Speaking of apps I love...

The Handwriting Without Tears app has finally been released!!! I've been waiting for this for years...only to find out the app is not compatible with the iPad 1. Maybe I'm old school (I prefer the term early adopter), but my iPad 1 is all I've got, and I can't download this app that I've been waiting for years to be released :(  I hope the folks at Handwriting Without Tears will do something to remedy this, as I know I'm not the only one who has an iPad 1 and can't afford to buy the latest iPad every year.

If you'd like to check it out, you can learn more about the app at www.wetdrytry.com.
Handwriting Without Tears: Wet-Dry-Try Capital Letters & Numbers is available for purchase from the app store for $4.99.

Has anyone gotten their hands on this app? Is it is great as it looks? I would love to hear all about it!

iPad Apps I Love

Are you interested in reading about the apps that I use in therapy? I've created a new page so you can read about my favorite apps all in one place! Just click on the tab iPad Apps at the top of my blog, or you can click here to access the page. Please check back as I will be updating this page as I discover more apps and find time to write about the ones I've already discovered.

Friday Features

This week I...

- Shared tips for helping students who press too hard when writing over at Dr. Anne Zachry's blog, Pediatric Occupational Therapy Tips.

- packed and I cleaned. And then I packed some more and cleaned some more. How did I accumulate so much stuff? Anyway, I think I'm almost done. We hit the road for our cross country move on Tuesday. I'm very excited to be a resident of the East Coast! I can't wait to experience four seasons again! My blog might be a little quiet for the next month or so, but I will try to post now and then. I do have some families lined up for the Parent's Perspective series, so be sure to check back every Wednesday for more great tips from parents!

Friday Features Links:

I have lots of great information starred in my google reader this week, so here we go:

- Handwriting Without Tears is offering a free online seminar, Get Set For School: Top 10 Ways to Prepare Your Children for Kindergarten, on August 21. I've watched this seminar in the past, and it has great tips for parents and educators.

- Ellen, over at Love That Max, interviewed a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and received lots of great tips on the best swim gear for kids with special needs.

- Another great post at Love That Max. A reader is looking for IEP tips. Please go over and share your experiences! Or just read through the tips readers have already shared!

- Thank you to Carol at OT's With Apps for the heads up that Skill Game by Good Apps is free for a short time. This looks like a good app to work on visual motor/perceptual skills in older students. I just downloaded it and can't wait to try it out! By the way, if you're looking for good apps to use in therapy, you should definitely follow her blog!

- This week I came across Miss Mancy's blog. What a great find! Written by an OT, it is full of creative therapeutic activities, especially fine motor activities.

- Remember back in May when the pediatric OT world was shaken up by The American Academy of Pediatrics statement on the use of sensory integration therapy? AOTA President, Dr. Florence Clark, has written an essay on the current status of sensory integration therapy. She is optimistic about the future of sensory integration therapy, but I think it still boils down to, OTs need to be doing more research to support the interventions we use. What do you think?

- CHASA has a new Ask the Professor feature on their website. Dr. Andrew Gordon will be answering questions related to hand therapy, hemiplegic cerebral palsy, and related topics. This is sure to be a great resource for parents!

- Columbia University has developed a new intervention for children with hemiplegia called Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT). It is an intensive therapy, as is Constraint Induced Movement Therapy, but in HABIT the focus is on the use of both hands. Researchers are currently looking for study participants. Click here to learn more about participation.

- Stuart Duncan, of Autism from a Father's Point of View, who has autism himself, wrote an interesting post titled, Autism is. His perspective is always interesting and this post is definitely worth a read.


I did not intentionally seek out extra links this week, it just so happened that a lot of articles caught my eye. This should be enough reading material to keep you busy for a few weeks while I make my way to the East Coast! Happy reading!

Help! My child presses too hard when writing!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of sharing some strategies to help children who press too hard when writing, on Dr. Anne Zachry's blog, Pediatric Occupational Therapy Tips.

Here's a preview:
Tip #1 - Increase hand and arm strength.
Tip #2 - Write with mechanical pencils.

Head on over to Dr. Zachry's blog to find out what the rest of my tips are and why I recommend them!

A Parent's Perspective - AutismWonderland

Today I would like to welcome Lisa, of AutismWonderland! Lisa is mom to 6 year old Norrin, who has autism and ADHD. Lisa is a full-time mom, secretary by day, and grad student by night! Lisa's AutismWonderland has been named a babble.com Top 30 Autism Blogs for Parents. 

Our life in five words:

We're a typical (atypical) family.

Four qualities I look for in a therapist:

compassion, understanding, enthusiasm, humor

 

 

Three resources I can't live without:

1. Facebook - It's my largest network of autism parent support. If I have a question or concern, I can always have it answered by someone on Facebook.
2. Play-Doh - My son always finds it calming.
3. Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide by Pam Wright and Pete Wright. 

 

Two words (or more!) of advice for therapists working with children with autism:

Friday Features

This week I...

- returned from vacation and am working on getting caught up reading all of my favorite blogs. Now it's time to pack for the big move. I can't really put it off any longer!

- reviewed the new BrainWorks App by Sensational Brain for PediaStaff. I'm loving the potential this app has for helping children become more independent in self-regulation and following sensory diets, so head over to PediaStaff and read  more about it!

Friday Features Link:

- Embrace Your Chaos has started a new series called 101 Ways to Play. So far this series has covered classic games and ways to play, such as Simon Says, coloring with sidewalk chalk, building a fort, and playing with Play-Doh. Full of great for ideas to keep kids engaged in play, while also promoting physical and sensory development at the same time. I look forward to following this entire series!

A Parent's Perspective - Anybody Want a Peanut?

Let's give a warm welcome to Jennie of Anybody Want a Peanut? Today she is sharing a little bit about her life with 'Moe' and 'Jelly' and some of her favorite resources for children with autism. Moe is 5 years old and has autism, apraxia, and is non-verbal. Jelly is 3 years old and is a typically developing girly-girl, who loves shoes and accessories.

Our life in five words:

hectic, challenging, unplanned, messy, tiring

Four qualities I look for in a therapist:

I usually find therapists by word of mouth. I want them to be experienced with Moe's specific issues, not just autism. A good therapist knows the latest research, can be flexible and creative working with my extremely self-directed child, and knows when to push and when to back off. It is tough working with challenging kids all day, so a good therapist should love their job!

Three resources I can't live without:

1. Bed tent - To keep Moe from running around the house at 2:00am.
2. Huggle Pod Swing - This is Moe's favorite way to calm and relax.
3. Zip-up the back jammies - Moe infamously loves to remove his clothing and pull-ups in bed!

Two more resources I can't live without: Chew Stixx for Moe and Facebook for me.

Two words (or more!) of advice for therapists working with children with autism: