Tips & Resources

TIPS From Britt Collins M.S. OTR/L
  • • Tips on Finding an OT
    1. Check your local government regional center, your local school district and private practices as well.
    2. When looking for an OT, research what their background and specialties are.
    3. Ask other parents that have kids in OT who they recommend.
    4. Ask your Dr. who they recommend.
    5. Go see the facility and meet the directors to see if it will be a match for you and your child.
    6. Even if you start with an OT and it isn’t a perfect match, try someone else, don’t give up on OT all together some kids work better with different personalities.
  • • Tips on Knowing if YOUR child needs and OT
    1. Does your child have difficulty at school?
    2. Is it hard to sit still or transition between preferred and non-preferred activities?
    3. Is it hard to interact in social settings?
    4. Do they have poor balance or body awareness? Do they fall a lot?
    5. Are they a picky eater, do they not like being messy or maybe having tags in their clothing?
    6. Do lights or sounds bother them more than other children?
    7. Do they crash into things a lot or give hard hugs more than other children?
    8. Do they appear to have sensory sensitivities?
    9. Do they have difficulty following 2-3 step directions or get lost in the middle of an activity forgetting what they were doing?
    10. Do they have difficulty with handwriting?
    If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you might want to have a consultation with an Occupational Therapist.
  • • Quick Tips on if your child bites their nails…
    1. give your child other things to provide oral motor input such as
      • crunchy foods
      • chewy foods
      • drink through a straw
      • drink thick smoothies (fruit)
      • chewy tubes
    2. Some parents find Epson salt baths help decrease nail biting. Please contact your child’s doctor and ask if this is something that might be something to try for your child.
  • • How to make your child sit through dinner…
    1. have them participate in a movement activity before requiring them to sit for any length of time.
    2. wheelbarrow walk or animal crawl to the dinner table.
    3. give them big hugs and deep pressure before, during and after sitting for a period of time.
    4. give them heavy work foods to eat (i.e. crunchy or chewy foods) drink through a straw (this is calming).
    5. get the “sillies” out before dinner by playing a game and then stress the importance of sitting and completing dinner.
    6. after dinner if they still have a lot of energy, play a game that is interacting but not as physical as they will have a full stomach.
Resources
AIT (Auditory Integration Therapy)
Over spring break, March 19th-28th, 2008 our son, had ten days of AIT (Auditory Integration Therapy). His therapist was Khymberleigh Herwill-Levin. Our family had a lovely experience. Since his therapy, our son has become more tolerant of loud noises, he’s able to concentrate better in school and he’s more comfortable in crowds, amongst the many improvements we’ve noticed. For more information, please visit www.ait1st.com
Organizations:

TRP Wellness News

  • On June 29th we're shooting an Occupational Therapy for Special Needs Children DVD set (3 DVDs) which Rachel Hunter is hosting.
  • We have four new OTs that are joining our team. We will be introducing them and their specialties very soon.
"The Occupational Therapist, Britt Collins, is a pleasure to watch. She speaks in OT terms, which take a little getting used to, but also explains on a parent level."
-Becky Rose

From the Blog

There has been some confusion as to why we make Occupational Therapy DVDs and our company name is TRPyoga. We also produce yoga DVDs, but in order to expand our horizons and eliminate any confusion we will be going by TRPwellness from now on.

Join Our Newsletter