Fiday Features

This week I...
~added this Melissa and Doug wooden puzzle set to my therapy bag. Puzzles are great for developing visual perceptual skills and it's been fun to add it as the final product of an obstacle course. **Hint: Michaels sells lots of Melissa and Doug toys and frequently has coupons for 40% off one item!
 
~had two prospective OT students shadow me for a few therapy sessions. Hopefully, I showed them how much fun it is to be an occupational therapist and inspired them to pursue a career in OT! For any prospective students reading this blog, please check out AOTA's website for prospective students to learn more about OT and to find a list of OT schools.

~looked at my Twitter account...briefly.... I even downloaded the Twitter app to my phone. You can follow me if you want (@AbbyPediatricOT), but I don't expect to add tweeting to my list of social media to keep up with right at this moment....maybe once I get some followers....more likely, maybe once I make it through the end of the school year :) Anyone want to explain the hashtag thing to me?

Friday Features Links:
Lots of great information out there this week!

~Do Apps Help with Fine Motor? That is a great question! Head over to OT's with Apps to read Carol Leynse Harpold and Carolina Nugget's answer.

~Allie, over at Having a Fields Day, wrote a great post on wandering in children with autism. This is a serious problem, and Allie has some great tips and resources for parents.

~April is over, but in honor of OT Month, AOTA is launching a new initiative to gather stories from clients who want to share the positive experience they had with occupational therapy. They will use the testimonials on their website, as well as to promote OT in other venues. Have a story to share? Visit AOTA for more information.

~Dr. Elizabeth Spelke's research was profiled in the New York Times. Insights From the Youngest Minds highlights how babies interpret information. A very interesting read!

~Know a family who is struggling to pay for adaptive equipment for their child with special needs? At Tadpole Adaptive Registry, families can set up a registry for the items they need, and then share with friends and family to gather donations to help pay for the equipment. What a great idea!