City to Sea Occupational Therapy

20/09/2022

27/06/2022

A well organised, succinct explanation of Polyvagal theory.

13/06/2022

Play is an important occupation for children. It should be restorative and enjoyable! Sometimes neurotypical norms and expectations are unfairly imposed on Autistic children and parents are left to question whether their child is "playing appropriately". I would encourage you to follow your child's lead and expand your ideas of what play looks like and involves. If they want to line up their toys, perhaps you can add one to the line, or help count all the toys in the line. Explore the shapes, colours and textures of the toys in the line. What is similar about them and what is different?

The pathological medical model defines play as inappropriate, restricted, and repetitive with DEFICITS in imagination, imitation, symbolism and joint attention.

A paradigm that focuses on deficits rather than strengths.

In this context, playing "appropriately" means playing with toys exactly as a typical child would play with toys.

When an autistic child plays in an unusual way, it is considered "inappropriate play." In other words, "it's different, therefore it's bad."

It's not that autistic children don't know how to play. There is no correct way to play. Play is play.

Autistic children's exploration and interaction with the world is outside of society's understanding, and just because society doesn't understand the value of doing things a certain way, it doesn't mean it's wrong.

There is nothing wrong with lining up toys. 🦒🐖🧸

There is nothing wrong with spinning the wheels of a car. 🚙

There is nothing wrong with playing with nature. 🌱

There is nothing wrong with playing with a cardboard box. 📦

Autistic play is appropriate play.

Autistic children are not broken versions of neurotypical children. Same thing goes for autistic adults (we exist by the way 😉✌️). is a natural part of the spectrum of human diversity... and diversity is beautiful.

We learn, interact and play AUTISTICALLY.

-Autísticamente Marcela 🚙 🦖 ⚽🚂

Publicación en español:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=459514795536353&id=100044335094112

[Image description: an illustration of a child smiling and sitting on the floor while holding a stick with a leaf. The child is surrounded by a display of toys and other household items that have been lined up in a curved row (a piano, a cardboard box, a bucket & pale, a stuffed bunny, a wooden train, two plastic cups, four colored markers, a broom, a toy dinosaur, a hat, two Christmas tree ornaments, a vase with flowers, a toy bus, a potato head, a pop it, a spinner, a book, a boat, a panda bear, a rattle, a number block, a beach ball, a stacking toy and a Peppa Pig). A thinking bubble above the child has a smiley face.]

13/06/2022

Visuals really are helpful in so many ways. I use them daily in the form of shopping lists, my work diary and jotting down information. Visuals reduce my cognitive load and support my working memory, which helps me feel less anxious and overwhelmed, and keeps me more organised.

12/06/2022

Developmental norms and milestones have their place, but there should be more recognition that children are individuals who flourish in their own time and at their own pace. Our role is to meet them where they are at, not where ‘milestones’ suggest they should be.

Children's development can be quite uneven, especially in the early years. Some kids concentrate on physical tasks first; others are joyous early readers at age three. Some need to yell and jump endlessly. Others need to observe from a safe place. The whole child needs to be nourished and all aspects— emotional, social, physical, and cognitive— given a chance to develop at the child's unique pace.

—Heather Shumaker

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11/06/2022

11/06/2022

Collectively we all contribute to a neurodiverse population, filled with different neurotypes; neurodivergent and neurotypical. Individuals may self identify as neurotypical or neurodivergent, or they may have received a formal diagnosis. All identities are equally valid.

A very helpful graphic to illustrate the difference between "neurodivergent" and "neurodiverse."

Image credit: Glynn Masterman, shared with permission.

(ID: “Neurodivergent v Neurodiverse

First frame has a drawing of four human heads, the first with a blue brain labelled OCD, second with a green brain labelled ADHD, third with a purple brain labelled Dyslexia, fourth with an orange brain labelled Autism. Caption reads,“each of these people is neurodivergent. There are lots of ways to be neurodivergent.”

Second frame has a drawing of one human head with a yellow brain labelled NT. Caption reads, “this person is neurotypical.”

Third frame has a drawing of four human heads, all with green brains labelled ADHD. Caption reads, “these people are neurodivergent but the group itself is not neurodiverse.”

Fourth frame has a drawing of nine human heads each with a different coloured brain. Caption reads, “this is a neurodiverse group.”

Fifth frame has a drawing of a human head with a multicoloured brain labelled DCD, Autism, OCD. Caption reads “this person is multiply neurodivergent. They are not neurodiverse.”

Sixth frame text reads “only a group can be neurodiverse. An individual can not.” Copyright 2022 Glynn Masterman}