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IN THIS ISSUE
DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY: Egg Carton Spring Tulips
FEATURED ARTICLE: Why Do Toddlers Bite?
ARTICLE: New Feeding/Sensory Center Opens in Pittsburgh
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Developmental Activity
of the Month

Egg Carton Spring Tulips

Tulips

This is a simple way for kids to make a pretty spring bouquet with the help of a parent.

What you'll need:
  • Cardboard egg cartons
  • Green chenille pipe cleaners
  • Paint in spring colors
  • Scissors
  • Glue
How to make it:

1. Cut the egg carton into separate cups, leaving a few of the "pop-up" sections. Cut the main cups into points like tulip petals. Paint the cups various colors.

2. Cut the little center "pop-up" sections between the egg cups into small pointed shapes that will go beneath the tulip cups. Poke a hole in the center of each and paint green.

3. When the pieces are dry, poke a piece of green chenille through the holes. Tie a loop on the end in the cup so it can't pull back out, and add a dab of glue between the two sections. Shape the chenille into leaf shapes and leave a few inches at the bottom for the stem.

Tips:

You can stick the stems of several tulips into some clay or floral foam in the bottom of a flower pot. Or just tie them together and wrap them with tissue paper to make a bouquet gift for Mom or Grandma!

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ACHIEVA Early Intervention
ISSUE: #17   MARCH
 2010

Dear Parenting Digest Subscriber:

Spring has finally Sprung, and that warm sun is feeling so good after our long cold winter.

In this issue we cover the topic of toddlers who bite and what parents and caregivers can do to prevent and manage this common early childhood behavior. We also introduce you to Thrive Place Child Development Center a new holistic family centered feeding/sensory center located in Pittsburgh, PA. Our craft this month puts everyone in the Spring mood, as we help our kids make tulips from left over egg cartons.

You can explore more topics related to Sensory Processing as well as Typical Feeding Skills at our Early Intervention Support website.

Remember, if you can't find an answer on our website or if you have a specific question or concern about your child, you can always contact us at  Ask A Therapist

Early Intervention Support is a place for families who are facing any challenge pertaining to their child's growth and development. It is a place where you can come to find answers and practical suggestions from licensed therapists on how to work on a variety of issues. Whether you are a parent, grandparent or therapist of a child with a disability, challenging behavior or other developmental issue-childhood is short, it should be savored and enjoyed!
FEATURED ARTICLE:

Why do Toddlers Bite?

How to Address this Challenging Behavior
Toddler Biting


Most parents are horrified when they receive a note sent home from day care that their child has bitten someone. Some of our own mothers and grandmothers would advise us "Bite him back, then he won't do it again, it worked with my kids". As child development specialists we do not advocate biting a child back, since this only teaches a child that it is indeed ok to bite when they are angry. However, we can offer some other suggestions as to why biting behaviors occur and how to remedy them.

Toddlers Lack Language Skills to Express Feelings
 
Toddlers bite for several reasons, many because they simply lack the language skills to tell someone "I am SO mad", or "You are in my space". They may also bite because they are over-tired, teething or have a need for extra oral stimulation. Some kids bite because they are over stimulated by a situation or overly excited. And, some may just do it to see what someone's reaction is when they do it. The best way to understand biting is to find out which one of the above reasons led to the bite.

From there parents and caregivers can start to work on ways to prevent future biting episodes by asking:
 
1) What happened right before your child bit someone?
2) Who did he/she bite and what were they doing at the time?
3) Where was your child when they bit (home, daycare, play ground)?
3) Does your child always bite the same child/adult?
 
Next look for ways to intervene before your child bites. For example, if a child is biting due to the need for oral stimulation, offer him something appropriate to chew on such as food or a sensory chew tube. If a child is biting when others get too close, intervene by telling him "I know you don't like when Stevie gets too close to you, use your words and tell him, do not touch my hair". If your child is over-tired adjust his sleep schedule or avoid play dates when he is tired. If your child is teething offer a teething toy or cold washcloth to chew on. At other times you may be able to intervene simply with distraction and move the child elsewhere before too much frustration or anger sets in and leads to a bite.


Click Here to finish reading the article and learn what to do when your child does bite someone 
New Feeding/Sensory Center Opens

Thrive Place Logo
 
Thrive Place™ Child Development Center located in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA is a child development center dedicated to the health and well being of children and their families. Their expertise in feeding and sensory therapies allows them to get to the root of delays and frustrations children and their families experience every day.
 
Feeding Problems Can Cause Frustration

Imagine your child exhibits unusual or anxious behavior during meals. Some become sick to their stomach at the sight or smell of food. Because of this, they avoid food or eat alarmingly small amounts. As a result, children with feeding challenges are undernourished, suffer emotional isolation, embarrassment and avoid social gatherings among peers. For parents the nightmare of mealtime challenges can leave them feeling frustrated with nowhere or no one to turn to.

Many Sensory Issues are Undiagnosed

Or imagine your child is easily distracted, upset by change or constantly fidgeting. He or she may crash and bang into things, seek small spaces in which to hide, or get distressed by certain textures, smells or sounds. Many sensory disorders are never medically diagnosed, and families often struggle because they feel helpless and frustrated. Thrive Place™ recognizes the myriad of sensory issues, struggles and worries that caregivers and their children experience every day.

Thrive Place™ is a holistic and family friendly center, that offers help to newborns and small children up to age 6 years of age. Emphasis is placed on including parents in the process of therapy so the feeding and sensory exercises can be introduced in the home.

Providing Holistic Family Centered Therapy
 
Pittsburgh business partners Tara Deringor and Julie Hudak, both licensed physical therapists specializing in early intervention of young children, recognized a need for the center and with help from their staff built what is now Thrive Place. The center is staffed by an occupational therapist, two speech therapists and a nutritionist who work with families to develop structured and individualized feeding plans designed to help children reach their feeding goals.
 
Offering Hope and Restorative Balance

Thrive Place™ exists to help children with feeding and sensory delays achieve their greatest potential through structured, positive therapy plans. At Thrive Place, they believe in the power of everyday triumphs. For children struggling with feeding and sensory issues, they offer skilled care and compassion - and to their caregivers, they offer expertise, hope and restorative balance. Everyday struggles can turn into everyday miracles in as little as 2-6 months at Thrive Place.
 
If you suspect your child is experiencing feeding or sensory concerns, please contact Thrive Place at 412-521-1067 to speak with an expert who can answer your questions, and even set-up an introductory appointment for you. Thrive Place serves families in all of Southwestern, PA including Allegheny, Butler, Beaver, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN HERE!
 
Thrive Place, 4070 Beechwood Blvd., Unit One Pittsburgh, PA 15217  412-521-1067
"It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"  ~Mark Twain
 

From The Team At Early Intervention Support