Premier Children's Therapy Center

01/30/2026

Great ideas to help with keeping a child’s attention in the classroom!

01/29/2026

Sometimes first words don’t sound like words at all! At 12 months, a baby should have about 1 to 3 words and by 18 months, it grows to 10 to 50 words! Early speech and language milestones help build the foundation for later skills. 

01/28/2026

Sometimes just helping your kids set up a play idea or scheme can get them started on independent play!

01/27/2026

There are lots of different types of pencil grips on the market. However, pencil grips are not a one size fits all solution. People use a variety of different grasps on writing utensils, and although there are some that we as OTs see more frequently than others, this one is a frequent flyer! ✏️

By not having the pencil reclined in the web space, the ability to move it with small, controlled movements is limited. This means that your child might have difficulty staying in the lines, forming letters fluidly, or keeping up with writing demands as they get older.

Sometimes a simple rubber band grip like this can be part of the solution! Loop two hair ties around each other, with one around the wrist and then one around the pencil. This helps provide gentle pressure on the pencil to pull it down into the web space. This allows the joint of the thumb to bend, allowing the pencil to move with greater control instead of movement coming from the wrist.

The best time to correct a child’s pencil grasp is when they are young, ideally before kindergarten. So if you have concerns about how your child holds a pencil or his or her drawing or writing, reach out to an occupational therapist!

01/26/2026

Modeling this language as adults is so important! Talking about how screens can be addictive and saying out loud ”I’m putting my phone down now” helps kids know that it might be hard for you to do also. 

Stopping screen time is a skill, not just a compliance issue. Kids often know they’re supposed to stop, but they don’t always have the language or confidence to disengage smoothly.

That’s where modeling matters. When parents verbalize their own screen limits out loud—“I’m done scrolling, I’m going to put my phone away now”—kids hear what responsible stopping sounds like in real life. Research shows that children learn self-regulation skills through observation and repeated practice, not just rules.

Simple scripts give kids words to use, and modeling shows them how those words work. Both matter.

This is Day 20 of Raising Kids Who Can Handle Life. January’s focus is Tech-Aware, Not Tech-Obsessed—supporting kids’ ability to cope, focus, and engage in the real world. Follow along for daily, research-based guidance from child psychologists.

Comment “techtips” and we’ll send you our three technology blogs plus a link to our family technology contract.

Disclaimer: Informational content only. Not individualized advice. Parenting is nuanced—you know your kid best. These tools are flexible.

01/23/2026

Planning on being stuck inside with the kids this weekend? Set up “laser” maze with tape and yarn/crepe paper. Not only is it fun but it strengthens motor planning, balance, and coordination skills!

01/22/2026

Don’t freak out, but, autistic selective eating is ✨NOT always about sensory issues.✨

Yes, texture, smell, temperature, taste, and predictability matter…BUT, research also points to RIGIDITY as a major contributor to “picky eating”.

From the autistic perspective, the rule often isn’t
❌“I can’t eat this because it feels bad.”

It’s more like:
✅“I can’t eat this because I don’t eat this.”

Once a food is categorized as “not something I eat,” that rule can be surprisingly hard to break, even if the sensory experience itself wouldn’t be terrible.

I notice this every time I travel.
Almost every trip, I come home with a new food I’m suddenly willing to eat.

Sometimes it’s a food I’ve genuinely never been exposed to before,
(most recently, clam chowder).

Other times, it’s a food I stopped eating years ago…but while traveling, the usual rules get disrupted and the rigidity breaks.

Once that rule is broken I’m often willing to eat it again at home.

The sensory experience didn’t magically change. What changed was the mental rule around it.

So when we talk about autistic eating, it’s worth remembering that…

Sometimes the most effective support isn’t avoiding new foods or assuming every refusal is sensory-based.

Rather, thoughtful exposure (done respectfully), without pressure is what actually expands flexibility.

This definitely doesn’t mean that exposure works the same way for everyone.

But it does mean recognizing that for many autistic people, rigidity can be just as powerful a barrier as sensory discomfort.

01/21/2026

01/21/2026

What a fun craft for a winter day!

01/19/2026

Strive to spread light and love, even when it’s hard. ♥️