KAMP Pediatrics, LLC

04/29/2023

Feeding Milestones Birth to 3 years old

02/08/2022

It’s such a relief to see your hesitant eater try a new food! But instead of saying “good job!” try focusing on the fun. 😊 Kids become adventurous eaters when they get to explore all the sensory properties of food!

Have you taken The Picky Eater Course? 👉🏻 https://mymunchbug.com/course-library/

Don’t forget to use code MYMUNCHBUG10 for 10% off ANY course there!🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

09/02/2021

10/24/2020

Sleep in Pediatrics and the Benefits
By Tricia Otah-McDowell


Sleep is the occupation that consumes up approximately one-third of our lives (Brown & Stoffel, 2019). Sleep deficits may impact all areas of occupation and diminish a child’s quality of life. Lack of sleep may impair a child’s problem-solving skills, reasoning skills, executive function, sensorimotor tasks, social-emotional performance, academic performance, and behavior (Spruyt, 2019).

Sleep plays a critical role in the development of a child. Sleep is no less important than the food that nourishes their bodies. Adequate sleep provides many benefits and can improve all areas of occupation of a child, such as playing, learning, and socializing. Sleep is a very important part of a child’s mental and physical health. It allows a child’s brain and body to rest and recover. Research shows that tissue repair, muscle growth, and the release of growth hormone normally occurs during sleep. In addition, sleep has a direct effect on happiness, alertness, attention, cognitive performance, mood, learning, and memory (Pacheco, 2020).

Recommended Time of Sleep for Children

Newborns (0 to 2 months)​
- 16 to 18 hours (3 to 4 hours at a time)

Babies (2 months to 6 months)
- 14 to 16 hours

Older babies (6 months to 1 year)
-14 hours

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)
-10 to 13 hours

Pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years)
-10 to 12 hours

School-aged children (5 to 10 years)
10 to 12 hours


Tips on Improving Sleep

• Maintain a consistent bedtime schedule and routine.
• Limit the use of electronic devices especially before bedtime.
• Limit fluids before bed to reduce the need to use the bathroom during the night.
• Change bedding material and pajamas to match the tactile preferences of the child.
• Cover unwanted lights from devices that blink at night or remove electronic devices entirely from the room.

References

Brown, C., & Stoffel, V. C. (2019). Occupational therapy in mental health: a vision for participation(2nd ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Pacheco, D. (2020, September 24). Children and Sleep. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/children-and-sleep

Spruyt, K. (2019). A review of developmental consequences of poor sleep in childhood. Sleep Medicine, 60, 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2018.11.021

10/24/2020

Heavy Work Ideas for Children and The Benefits
By Tricia Otah-McDowell, OTS


What is Heavy Work?

Heavy work activities are any type of action that pushes or pulls against the body, more specifically the joints. Typically, heavy work is a technique used in therapy to target the sense of proprioception. Proprioception refers to how our muscles and joints interpret information. This lets us know where our body is in space and how to interact with our environment (Hatch-Rasmussen, 2014).

For children with sensory processing difficulties, they may feel unorganized or dysregulated in their environment based on their sensory needs. This can negatively impact all areas of the child’s development, such as, playing, learning, sleeping, eating, etc. Engaging in heavy work activities reminds the child’s brain and body where they are in space and most importantly makes them feel grounded and safe.

Depending on the child’s sensory needs, heavy work can provide many benefits, such as:

• Increase the child’s alertness and attention to a task
• Provide a calming effect and decrease stress or anxiety
• Increase body awareness
• Increase upper extremity and core strength/coordination depending on the activity


Heavy Work Activities
▪ Jumping/Jumping Rope
▪ Wheelbarrow Walking
▪ Animal Walks (Crab Walk)
▪ Log Rolling
▪ Push-Ups/ Wall Push-Up
▪ Carry Groceries
▪ Knead Dough Or Playdough
▪ Help With Yard Work
▪ Climbing a Tree or Furniture
▪ Swimming
▪ Obstacle Course

More heavy work ideas can be found at https://www.andnextcomesl.com/2015/06/heavy-work-activities-for-kids.html

Reference
Hatch-Rasmussen, C. (2014). Resource Packet: Sensory Integration. Retrieved fromhttps://www.crporegon.org/cms/lib/OR01928264/Centricity/Domain/45/Sensory%20Integration.pdf

02/08/2020

Is your kid stuck on buttered noodles and can’t seem to branch out? Here’s the solution:
Whether you start with just a drop or a full teaspoon, slowly letting your child stir in just a smidge of a
new sauce, while slowly decreasing the butter over time. It is the easiest way to marinara, pesto, you name it! Remember, he didn’t get stuck on buttered noodles overnight and we aren’t going to expect him to develop a taste for a new sauce in one day. Expose, expose, expose in small presentations and stay calm, concise in your response (“Yep, we’ve all got a little red sauce on our noodles tonight.) Be consistent in presentations. Parent bravely – you can do it! 😊 🍝

01/20/2020

Handwriting Development

This is my most widely shared post. And rightly so, it’s an important one. These are “prewriting patterns”, with the average (not prescribed) age at which children are developmentally ready to achieve these patterns listed below them in years and months. Being able to process visual information and produce a movement in response (e.g. copying these prewriting patterns or letter formations), is known as “visual motor integration”. ⠀
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Note that an X is not typically achieved until 4 years 11 months, and a triangle at 5 years 3 months. If a child can’t form these basic shapes...then they probably won’t be able to form letters. ⠀
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It is quite concerning then that there are 3 year 7 month olds starting formal schooling, where they’re expected to write. Not only are their visual motor integration skills not developed enough, their hands are also physically under-developed. In addition, recognising letters, understanding phonics and beginning to read are all needed in order for a child to write meaningfully, skills which children starting kindy typically don’t have. We also know that when a child learns something that doesn’t hold meaning, it‘s unlikely to stick. ⠀
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So if you have a 3-4 year old who spontaneously asks or attempts to write letters, that’s great; otherwise, there is no need to initiate or worry about this. Unfortunately there is a misconception, particularly with the way that the current curriculum stands, that earlier is better. Earlier is not always better.⠀

Source: Beery Buktenica Test of Visual Motor Integration, 6th Edition
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01/06/2020

Play is very important! It’s a major activity and occupation of children. Play helps improve growth and development in children. Let’s limit screen time and increase play time for our children in 2020.

01/01/2020

Tips for those with picky eaters and problem feeders:
1. Allowing your child to learn about new foods through play is key.
2. Always have at-least 1 preferred food when introducing non preferred foods.
3. Be sure that there is no pressure to eat the non preferred foods.
4. Get Messy for a fun filled sensory experience!!

Here is a fun food play idea that will work on visual perceptual skills as well as feeding and sensory!!

***Template can be found at
https://b-inspired mama.com/sorting-shapes-with-food/