Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​

When working or living with children and young adults, one of the most common areas that needs to be addressed is self regulation and it's development. Self regulation contributes to a number of outcomes including success in the school and workplace, development and sustainability of quality relationships, and successful engagement in occupations. It's an area of development that has been explored from a number of professionals including occupational therapists, educators, psychologists, sociologists and neuropsycholgists. This array of perspectives and approaches to self regulation development can be both overwhelming and confusing.
 
After studying literature across a variety of areas, I realised the need to have something that "tied it all together". As a visual learner myself, I wanted to create a visual model that could be used to both increase and support understanding of self regulation development, and explore what areas may be contributing to dysregulation within a given occupation and environment. I gave myself the goal of developing something that:

• Clearly and succinctly summarised how regulation develops using areas agreed upon by the above areas and/or strongly supported by research.
• Demonstrated how regulation can change in response to the environment (including the presence and quality of caregiver support).
• Showed the goal of regulation as occupational engagement.
• Demonstrated how the personal factors needed for regulation depend on the occupation an individual is trying to engage in.

 
And so the Regulation Rocket was born!
 
The Regulation Rocket encourages parents, teachers, therapists or children/adolescents exploring their own regulation development to ask 3 questions:

• Where does the Rocket come from? (environment)
• Where is the Rocket going? (occupation)
• What does it need to get there? (personal factors)

 
OCCUPATION
I like to start with the first question, where is it going? Having a destination (or goal) helps plot the route, figure out what supplies are needed and what changes may need to be made to get there. The model shows three planets that represent the countless occupations that an individual may engage in. Some things we want to do (such as our hobbies), some things we need to do (such as look after ourselves) and some things we are expected to do (such as work or go to school). An individual may be having difficulty reaching a particular planet, but be able to reach other planets with ease. Recognising that there may be a fair few planets in between where an individual can go and is attempting to go, can help build the parts of the Rocket needed to get there by grading the occupational demands.
 
ENVIRONMENT
Once we know where a Rocket is headed, it's important to look at where it's coming from? An environment needs to be supportive both in the construction and launching of a Rocket. In other words, we need to ensure the physical, cultural, and most importantly, social environment helps develop and support regulation. Of the social environment, an individual's co-regulators play the largest role in supporting regulation development. Addressing co-regulation as a factor has been found to be more often than not missing from interventions focusing on self regulation development. This is a pretty worrying finding, when many studies identify co-regulation as a major predictor of successful regulation development. A statistic the Regulation Rocket model is aiming to change!

PERSONAL FACTORS 
Lastly, we look at the Rocket itself. We know where it's going, so we can figure out what it needs to get there. Sometimes an individual will be able to steer it themselves, other times they may need their co-pilot (or co-regulator) to help them. We may need to make changes to the environment in order to ensure certain parts of the Rocket are being built. Sometimes this means explicit teaching, but oftentimes it's about addressing the various personal factors throughout an individual's day or week in naturalistic settings. Factors will influence regulation differently depending on both the occupation and environmental demands. This is why some factors would be looked at more closely than others throughout an individual's development. The personal factors that contribute to regulation maintenance and development are:

• Basic Needs (e.g. sleep, health, nutrition)
• Motivation (includes values and beliefs)
• Habits and Past Experiences
• Self Awareness
• Biology
• Social Abilities (e.g. expressive and receptive communication, understanding social norms, Theory of Mind)
• Executive Functioning (e.g. attention, motor planning, decision making)
• Sensory Processing
• Emotional Understanding (e.g. recognising emotions in themselves or others, understanding link between thoughts and feelings, recovering from emotional distress).​  ​​

Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. 
​Vuly has provided a Lift 2 Large Trampoline for the purposes of this giveaway.  Your Kids OT has not received any remuneration for this article or giveaway.  Vuly does not have an affiliate program. All opinions expressed in this article are that of Your Kids OT.   

Trampolines have become a quintessential part of an Aussie backyard! Do you have one?

There are so many therapeutic benefits to trampolining. 

1. Sensory benefits  
Trampolining provides proprioceptive and vestibular input and can help children to regulate their bodies. 

Proprioception is sometimes called "position sense" or "muscle sense" as information from receptors in our muscles and skin help to inform us of where are body parts are in space, how they relate to each other, how much and how quickly they are stretching, the speed and timing of movement as well as the mount of force exerted.  Proprioception helps us to be aware of our bodies and directs our motor control and planning. 

The brain processes vestibular sensations received through the hair receptors in the inner ear and are stimulated by gravity.  Vestibular input can be described as linear (up/down, forward/backward and side to side) as well as rotational (spinning around).  These movements can be calming or stimulating.

Trampolines are a great way for children to explore movement and their own bodies.  A well regulated body means that a child's mind will be ready to learn! 

2. Motor benefits
A trampoline is a great way to work on balance, coordination, weight bearing, body awareness and bilateral coordination. Trampolining can also provide cardio-vascular and fitness benefits!

3. Social skills
A trampoline is fun on your own but even more fun with friends and family.  Children can practice turn taking and social skills; working out different ways to use the trampoline and be collaborative in play. 

4. A boost of happiness!
A child's mental health and happiness is so important and can affect every aspect of their lives.  Trampolining enables children to feel weightlessness and bouncing can bring pure joy! 

GIVEAWAY TIME!
I am partnering with Vuly Trampolines to bring an incredible giveaway to an Australian reader.  Vuly is an Australian manufacturer and supplier of world-class trampolines and swing sets. Vuly are now a registered NDIS approved supplier of trampolines. 

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. WINNER: DANIELA MCCANN

Terms and Conditions
​**1. The prize includes a Vuly Lift 2 Large Trampoline and delivery within Australia. Vuly will provide all costs associated with shipping the product to one address in an Australian territory.
2. Open to Australian residents only.
3. Entries close on October 27th, 2018 at 12am. 
4. Winner will be announced at on Your Kids OT Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/yourkidsot/ after October 27th 2018.
5. Winner will be notified via email provided with entry. 
6. Prize winner must inform Your Kids OT of their mailing address within 48 hours of being notified as the winning entry. 
7. This is a game of skill, not a random draw. Your answer must be original or creative.  The winner will be chosen from the original comments.
8. Your Kids OT and Vuly will not be held accountable for any injury sustained as a result of misuse or damage to the product.** 

I'm looking forward to reading all your great entries!

​Who wants a trampoline??? (.... perfect for Christmas which is not too far away!)

​Remember to share this giveaway with your friends and family!
​

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Your baby turns their head with their mouth open when the corner of their mouth is stroked or touched. They look like they are looking for food. (Rooting reflex).

You touch the corner of you baby's mouth and they begin to suck to feed, suck on fingers, suck on a pacifier. (Sucking reflex). 

Your baby throws their head back, extends their limbs, cries and pulls their arms and legs back in again when they hear a loud sound or even their own cry.  (Startle reflex).

Your baby wraps their fingers around yours when you place it into the palm of their hand. (Palmar grasp reflex).

These are some of the primitive reflexes that full-term babies demonstrate at or soon after birth.  Primitive reflexes and their postural reactions are automatic brainstem-mediated movement patterns that start developing inutero and are usually integrated (and are harder to elicit) after 6 months of age. * 

After birth, a baby experiences the sensations and stimulation of the world.  They begin to develop more coordinated movement and neurological control.  This helps them to integrate the primitive reflexes and postural reactions to higher level motor patterns (such as crawling, walking, talking) and higher level learning and brain development. 

When primitive reflexes do not fully "integrate" they are also referred to as "retained".   You can get a free copy of "Signs of Retained Primitive Reflexes" from Integrated Learning Strategies.  
​----> Take me to Signs of Retained Primitive Reflexes. ​

Primitive Reflexes and Brain development 
There is much evidence that can be found in medical, neurological and pediatric journals on primitive reflexes and brain development. Here are a few references from the great body of evidence.

• Zafeiriou, D. I., MD, Phd. (2004). Primitive Reflexes and Postural Reactions in the Neurodevelopmental Examination. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2004.01.012  
• Futagi, Y., Toribe, Y., & Suzuki, Y. (2012). The Grasp Reflex and Moro Reflex in Infants: Hierarchy of Primitive Reflex Responses. International Journal of Pediatrics. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/191562
• Schott, J. M., & Rossor, M. N. (2003). The grasp and other primitive reflexes. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry,74, 558-560. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.5.558

Impact of Retained Primitive Reflexes
There is a growing body of evidence connecting retained primitive reflexes with a variety of disorders including cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning difficulties. Here are a few of these references.

• Konicarova, J. & Bob, P. Act Nerv Super (2012) Retained Primitive Reflexes and ADHD in Children. 54: 135. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03379591

• Konicarova, J. & Bob, P. Act Nerv Super (2013) Principle of Dissolution and Primitive Reflexes in ADHD. 55: 74. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03379598
• Konicarova, J & Bob, P.  (2013) Asymmetric tonic neck reflex and symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in children, International Journal of Neuroscience, 123:11, 766-769, DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2013.801471

• Gieysztor, E. Z., Choińska, A. M., & Paprocka-Borowicz, M. (2018). Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children. Archives of Medical Science : AMS, 14(1), 167–173. http://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2016.60503

• Gieysztor, E., Sadowska, L., Choinska, A., & Paprocka-Borowicz, M. (2018). Trunk rotation due to persistence of primitive reflexes in early school-age children. Adv Clin Exp Med.,27(3), 363-366. doi:doi: 10.17219/acem/67458
• Goddard Blythe, S. (2006). The Well Balanced Child: Movement and Early Learning(2nd ed., Early Years). Hawthorn Press.

• Brandes, B. (2016). SYMPHONY OF REFLEXES: Interventions for human development, autism, adhd, and other neurological. S.l.: CREATESPACE.​

Efficacy of Movement Programs for Helping Those with Retained Primitive Reflexes.
This is an emerging area of research which continues to grow. Here are a few of these references.

• McPhillips, M., BSc, Hepper, P., Phd, & Mulhern, G., Phd. (2000). Effects of replicating primary-reflex movements on specific reading difficulties in children: A randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. The Lancet,355(9203), 537-541. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(99)02179-0

• Fredericks, C. R., Kokot, S. J., & Krog, S. (2006). Using a developmental movement programme to enhance academic skills in grade 1 learners. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation,28(1), 29-42.

• Krog, S. (2010) Movement programmes as a means to learning readiness, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/3514>

• Krog, S. (2015). Movement activities: A critical link in developing motor skills and learning in early childhood. African Journal for Physical Health Education, Recreation and Dance,21(1.2), 426-443.

​
This is not an exhaustive literature review.  Please let me know if you have further evidence. 

* Zafeiriou, D. I., MD, Phd. (2004). Primitive Reflexes and Postural Reactions in the Neurodevelopmental Examination. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2004.01.012
​

Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details.

Beginner writers have lots to remember!

They need to remember how to sit at the table, how to hold their pencil, how to form letters and numbers.... 

Teachers and parents remind early writers about simple sentence writing rules such as the use of capital letters, punctuation and spaces between words.  With so many things to remember beginner writers need help!

"My hand is a sentence" shows children how to use their OWN hand to help them to remember how to write a sentence.  A visual printable is also available to help prompt you and your child with the actions and words. 

I have shared this resource with teachers who have used it with their whole class.  The prompt can be adapted to be for questions too but remember to let your kids know to end with a question mark. 

ACTION: Hold up right hand with fingers together.
SAY: My hand is a sentence. My fingers are the words.
ACTION:  Move out and wiggle your thumb.
SAY: I start with a capital letter.
ACTION:  Move out and wiggle your pinky finger.
SAY: I end with a full stop.
ACTION:  Spread fingers open.
SAY: I put spaces between the words.

Check out my IG account for a video of this prompt in ACTION! 

Get the visual prompt at the Your Kids OT shop
​ (FREE UNTIL OCT 31st, 2018)!

For older children, they may be able to use a writer's checklist to remember sentence writing conventions.  Find the checklist over HERE! 

​How do you help kids to remember sentence writing rules?

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There are heaps of "tricks" and "visual prompts" available for teaching commonly reversed letters (just check Google or Pinterest) . Most of the tricks and prompts you will find rely on a child's visual discrimination and visual memory.  This is great for the majority of children who are developing typically, however sometimes these are not "enough".  Some children can not retain the information from visual prompts to prevent reversals in identification and writing.  

Before jumping into teaching any tricks or these letters specifically ...  there are a few things that I work on with my OT students first!

This includes:

• Left to right direction  

It is important that children are able to discriminate their left side from their right side (ie. can identify their left hand from their right hand).  Find a quick trick for teaching left and right HERE.

After learning to discriminate left and right; then it is important that children learn that most reading and writing (in the Western world) occurs FROM left to right.  The direction of writing is really important for prevention reversals and is also related to a child's ability to "cross the midline". Read more about  crossing the midline and  bilateral coordination HERE (you will also find a neat left to right direction page as part of the Bilateral Integration Reference Sheet).

• Letter identification

This may seem obvious, but children learn letter formation best when they know how to "name" and "identify" each letter.  Many kindergarten (and even older children) are asked to write letters and they are yet to master naming them and identifying them.  Being able to identify letters provides a "road map" for children to "visualise" what the letter is that they are forming.  If you have an older child, you can combine naming and identifying letters with also naming and identifying letter sounds.  

• Letter families

When teaching handwriting, I teach in "letter families" according to formation or size (depending on a child's difficulties).   Children who are having letter reversal difficulties benefit from classifying letters into a "family" or group according to the first motor pattern needed to form these lowercase letters (ie. the left component for formation).    This means that all the lower case letters that start with a "straight line down" are taught together and all the letters that start with a "c" component are taught together. 

For children who reverse letters, they can begin to group all the "straight line" down letters together (ie. l, t, b, h, k) and differentiate them from the letters that start with a "c" (ie. c, o, a, d, g, q, s).  These "letter families" are taught at different times to help with discrimination between the letter families and grouping a letter family.   Read more about letter families HERE.  

• Visual Perceptual Skills needed for handwriting.

​There are a number of visual perceptual skills that affect handwriting and therefore letter reversals.  These visual perceptual skills include eye/hand coordination, visual discrimination, position in space, figure ground, visual closure, form constancy and visual memory.  A child who is having difficulty with letter reversals may also be having difficulties with one or more of these visual perceptual skills. Read more about visual perceptual skills needed for handwriting HERE.

Lane, K.A.  (2005) Developing Ocular Motor and Visual Perceptual Skills: An Activity Workbook. Slack Incorporated.
​
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Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details

What a treat! It was like Christmas for me!

I love a good stationery shop! There is something about office supplies and equipment to help keep me organised that is so exciting! OK before you think... what a sad woman... hear me out!

Together with my children, I recently attended Officework's Sydney launch of their new "Learn and Grow" range and it is more than you would expect in terms of office supplies and equipment! 

What an exciting range of products on offer at Officeworks for children to help them to Learn and Grow.  There are over 4000 products in the range and include puzzles, games, chore charts, stickers, posters as well as arts and craft supplies.  The Learn and Grow range includes trusted brands such as Ravensburger puzzles, Playdoh, Orchard games, Melissa and Doug, Crayola and more!  It also includes a range of Officeworks home brand supplies.   One of the best things is the affordability of the products.

We received an awesome "goodie box" from Officeworks to introduce us to the Learn and Grow range.  It is wonderful to see children dive straight into their creative ideas when they get their hands on supplies.  At the launch Mr 7 made a "bow", lots of "feathered arrows" and a holster to hold those arrows (see the photos above as he began crafting the "bow").  Miss 11 years was keen to get crafting as soon as we got home with our "goodie box".  Her choice picks were the large pad of paper, textas fluoro dough and modelling clay.

The only problem with the "goodie box" was keeping some of the supplies for myself and my OT kids!

Here is one way that we put some of the Officework's supplies into action. Using spice jars, I added some googly eyes, a foam nose and foam mouth (one is actually the letter "G" on the side).  My little OT friend helped to unscrew the lid and add "feathers" as hair by poking them into the holes. Whilst a fun colourful activity, there were lots of therapeutic benefits that we were addressing too!  We worked on crossing the midline  and bilateral coordination (read more about this here), fine motor skills and a pincer grasp. 

This vibrant number peg puzzle (by Melissa and Doug) was another way we worked on a pincer grasp. Hiding under the numbers were pictures to help with number identification and counting.  We used pom poms to continue working on a pincer grasp and crossing the midline too.

Later I added an extra level of difficulty by asking this child to hold onto a pom pom with his third/fourth and fifth fingers whilst using his thumb and index finger to pick up the pom poms. This skill is called the separation (or disassociation) of the two sides of the hand is an important fine motor skill for handwriting, scissors, buttoning and other functional tasks (read more about this here).

Playdoh and any other "dough" materials are such a wonderful sensory tool for hands on learning. It is so versatile and can be used for forming into shapes, letters and in pretend play.  You can use playdough to encourage hand strength,  fine motor skill development, sensory exploration, finger isolation, bilateral coordination and more!  Find more ways to use "play dough" here.

I was truly impressed with the range of products available in the Officeworks Learn and Grow range. I've been a long time fan of the Officework's "smelly" stickers and my OT kids expect these each time I see them (unfortunately none of these in my goodie box).   The scent is really strong and brings back memories of "scratch and sniff" stickers that I remember receiving as a child. 

Find the "Learn and Grow" range in stores or online atOfficeworks (delivery within Australia only).  There are so many opportunities for "hands on learning" waiting for your kids. 

What is your child's favourite way to learn? Am I the only one who likes browsing an office supply store?

Disclosure: I was gifted products from the Officeworks Learn and Grow range for the purposes of a review.  Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand.

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Don't forget to download these amazing freebie offers that were created to also support your child's sensory needs!

1. The Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards and Sensory Challenge Cards encourages sensory diet strategies in the outdoors.  The printable packet includes 90 outdoor sensory diet activities, 60 outdoor recess sensory diet activities, 30 blank sensory diet cards and 6 sensory challenge cards.   Get your copy of the Outdoor Sensory Diet Cards and Sensory Challenge Cards HERE.

2. The Classroom Sensory Strategy Toolkit contains these amazing resources:

• Fidgeting tools for the classroom
• Adapted seating strategies for the classroom
• Self-regulation in the classroom
• 105 calm-down strategies for the classroom
• Chewing Tools for classroom needs
• 45 organizing tools for classroom needs
• Indoor recess sensory diet cards

Get your copy of the Classroom Sensory Strategy Toolkit HERE.

3.  The Attention and Sensory Connection Workbook is a one-stop spot for information on the basics of how attention is related to sensory processing. It provides tips to boost attention through the senses so that kids can learn, focus and pay attention when they need to.  The workbook covers information about how impaired sensory processing relates to attention issues in a variety of ways and provides movement and sensory-motor activities that can help boost attention.  There are specific activity ideas and tactics to address attentiveness.  You'll also find workbook pages that can be used to identify underlying sensory-related areas that impact attention and tools for addressing those needs. 
Get your copy of the Attention and Sensory Connection Workbook HERE.

Cindy is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia.  She has two young children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT. 

Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.

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Reference:
Wilbarger, P. & wilbarger, J. (1991) Sensory Defensiveness in Children Aged 2-12:An Intervention Guide for Parents and Other Caretakers.  Stillwater:PDP Press.

Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.

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