Author: Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Course Notes: Sleep

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

We’re back with another Course Notes mini-series.

I recently took a Continuing Ed course called The Sensory and Sleep Connection. Although we know that sleep is an important component to our general well-being, it is frequently overlooked when it comes to our physical, emotional, and mental health. We’ve all experienced a lack of sleep (remember the newborn days?) and the feeling when we are trying to function without it; but imagine how our kids are doing, especially when they’re still growing. It made me want to investigate the occupation of sleep (yes, sleep is an occupation) and why we all need to get some good shut-eye.

Continue reading →

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes: The Developmental Milestone Update

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

The CDC (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), with the guidance of the AAP (the American Academy of Pediatrics), recently changed the developmental milestone checklists. These lists guide pediatricians and pediatric professionals on what would be considered typical development. Although the guidelines needed a clearer and more concise update for parents, some professionals are not happy with the new facelift.

Continue reading →

Trying to Focus: Kids and Attention

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Children have short attention spans.

I know this seems super obvious, but it’s something my husband and I are currently working on with our almost 5-year-old. If he’s interested in a topic, he’ll be engaged for hours, like when he’s learning about animals or conducting science experiments. But give that kid a simple instruction and he’ll forget it or become distracted in seconds flat. Yeah, it sounds like every kid at this age, but it made me want to revisit what I currently know (and research more) about attention and how to best help my son improve it.

Continue reading →

VARK: Tips for Every Learning Style

| Mary Stoffel, MOT, OTR/L

Yesterday’s post about learning styles explained that it is better to present new concepts to kids in a variety of different ways. Some new information is easier to understand using a primary modality, like teaching science using kinesthetic/hands-on experimentation rather than reading it from a book. But for other types of information, you can use a varied approach to support deeper learning.

Continue reading →