The Center for Childhood Development

The Center for Childhood Development The Center is a multi-disciplinary assessment/treatment center in Jenison, Holland, and Kalamazoo MI. We have an experienced team of OT, SLPs, and PTs.

07/31/2025

Share from Mariam Shapera Tales β€’ I recently came across this episode and Sesame Street have done it again! Not only have they done an amazing job of autistic presentation through their character, Julia, they are also showing an example of an alternative mode of communication with the AAC device.
It even has the green case just like Jo’s!!!🀣🀩🀩

What’s important to note also from this episode is that even though Julia speaks, an AAC device can be especially helpful at times when minimally speaking individuals may not be able to access their language because they may be dysregulated, ill, etc.

Great job πŸ‘ Sesame Street for educating the world on alternative communication modes such as the AAC deviceπŸ“±

LAST CALL β€’ Apply for a Family Hope Foundation Fall 🍁 scholarship of up to $1,000! This scholarship cycle is open until ...
07/31/2025

LAST CALL β€’ Apply for a Family Hope Foundation Fall 🍁 scholarship of up to $1,000! This scholarship cycle is open until August 1!

Family Hope Foundation offers financial assistance for therapy that is not covered by insurance, easing some of the financial burdens and allowing children to continue receiving the therapy they need to help them reach their full potential.
Scholarships up to $1,000 per applicant are awarded twice a year (spring and fall cycles).

Visit their website and apply today! https://www.thefamilyhopefoundation.org/scholarships







ICYMI, Elise Dirkse, OTR/L, offers strategies to ease transitions between activities using empathy, validation, and visu...
07/30/2025

ICYMI, Elise Dirkse, OTR/L, offers strategies to ease transitions between activities using empathy, validation, and visuals. Read more.







When children participate in pretend play, they learn about themselves and the world. Scenarios like this can help them ...
07/29/2025

When children participate in pretend play, they learn about themselves and the world. Scenarios like this can help them work out confusing or scary life issues, exercise complex social thinking skills, and problem-solving skills. Not to mention it's fun, fun, fun!

🏷️ Tag someone who needs to know more about treatment with The Center. 😁







When life gives you limes, you make limeade! Great for practicing fine motor skills and sensory experiences. But we di...
07/24/2025

When life gives you limes, you make limeade! Great for practicing fine motor skills and sensory experiences. But we didn't stop there! We added reading and writing to this tangy project – writing out the recipe given written clues around the room. Phew, our hands are tired and strong!!








✨ Staff Highlight ✨ Today we're recognizing Kate Zvonek. πŸ‘πŸ»Kate is a Speech-Language Pathologist at our Grand Rapids an...
07/22/2025

✨ Staff Highlight ✨ Today we're recognizing Kate Zvonek. πŸ‘πŸ»

Kate is a Speech-Language Pathologist at our Grand Rapids and Holland locations. We asked Kate what her favorite part of her work is, and she had this to say:

"I work as both a billing specialist and a speech therapist. My favorite part of my role is helping children and families. Communication and eating are integral aspects of everyday life and I am thankful to be able to work with families to help children accomplish goals in both areas. I'm also able to work on the back end and help families by navigating insurance barriers to help them receive funding for services.."

πŸ“Έ Kate and family








We had the pleasure of hosting Cara Kriesman from Rainbow Audiology for a staff presentation. We often send kids to her ...
07/18/2025

We had the pleasure of hosting Cara Kriesman from Rainbow Audiology for a staff presentation. We often send kids to her for auditory processing testing, so it was great to learn more about her approach and philosophy. Cara is a fellow neuroscience learner, a thoughtful collaborator, and someone who truly cares about understanding the full profile of the children and adults she works with. We felt very connected and really appreciated everything she shared. 🩷

https://rainbowaudiology.com/

Many kids have difficulty when it is time to change activities, especially if it means leaving something they enjoy doin...
07/17/2025

Many kids have difficulty when it is time to change activities, especially if it means leaving something they enjoy doing! And, when our kids become angry and frustrated, we adults can often do the same. It happens, life happens, and meltdowns happen. But, with a little pre-planning and some reflective listening and curiosity, we may be able to decrease the intensity, duration, and frequency of those upset moments.

Elise Dirkse, OTR/L, offers strategies to ease transitions between activities using empathy, validation, and visuals.







Apply for a Family Hope Foundation Fall 🍁 scholarship of up to $1,000! This scholarship cycle is open until August 1! Fa...
07/16/2025

Apply for a Family Hope Foundation Fall 🍁 scholarship of up to $1,000! This scholarship cycle is open until August 1!

Family Hope Foundation offers financial assistance for therapy that is not covered by insurance easing some of the financial burdens and allowing children to continue receiving the therapy they need to help them reach their full potential.
Scholarships up to $1,000 per applicant are awarded twice a year (spring and fall cycles).

Visit https://www.thefamilyhopefoundation.org/scholarships to learn more and apply TODAY!







🌿 Craft and Connect got creative last week with homemade biodegradable play dough! We rolled, squished, and sculpted our...
07/15/2025

🌿 Craft and Connect got creative last week with homemade biodegradable play dough! We rolled, squished, and sculpted our way through sensory funβ€”then took it outdoors to decorate the trees in our space with playful, colorful nature art. 🎨🌳

This hands-on activity encouraged sensory exploration, fine motor skills, and collaborationβ€”all while connecting with nature and each other. πŸ’šπŸŒˆ




07/13/2025

NEXT FRIDAY! When you dine at Big E's Sports Grill Downtown Holland and show them this post or their flyer, 10% of your sales will be donated to Family Hope Foundation!

Get the family together and head to Big E's Downtown Holland from 5-8pm July 18!

π™’π™šπ™§π™š π™π™žπ™§π™žπ™£π™œ!This is a full-time on-site role for an Occupational Therapist – you would be practicing in both the Holland...
07/11/2025

π™’π™šπ™§π™š π™π™žπ™§π™žπ™£π™œ!
This is a full-time on-site role for an Occupational Therapist – you would be practicing in both the Holland and Jenison locations. The Occupational Therapist will be responsible for providing therapy services to children, conducting assessments, creating treatment plans, collaborating with other therapists and professionals, and working with families to achieve therapy goals.

π™Œπ™ͺπ™–π™‘π™žπ™›π™žπ™˜π™–π™©π™žπ™€π™£π™¨
β€’ At least one year of experience in pediatric occupational therapy
β€’ Knowledge of sensory integration techniques
β€’ Strong communication and interpersonal skills
β€’ Ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team
β€’ State licensure or certification as an Occupational Therapist
β€’ Experience with different therapy approaches and techniques
β€’ Bachelor's or Master's degree in Occupational Therapy
β€’ Experience working with children with developmental delays or disabilities is a plus

Tell us why you'd be a great fit πŸ‘‡

https://thecenterforcd.com/employment-opps/

Address

7086 8th Avenue
Jenison, MI

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16166679551

Website

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About Us

The Center for Childhood Development is a multi-disciplinary assessment and treatment center located in West Michigan. Our team of occupational, speech, and physical therapists have extensive experience in working with children, birth through adolescence, and their families.

The Center has two West Michigan locations to serve you: Jenison and Holland. All therapies are available in both of our locations.