Kids Master Skills BLOG

Today, many occupational therapists want to embrace a neurodiversity-affirming practice. But HOW do we do this exactly? We need to...

Let's talk about REPETITIVE ACTIONS in autism. Like OPENING and CLOSING doors. Like looking through a book OVER and OVER and OVER again....

"A jar of jam on the dinner table set him off." "Her chicken nuggets were cut in half and not whole." "The teacher wore a baseball hat...

When it comes to supporting autistic children, one question I am often asked by occupational therapists is this: “How do I work with an...

As an autistic occupational therapist who has worked extensively in schools, I have often seen behaviorist approaches used in classrooms....

The terms non-speaking and non-verbal may sound identical to many people. But there is a different and important distinction which is...

As an autistic person, one of the most CHALLENGING concepts I deal with every day is the following: Things are not Black and White. There...

I often see children’s actions labeled as “sensory seeking” when in fact they are truly reflecting difficulties processing and...

Today I will address a challenging transition for many children, namely walking INTO school at the start of a new day. This transition...

An important topic is “special interests” in autism. A question frequently asked is about how school professionals, OT included, should...

Celebrating an autistic child’s strengths is key to develop their self-esteem and sense of agency. But how can we shift gears and see...

As a pediatric occupational therapist, this is one question I am asked frequently. Although people have often heard the term sensory...

When you speak with parents, teachers, or therapists about challenges they face when working with kids, there's a good chance that the...

Before we think about visual supports, let's think about day-to-day verbal interactions. Conversations serve many purposes, whether...

My husband, a marketing professional, is one of the fastest typists I know. I hear him on the keyboard cranking out e-mails faster than...

As an occupational therapist I often work with kindergarten teachers. (One of my favorite parts of this job!) At the start of the school...

Are you happy that it's summer? For kids, summertime means sunny days at the beach, the park, the playground, and the pool. Yet, these...

"MASKING" in autism may be a relatively new term, yet it is far from a novel concept. But what is masking, exactly? Masking is a strategy...

Autistic individuals often struggle with transitions. Physical transitions may involve moving from one space to another space, stepping...

We are all familiar with the usual demands: "Calm down!" "Quiet hands. Quiet Feet." "Please, show me you are listening with your whole...