A MESSAGE FROM THE
DIRECTOR OF CLINICAL PROGRAMS
Welcome to the Kids Making Strides Summer 2023 Edition! We trust that our readers are finding ways to stay refreshed this summer, indulging in leisurely afternoons by the pool, and enjoying days filled with much-needed unwinding and rejuvenation.
TLC's outpatient departments are unwavering in their dedication to supporting our families throughout the summer - and beyond. Our Speech-Language and Occupational Therapy camps, spanning from late June to mid-August, are bustling with activities We are also providing individual therapies and evaluations in these two programs, in addition to our Testing, Tutoring, and Counseling department.
As you soak in the final weeks of summer, we are excited to share information from our outpatient departments. Enjoy!
Brigid Baker, OTR/L Brigid Baker, OTR/L Director of Clinical Programs The Treatment and Learning Centers
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FREE SPEECH-LANGUAGE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND HEARING SCREENINGS at TLC-The Treatment and Learning Centers Screenings are conducted by appointment only! 301-424-5200 ext.159 or Outpatientscheduling@ttlc.org
OUTPATIENT SERVICES SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT
TLC's Speech-Language Pathology Department offers pediatric and adult voice therapy. Not sure if your child needs a Voice Evaluation? Here is some information to help you decide next steps:
If your child's voice is...
Rough, breathy, strained, or strangled
Abnormally high, low, loud or soft
Often weaker by the end of the day or after speaking
Interrupted by frequent coughing, throat clearing, or breathlessness
Suddenly different in some unexplained but noticeable way
...they may benefit from a voice evaluation!
Pediatric and Adult Voice Therapy
Pediatric voice disorders often go undiagnosed and untreated, which can lead to social, educational, and physiological complications.
Consult with one of TLC's speech-language pathologists who specializes in voice and vocal pathology to see if your child is a candidate for a comprehensive voice evaluation.
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Contact us at: OutpatientScheduling@ ttlc.org for more information.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
2023 CAMP EXPERIENCE IN PICTURES
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OUTPATIENT SERVICES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT
REGULATING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER
There are countless benefits of working on cognitive, motor, social-emotional, sensory processing, and life skill development in a child’s natural environment. Natural environments for children include any place they go throughout their day to participate in age-appropriate and meaningful occupations. This could include but is not limited to their home, school, playgrounds, and the outdoors. What better time to explore your child’s natural environments through play to build or maintain skills while the Summer is still here. This also creates a positive, bonding opportunity for you and your child that feels more like making space for play and quality time rather than for highly structured, skill building.
The following suggested activities are specific to the outdoors because spending time in nature provides increased opportunity for calming and regulating sensory input, a chance to practice adapting to changes in a somewhat unpredictable environment, problemsolving, creativity and imagination, and sustained attention without the use of technology. It also provides an environment that organically challenges a child’s gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and core strength and stability. A few “take-home” ideas for how to intentionally engage your child in regulating activities include:
Gross Motor:
Animal Walks:
Bunny hops
Bear crawls
1-footed hop like a flamingo
Crab walks
Obstacle Courses:
Stepping across rocks
Climbing rocks
Stone toss
Log balance beam
Rolling down a hill
Fine Motor:
Bring Everyday
Household Items to Pick
Up and Collect Outdoor Treasures:
Tweezers
Kitchen tongs
Large serving spoons
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REGULATING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER (CONTINUED)
Executive Functioning:
I-spy for working memory and visual attention
Red light, green light for impulse control and direction following
Sensory Processing:
Sensory Scavenger Hunt
Soft item
Itchy/scratchy item
Something that smells good
Something wet
Something bright
Something you can hear from far away
Something with 4 legs
Color-Based Scavenger Hunt
Describing the Sensory Features of Treasures Found in the Outdoors
Turn Smelling Different Plants Into a Deep Breathing Exercise
The best part of utilizing an outdoor, nature environment as your landscape to work on different skills with your child is that it is free to enter and can be found all around us! You can adapt an environment as needed by going to a creek in the middle of the woods for more quiet, focused attention or a playground for a busier environment that promotes social interactions. Any environment can be used to create opportunities for natural play with your child and the more movement and connection with outdoors, the more available they will be for quiet, restful time later on.
ASHLEY LON, M.S., OTR/L OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTP A G E 7 T H E T R E A T M E N T A N D L E A R N I N G C E N T E R S
TLC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT
As the summer winds down, we watch our kids getting antsy as they anticipate the new year. We want this to be a time of excited anticipation from children, as well as last minute attempts to take in as much of the summer as possible. However, transitioning from summer to school can be difficult for children as well. Here are some helpful strategies to create a successful transition in the fall.
Prepare Your Child:
1. Listen to your child and hear any fears or concerns about the new school year. Are these areas where you can provide help or does the child need to work through these with your guidance? Do you need to seek the help of a professional?
2. If it is a new school, be sure to walk or drive the route so the child knows what to expect.
3. Attend the teacher meet and greet, if there is one so that the child can meet the teacher, see the classroom, and possibly meet other students to become friends with.
4. Go through your child’s clothes and see what fits and hand off what doesn’t. Get used to selecting tomorrow’s clothes today and having them ready for the morning.
5. Talk about the plan for lunches. Will the child take their lunch or buy it? If they are taking lunch, be sure to get a lunch box that they can open independently. Practice eating lunch from the lunch box this summer, so the child gets used to opening the containers of food.
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OUTPATIENT SERVICES TESTING, TUTORING, & COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Ginny McDonald Tutoring Supervisor Testing, Tutoring, & Counseling Dept at TLC
IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN: GETTING READY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Prepare Your Child (Continued)
6. Start with the school time bedtime and wake-up time at least two weeks before school starts.
Prepare Your Family:
1. Set a schedule for the morning routine and the after-school routine. A visual schedule is helpful for younger children.
2. Include time for activity, time for a healthy snack, time for homework, and time for family fun each day.
3. Set up a place and obtain supplies for homework.
4. Discuss and set a limit for after-school activities to ensure that all are on “the same page” for how many and what kind of after-school planned activities are allowed and/or encouraged.
5. Discuss and set a limit for screen time.
Prepare Yourself:
1. A new school year brings new challenges for the parents, as well, including transportation, food, activities, and self-care.
2. Are there daily tasks you can offload to another? Think about if you are interested and able to: Hire a teenager to walk the dog, hire a house cleaner, hire a tutor for homework time, or set up a carpool.
3. Be sure to include 20-30 minutes to take care of yourself daily: a walk, yoga, reading a book, a chat with a friend, etc.
TLC has tutors who can help you and your child have a more successful school year. Call us at 301-424-5200 x 333
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