Children love to play and it’s now well established that play is a cornerstone in child development and learning. So essential is play, that Maria Montessori, one of the most brilliant educators of the last century, described play as “the work of a child.” Play is often incorporated into various forms of therapy for children, […]
Play therapy – What parents should know Read More »
Autistic children, like my son Arif, often struggle to understand abstract concepts like social dynamics, new situations, and transitions from one activity to the next. A helpful tool that we often use to help him understand things and feel more prepared, is social stories. We use social stories to help him better understand what’s going
Tips on creating social stories for your autistic child Read More »
Children learn to speak by imitating the sounds they hear, and typically, they’ll make mistakes along the way. For example, you may hear a child saying “tat” instead of “cat” (substituting sounds) or “poon” instead of “spoon” (leaving out sounds). Sometimes, children may also shorten words to make them easier to pronounce, like “copter” for
What parents should know about phonological processes Read More »
If your child has been attending occupational or speech therapy sessions regularly for some time, then you probably have a pretty good idea by now about what goes on in those one-to-one sessions. But what if your child’s therapist or school suggests that they join group therapy? If you’re wondering whether your child could benefit
Benefits of Group Therapy for Children Read More »
When my eldest son was 16, he told me that he wanted to become a chef someday. And now, two years later, he has followed his dreams and is studying culinary arts. But he’s not the only “chef in training” in our household. My 8-year old, Arif, who is autistic , also likes to spend
Benefits of cooking with your autistic child Read More »
In today’s blog, I’d like to get a little more personal, and write to you from the heart. As a mother of a child with autism, there were times in the past when I struggled to look after myself, and I didn’t even realise it at the time. Things were particularly challenging for me when
From the Heart: Self Care for Parents of Children with Disabilities Read More »
My son Arif, who has autism, was non-verbal for the first five years of his life. And when he did start to speak, sometimes it was difficult for me to understand what he was saying, or it may look like he’s trying to say something, but he couldn’t quite get it out. If you’ve noticed
What parents should know about Childhood Apraxia of Speech Read More »
As a parent of two boys, an 18-year old who has just started college and an 8-year old who is on the autism spectrum, I’m well acquainted with the endless list of chores that’s needed to keep a household going. There used to be a time when I preferred to do most of the chores
Chores for Children: From Toddlers to Teens Read More »
My son Arif has autism and sensory processing issues, which can make it difficult for him to receive and process information from his senses. He regularly seeks sensory input, which can help keep him regulated and focused, while at other times he avoids some sensory inputs that can make him feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed. As
Sensory integration tools for the home Read More »
As your child grows, and inches towards toddlerhood, they will develop a sense of self-awareness and begin to assert their independence. However, alongside their budding independence, they’re also likely to develop resistant behaviours, non-compliance and defiant reactions. While asserting independence is an essential phase in their growth and development, your toddler’s determination to do things
Tips on how to encourage your child’s cooperation Read More »
