SMART Pediatrics

SMART Pediatrics Smart Pediatrics is a pediatric occupational therapy practice that works with children in the home,

Pediatric occupational therapy clinic specializing in sensory processing disorders and reflex integration techniques

POV: You’re at the playground, and you can just tell your kid is working harder than the other kids.This is the part par...
01/06/2026

POV: You’re at the playground, and you can just tell your kid is working harder than the other kids.

This is the part parents don’t always hear: milestones aren’t a pass/fail test. I’m looking for progress and patterns, not perfection.

What makes me pause as an OT:
⚠️ really stiff or really floppy
⚠️ avoids movement, seems unsure in space
⚠️ uses one side way more
⚠️ falls a lot or avoids stairs, climbing, jumping

📩 DM “milestones” and tell us your child’s age + what you’re noticing. We’ll point you in the right direction.

Doodling is not just “extra.” In OT, it is often the missing warm-up that makes handwriting feel easier.Here’s why it wo...
01/01/2026

Doodling is not just “extra.” In OT, it is often the missing warm-up that makes handwriting feel easier.

Here’s why it works:
🎯 It builds finger control and tiny movement precision
✍️ It practices pressure control without the stress of “write it right.”
👀 It strengthens hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills
🔁 It rehearses the same lines and curves kids need for letters (c, o, a, e, s)
🧠 It supports motor planning, the brain’s ability to map out the movement before the pencil hits the page

Try this at home or in class:
🌀 60 seconds of spirals, loops, zig zags, and “tiny shapes” before writing
📌 doodle in a small box or along a border to build control and spacing
🖍️ copy one simple doodle, then make your own version of it

Primitive reflexes help babies roll, crawl, and respond to the world. Then, with development and movement, they integrat...
12/31/2025

Primitive reflexes help babies roll, crawl, and respond to the world. Then, with development and movement, they integrate.

What’s really going on is that the nervous system is still relying on early movement patterns instead of more efficient ones.

In therapy, we use specific sensory motor activities to help the brain recognize that those reflexes are no longer needed and build stronger, more organized movement patterns instead.

Save this post if you want clearer, real-life explanations like this.

12/29/2025

This is a wall ball toss, and it shows up a lot in OT for a reason.

The child is throwing and catching a ball against the wall, then adjusting their body to track, time, and control the movement.

What this works on 👇
🟠 Hand-eye coordination
🟠 Bilateral coordination
🟠 Core stability and postural control
🟠 Visual tracking and timing
🟠 Body awareness and motor planning

For some kids, this is not about “playing catch.”
It is about helping the brain and body talk to each other more clearly during movement.
That coordination carries over into writing, sports, classroom attention, and daily routines.

This is the kind of functional, movement-based work we do every day.

📩 We are hiring therapists who love purposeful play and real progress.
Message us to learn more.

Here’s what we see often in the clinic:👂 Sometimes the ears hear it, but the brain doesn’t register it fast enough🎧 Back...
12/25/2025

Here’s what we see often in the clinic:
👂 Sometimes the ears hear it, but the brain doesn’t register it fast enough
🎧 Background noise can override their ability to filter and shift attention
🧠 Sensory overload can make their nervous system too busy to take in social cues
🎮 Hyperfocus during play or movement can drown out anything that isn’t relevant to them in that moment

Responding to their name is a mix of auditory processing, attention shifting, and feeling regulated enough to notice social input. When any of those pieces are off, you’ll see delays or missed responses.

If this sounds familiar and you want support understanding what’s underneath it, send us a DM.

Some kids grip a pencil so tightly their knuckles turn white. Others hold it with their whole hand. And some switch grip...
12/23/2025

Some kids grip a pencil so tightly their knuckles turn white. Others hold it with their whole hand. And some switch grips every few minutes because nothing feels stable.

Most of the time, it’s not about effort. It’s about the foundation under the grasp.

What we see most often:
✏️ Kids use an immature grip when finger strength is low
✏️ They rely on wrist or whole arm movements because finger control isn’t ready
✏️ Fatigue happens fast when the grasp isn’t efficient
✏️ Writing becomes a chore instead of a functional skill

A more efficient grasp usually comes once the hand has the stability and isolation it needs. Think of it as helping the hand grow into its job.

If this is something your child struggles with, send us a DM, and we can point you in the right direction.

12/22/2025

This activity is called “ball crash and swing coordination,” and it’s a classic in pediatric OT.
The child is riding a bolster swing, building momentum, aiming, and crashing into the therapy ball, all while staying balanced and controlling their body.

What this works on:
✔️ Vestibular processing (movement, balance, body sense)
✔️ Motor planning
✔️ Core strength
✔️ Timing and coordination
✔️ Confidence with movement challenges

When kids can coordinate their bodies in motion, everyday tasks like sports, stairs, playground play, and classroom sitting become easier and more automatic.

And yes… It’s as fun as it looks.

✨ SMART Pediatrics is hiring pediatric OTs and PTs. Message us to learn more.

12/18/2025

What you’re seeing is called the “Tire Tube Swing Crawl,” a classic sensory integration activity in OT.

The child crawls through the suspended inner tubes while holding a prone (belly-down) position.
This challenges core strength, upper body stability, motor planning, and whole-body coordination in a playful way.

Why it matters:

It builds the postural control kids need for sitting, writing, and focusing.

It strengthens the sensory systems that support balance and body awareness.

It promotes problem-solving and confidence as kids figure out how to move through the swinging tubes.

We love using movement like this to help kids feel stronger, safer, and more connected in their own bodies.

SMART Pediatrics is hiring pediatric OTs and PTs.
If you love sensory work, send us a message.

If your child refuses coats, avoids warm baths, or melts down during temperature changes, it might be temperature sensit...
12/16/2025

If your child refuses coats, avoids warm baths, or melts down during temperature changes, it might be temperature sensitivity. Their nervous system can interpret mild warmth or cold as intense, unpredictable, or even painful.

Temperature sensitivity can impact simple routines like getting dressed, bathing, or transitioning outdoors because the sensory input feels overwhelming rather than neutral.

If this sounds familiar, save this post so you can come back to these signs when routines start feeling hard again.

Deep pressure is one of the most reliable ways to help a child’s nervous system slow down and feel organized. When the b...
12/15/2025

Deep pressure is one of the most reliable ways to help a child’s nervous system slow down and feel organized. When the body gets steady, consistent pressure, it sends a simple message to the brain: you’re safe.

Here’s what deep pressure actually supports:
🌟 Regulation
It lowers the “fight or flight” response and helps kids shift into a calmer state.

🌟 Body awareness
Pressure gives clearer input to muscles and joints, making movement feel more predictable.

🌟 Focus and readiness to learn
When the body feels grounded, attention becomes easier to access.

We use deep pressure throughout sensory sessions because it gives the brain exactly what it needs to settle.

Want more educational posts like this? Follow SMART Pediatrics for weekly sensory insight straight from the clinic.

If a child uses their whole hand for every task, it’s usually a sign their system needs more practice with controlled, s...
12/11/2025

If a child uses their whole hand for every task, it’s usually a sign their system needs more practice with controlled, separated movement.

Save this post if you want quick, realistic strategies to build stronger hands.

When a child spins, their brain is gathering input about balance, direction, and movement. For kids who seek it constant...
12/10/2025

When a child spins, their brain is gathering input about balance, direction, and movement. For kids who seek it constantly, it’s often their way of organizing their body so they can focus, feel grounded, or stay regulated.

What spinning can tell us:
🌀 Their vestibular system may be seeking stronger input
⚖️ They might need support with balance or postural control
👀 Spinning influences visual tracking, reading readiness, and coordination
🧠 Movement can help settle or activate their nervous system, depending on what they need

Save this post so you can come back to it the next time your child spins and you’re wondering what their body might be asking for.

Address

1200 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT
06905

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

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