Deb’s Blog

Have you ever sat down to read a book with your child only for them to quickly lose interest? When looking at books, we recommend trying interactive book reading techniques. Interactive book reading is when both the parent and the child participate equally in conversation about the book as they read. The interactive nature is…

Beijing Paralympics 2022 Over the next two weeks we are going to be celebrating the 2022 Winter Paralympics in China. At this time I would like to acknowledge 2 organisations that are both recognised by the International Olympic Committee. These are the International Paralympics and the Special Olympics. These are both Not For Profit organisations…

What is Rare Disease Day? Rare Disease Day is a day to recognise the many people in the world living with conditions that are life threatening or debilitating and affect less than 1 in 2,000 people. The first global event was held in 2008. This year Rare Disease Day is acknowledged on the 28th February…

Welcome to Summer Lockdown Olympics! The Olympic Games in Tokyo may be coming to a close, but here we are just getting started! And also eagerly awaiting for the start of the Paralympics! Choose your country and let the games begin. The following are summer Olympic sports that you can participate in your: Lounge room…

Amelia comes to Therapies for Kids and participates in regular Intensive Paediatric Therapy to work on a number of goals: to develop her sitting ability so that she can hold her head and trunk up for longer periods so she can play and engage with her peers at preschool. to improve core stability and trunk…

Research in childhood disability has identified six F-words that should be the focus for development. These include Function, Family, Fitness, Fun, Friends, and Future. These areas of development are a key focus for your child’s development. Each of the areas are equally important and it’s important to apply these concepts in a holistic way with…

We often get asked when a parent should be worried about toilet training for their child. Like all developmental milestones, each child is individual in the time they are ready. Some children start being interested in toilet training as early as 18 months, but anywhere up to 3.5 years is okay. Some signs that your…

Harry is four-years-old with a condition called Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder affecting development and growth. For Harry, the syndrome affects his balance, strength, and motor planning abilities. Through an intensive paediatric therapy program, Harry is better able to develop the skills necessary to meet his personal goals, such as riding a bike. We…

I am frequently asked how often, how much, and where to practice therapy. Parents are often shown therapy in a setting which doesn’t always translate into their daily lives and as such find it hard to carry out important skill learning with their child. Here are 7 ways to help make therapy a fun and…

Transitioning from daycare to preschool is one of the biggest milestones in any family and at TFK we feel that supporting children to make this transition successfully helps set the foundation for a lifetime of learning. All the people in your child’s life have a part to play in helping your child successfully navigate this…

At TFK we are constantly talking about tummy time for babies. There are so many reasons why tummy time is important, let’s start with: Brain Cognitive development Aware of environment Sensory integration Head – helps prevent flat head (plagiocephaly) Eyes Visual-motor perception Depth perception Allows follow through 180O Looking up Neck Strengthens neck muscles Improves…

At TFK we love to see our babies, toddlers, and pre-schoolers play posting games. It begins from about 12-15 months and involves dropping or “posting” objects into different containers (e.g. a bowl). Children still play posting games in more complex ways into preschool. Posting helps develop: Fine motor skills Finger dexterity Strength in arms Eye-hand…

Often at TFK you will hear a therapist say “Great crossing over” or “This week we’ll work on crossing the middle.” So, what is crossing the midline? It is easiest to think of the midline as an imaginary line down the middle of your child’s body from head to between their feet. Your child can…

Following up on last Monday’s blog post – “Benefits of pretend/imaginary play,” here is a table on how pretend play develops over time. First with children aged 12-18 months, then children aged 18-24 months, 24-30 months, 30-36 months, and 3-5 years.

A couple weeks ago I discussed the development of social play. This week I will discuss a type of play – pretend play. Pretend play is important throughout life and starts in infancy. As adults, we are constantly using imagination to solve problems, invent new things, enjoy a book or movie, to come up with…

A very different milestone this week for fun. This week is a milestone for TFK as we will be running our first intensive in Narrandera, plus it is my first visit to the clinic since it opened. I will be seeing many of the local clients over 3-4 days. In addition, I will be assisting…

Any activity that your child does (whether organised or unstructured) that they find fun is considered play. Play is much more than just having fun. While playing, your child learns and develops important skills they will continue to use throughout their lifetime. There are 6 stages of play during early childhood – all of which…

Over the past few months, I have been exploring developmental achievements of babies in the first 12-18 months in the areas of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and language. Today, I’ll discuss walking, which is one of the major achievements in your baby’s life. The age at which babies walk varies considerably between children.…