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Relationship Between Motor Proficiency, Math, and Reading

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published a research review on the relationship between motor proficiency, math, and reading in school-aged children and adolescents.  Previous research indicated that there are positive associations between physical activity, cognition, and academic performance in children. This review investigated which factors influence the relationship between motor proficiency, math, […]

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Practice Self-Regulation Skills with Visual Supports and Games

As children develop motor skills and process sensory information they start to understand how their body can move slow, fast and all the speeds in between.  Over time, children begin to learn to self-regulate and determine their “just right” body.  Therapists, teachers, and parents can help children practice self-regulation skills with visual supports and games.   […]

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Keyboarding and Motor Learning

Keyboarding is a complex task that requires students to internalize motor sequences in order to become proficient.  Students need to use visual and kinesthetic feedback to locate and utilize the correct keys to produce written work.  Starting with cogntion and vision, motor memory and self-correction, students slowly become efficient at keyboarding.  Keyboarding and motor learning involve […]

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Why is Body Awareness Important?

Why is body awareness important? Read the research and get activity ideas to help children develop body awareness and spatial skills.

Body awareness is the ability to recognize where your body is in space. Your muscles and joints send your brain information about your body and how it moves.  You may wonder why is body awareness important? Body awareness helps us to understand how to relate to objects and people at home, at school and outdoors. […]

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Autism and Friendship Skills

If you are a pediatric therapist or special education teacher, you have probably helped when it comes to students with autism and friendship skills. We all know that children with autism want friends, but it can be a struggle.  Having friends is so important for all child's emotional outcomes and quality of life.

If you are a pediatric therapist or special education teacher, you have probably helped when it comes to students with autism and friendship skills. We all know that children with autism want friends, but it can be a struggle.  Having friends is so important for all children’s emotional outcomes and quality of life. What does […]

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Upper Limb Contractures in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published research on upper limb contractures in children with cerebral palsy. One-third of the children developed contractures. Age and risk factors are discussed.

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology published research on upper limb contractures in children with cerebral palsy. The study investigated the longitudinal development of passive range of motion (ROM) in the upper limbs in 771 children with cerebral palsy (average age 11 years, 8 months), and evaluated which children were more likely to develop contractures related to functional […]

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Research Review on Sensory Techniques

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy recently published a research review on sensory techniques and sensory environmental modifications for children with sensory integration difficulties.  The study reviewed 11,436 articles published between January 2007 and May 2015 to find research that reflected high levels of evidence, participants demonstrated sensory integration difficulties, and outcome measures addressed function or […]

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