Authentic Partnerships with Adults with Autism (pgs 6-9) is about a young man who learned to communicate through typing at age 14 and his amazing journey and how Occupational Therapy helped him to get there. Early intervention for individuals with Autism is key to improving outcomes and abilities.

At Bothell Pediatric & Hand Therapy we use Clicker 5, an educational tool to promote reading and writing through a multisensory approach of using words, pictures, and sounds keeps learners interested and motivated, and enables them to achieve success.  Ask one of our Occupational Therapists for more details.

Therapists at Bothell Pediatric & Hand Therapy have been integrating the use of listening systems into their therapy sessions.  Most recently, we have obtained an Integrated Listening System (iLs), The Therapeutic Listening Program, and The Listening Program (TLP).

Click Here to learn more about Listening Systems and how BPHT uses them.

My name is Denise Pelton, and I am the Intake Coordinator for BPHT.  I arrived from San Diego in August 2011 with a 23-year administrative background in the dental industry.  My goal was to begin a new adventure in my life by moving to Bothell and branching out into the medical field.  Bothell Pediatric and Hand Therapy allowed me to do just that.

Being born with a handicap myself, Cerebral Palsy, I have a great understanding of both the parents’ and the child’s needs.  I utilized the same therapy services we offer during my childhood years. 

It is my goal to be an inspiration and the go-to person that is able to assist you with all your paperwork, answer any questions you may have, and connect you with the best therapist to meet all your needs. I will work with your doctor to ensure we have all the required paperwork for your insurance, and all related information we need.

I have found a wonderful group of very caring, highly qualified therapists and staff in their fields of expertise.  I am proud to say I am a member of the BPHT team!

It has been one of my greatest joys to get to know the families and patients here.  If I have not met you already, I look forward to meeting you in the future and being of assistance to you.

- Sincerely, Denise Pelton

However, handwriting is more than just picking up a pencil and applying it to the paper.  Learning to write letters is hard, especially if it is difficult to sit up in your seat, hold a pencil or crayon, and visually perceive letters in your mind. Many children form their letters in different ways, making their letters illegible, or they reverse their letters, frequently mistaking direction and orientation.

We will look at how muscle strength, dynamic fine motor movements, and using our whole body to learn letters can help children with different learning styles.  Parents will be able to identify factors that influence their child’s handwriting.  They will also learn how to work on handwriting at home in creative and fun ways.  This workshop will help parents gain insight into the world of handwriting and develop strategies to battle its challenges.

Topic: Handwriting 101 for Parents

Presented by: Tatiana Gorsky, MS, OTR/L

When: Monday, February 13th

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Cost: FREE

Child Care: Provided free with early registration on a first come, first served basis.
Available Spots: FULL (as of 2/7/2012)

Where: Lobby at Bothell Pediatric & Hand Therapy

To Register: Sign up at www.Facebook.com/BPandHT
OR Email events@BPandHT.com with your information

This past weekend five of our therapists attended the Alert Program® training course.

We are excited to be providing summer camps for kids needing this program – More details coming soon!

Please contact us at 425-481-1933, if you are interested in learning more about the Alert Program®.

You can also e-mail Clinical Director, Chris Goodman, OTR/L at ChrisG@BPandHT.com with any questions.

Visit the Alert Program® website http://www.alertprogram.com/

picture is from the504school.blogspot.com

Greg exclaims,

“Kimberly has coffee every morning with me as we talk about the coming day, we watch the sun come up and feel blessed each day.  She still wakes up at 2:00am wondering how we got here so fast (12-years) and how fast we are still growing.  Kimberly does not see it any other way, than it is the caring professional staff that has made it work here at BP&HT.  By sticking to our goal of patient care, striving for optimal function and independence in activities of daily living, work, and play – we are able to give highly individualized care with a focus on our patient’s progress in a related, friendly and positive environment.”

During the course of 2011, we hosted two professional national continuing education seminars, “Eyesight to Insight” and “Primitive Reflexes”; updated our computer systems; installed a new server; researched the best EMR   software to match our specific needs; purchased iLs systems for our therapeutic listening program; implemented our volunteer program; worked with universities to train students through internships and fellowships; and grew our staff.  The building of 18504 Bothell Way NE now has 27 bodies-in-motion as cogs-in-a-wheel (Speech-Language Pathologists=3, Occupational Therapists=8, Physical Therapists=3, Hand Therapists=2, Support Staff=7, Marketing=1, and Developmental Vision=3) all contributing to the success of our patients at BP&HT. 

We further supported our  mission to stay current in our respective practices by sending our staff to courses hosted in other cities and states.  We strengthened our pediatric programs Food Explorers and Social Skills, and increased collaboration with The Vision Clinic. Ask the Expert, our free parent and community education workshop, has a strong interest each time we host a workshop.  We are always looking for topics that help our patient’s lives – the next Ask the Expert is about planning for the financial future of a child with special needs.

The upcoming year will be exciting as we implement the new EMR software, look into portable touch pads, hire a new Certified Hand Therapist, embellish our clinical director program and work to better quality care and grow our  practice within and outward, creating meaningful sustaining relationships with each other and our community.

Warmly,

Kimberly Alquist, OTR/L, CHT

Owner and CEO

This workshop will help parents realize the importance of getting started early working on this critically important aspect of your child’s future.  The goal of the workshop is to alleviate the uncertainty surrounding this subject and give parents the tools and motivation to tackle planning for their child’s needs.  The use of the Special Needs Trust will be covered so that participants will gain information to help them decide if they need to set one up for their child and examples of how such a trust can be funded on an average family income will be explored.  There will be an opportunity to get specific questions answered following the presentation.  Parents leave this workshop feeling hopeful with a sense of relief about what they can do to make a dramatic difference in their child’s future.

Topic: Planning for the Financial Future of the Child With Special Needs

Presented by: Carolee Densely of Cornerstone Financial Group, LLC

Date: Monday, January 23rd

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Cost: FREE

Child Care: Provided free with early registration on a first come, first served basis.
Available Spots: 18

Location: Lobby at Bothell Pediatric & Hand Therapy

To Register: Sign up at www.Facebook.com/BPandHT
OR Email events@BPandHT.com with your information

1. Chewing or sucking objects or food can provide extra proprioceptive input and release, e.g., chewy tubes, gum, sucking candies, beef jerky, candy necklaces.
2. Compressions or weighted clothes provide extra firm input and feedback into the body that has been proven to be calming to the overstimulated body, e.g. SPIO shirts, vest, pants, weighted vests, weights in pockets, weighted belt.
3. Fidget toys help release energy and provide proprioceptive input, i.e. silly putty, stress balls, Digiflex.
4. Pushing the shopping cart or carrying a heavy item (non-breakable) around the store can provide heavy work and calm the body.

Betsy Flager is a writer for the Parent to Parent column. She talks about how parents are often judged when their child with special needs has a meltdown in public places, being met with “the look” that speaks volumes although no words had been uttered. Unfortunately, people often judge a book by its cover. The average stranger responds differently to a meltdown from a child who has clear physical indications of specials needs versus a child who appears to be typically developing. Most of our kids with ADD, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder do not exhibit their challenges physically and bystanders are not as forgiving in these situations. Betsy Flager offers tips to the bystander when they witness meltdowns:

1. Do not start a conversation with the parent as the parent is preoccupied with their child.
2. Offer to watch the person’s shopping cart.
3. Step out of the way to clear a path for the parent and child.

It is important to be supportive to all parents and children around us. We do not know the kind of challenges this particular child or family possesses. Every day, kids with special needs are learning how to be a part of our society and meet the expectations that we create for them. It is our responsibility as a member of the community to be knowledgeable and help those around us.

- Written by Tatiana Gorsky, MS OTR/L

While it is fine to include some screen time activities in your child’s day, it is also important for children to engage in non-screen activities to stimulate growth, learning, and social skills, as well as to promote and teach healthy lifestyles. Try to add physical activity into your everyday routine, where everyone stands up and moves. Make sure you pick activities that your child enjoys, while also encouraging him or her to try new movements. You may even let your child help choose the activity from a list of 2 to 3 options.

Now that winter is here and we are spending less time outside, it becomes more difficult to stay physically active. Below are some ideas of things to do indoors during the winter months to help your kids stay active:

1. Make an obstacle course out of cushions, pillows, blankets, or yarn, and things to crawl over, walk or balance on, and jump over.
2. Play balloon tennis or balloon volleyball.
3. Have a crab-walk or bear-walk race.
4. Make a hopscotch grid with tape on the floor.
5. Set a timer for 1 minute, and see how many jumping jacks, sit-ups, hops on one foot, or heel raises (going up on tip-toe) you can do. Try to beat your number the next time.
6. Go explore a Children’s Museum, Aquarium, or Science Center.
7. Play charades.
8. Play Simon Says.
9. Put on music and dance!

Maybe some of these ideas can even spark the imagination of you or your child to invent a whole new activity.

- Written by Margaret BEll, PT DPT

Article: Watching TV most damaging pastime for inactive children, increasing risk of heart disease

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2067131/Watching-TV-damaging-pastime-inactive-children-increasing-risk-heart-disease.html?ito=feeds-newsxml