement) in muscles. Low tone means that there is less tension in the muscle when it is at rest. Low muscle tone is used to describe muscles that are floppy, which is also known as hypotonia. Children with low tone may also tire more easily. They use more energy to move their muscles. Muscle tone and muscle strength are not the same thing. Children can have strong muscles but still have low tone. Low muscle tone is a neurological issue.  Low muscle tone is used…

Why is using a knife and fork important? Parents often ask about teaching their child to use a knife and fork. Mealtimes are an important aspect of family and social life. Most cultures use food as a part of bringing their communicate together. Its important that children can participate appropriately in these social situations. Not every culture uses cutlery. However, in cultures where cutlery use is expected, it is important that children learn this skills by the correct age. Learning to eat with a knife and fork is a gross motor, fine motor and social skill. When children eat with…

Tummy time is not just for babies… WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT A CHILD NEEDS TUMMY TIME? Does your child fidget in their chair? Do they have trouble holding their head up at the table? They may benefit from tummy time. The Occupational Therapists at our clinic in Bondi Junction, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, recommend tummy time for all children. They use fun, exciting tummy time activities for older children to help their motor skill development. HOW DOES TUMMY TIME HELP? Tummy time is the foundation skill for rolling, sitting, crawling and pulling from sit to stand. It is an…