Elite Therapy Center has a fantastic team of physical therapists who specialize in sports wellness, strengthening and injuries.
Our team consists of highly trained doctorates of physical therapy, physical therapy and physical therapy assistants ready to work with ALL ages of pediatric range (birth-21) to perform evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with motor impairments, injury, disease, or developmental delay. We work with clients who require rehabilitation from sports injuries to children who have significant developmental or neurological delays.
Elite Therapy Center physical therapy program emphasizes on wellness, treatment and prevention of sports injuries with special understanding of the unique needs of school aged athletes as well as children with disabilities. Please contact us if you child is in need of strengthening and wellness therapy. We work to make sure they can carry on strong in their scholastic and extra curricular sports achievements! #JourneyElite #EliteTherapyCenterPT
The first day of school brings much excitement and chaos.
There are many things you can do to help ease the transition from summer back to school.
Here are a few things you can do to prepare both you and your child for the upcoming change:
Begin Preparing Your Child Slowly
Begin having conversations about school and how the days will be different from the summer time. This includes talking about how bedtimes and waking times will change. Also take advantage of ‘Meet the Teacher’ night. If you have an opportunity for you and your child to meet your teacher and see the classroom prior to the first day of school, this can help all of you be prepared for what’s ahead.
Review your New Routine
If you are able to make early contact with the teacher, ask them to provide a tentative schedule so you can walk your child through what their day might be like. In talking about how bedtimes and waking times will change, also prepare your child for how there will be new times for new activities during their school day.
Create a Guide About Your Child
Teachers are balancing classrooms full of new children, personalities, and energy. Draft a document and provide it to your child’s teacher so they can have quick reference notes if your child has specific needs at any certain times of the day. Be sure to send both a digital copy and a printed copy so you can know your teacher has access to these notes or how to contact you at all times.
Get Yourself Organized
Take time to organize ALL aspects of your child’s school experience including new sleep schedules, class schedules, breakfast and lunch meals, clothing comforts, and medical equipment needs. The first few days of school will help you modify your organization accordingly but the more you do in advance, the less stress it will be for both you and your child.
Resources
Touch base with local organizations and support groups to find out how to best prepare for all challenges and celebrations the new school year will bring for your child and their classroom.
Children and families have long celebrated heading into summer time with enthusiasm, new found freedom, and fun plans. While this annual changeover is fantastic, it also poses challenges for children with sensory processing issues. Does your child show unusual sensitivity to high temperatures, bright light, noise, or tactile sensations? These sensory surprises can be difficult or strenuous to children with sensory hypersensitivity. Being aware and advance planning can help parents /caregivers of children with sensory issues maximize their summer time fun and support their regular regimens and routines.
Sensory triggers can include:
intense rising temperatures
rowdy play grounds or water parks
loud volume at the movies/concerts
sand on the beach or salty water
“For a child who experiences tactile hypersensitivity, going to a beach can be more upsetting than enjoyable,” says Kari McKown, owner and occupational therapist. “They do not enjoy the way sun or sunscreen feels being put on their skin or the roughness of the sand beneath their feet.” Stimulations like going into the water or eating sensory-stimulating foods like snow cones or cotton candy could trigger a meltdown.
Study your child’s behavior and know their unique needs: An effective way to plan the most fitting summer activities and experiences is to study your child’s unique needs and have a strong understanding of how to avoid places or situations that can trigger a troubling response. If you have multiple children, you might discover what is great for one might be miserable for another. By tuning into your child’s behavior, you can get a better sense of what they might enjoy in the future and what tools you can use to make potentially difficult activities become less stressful.
Stick to a schedule: Summer can be the definition of going ‘OFF SCHEDULE,’ but the loss of an orderly schedule can be severely disruptive for a child with sensory issues. “Studies and our own experience show children with sensory issues thrive when there is a set or predictable schedule in place and they have a knowing of what is going to happen in the day,” says Kari. “When consistency and patterns are gone, the day can become more stressful, not less. We encourage sticking to your child’s routines as best as possible to help them feel comfortable and better prepared to face what’s coming their way.”
Consider these options:
Wearing sun-protective clothing and shoes if your child is sensitive to sunscreen or sand on a beach and sensory friendly bathing suits
Have ear protection on hand for loud parks, movies, fireworks or outdoor concerts
Enroll them in local summer activities that help maintain their regular schedule or are even geared toward working with children who require sensory integration
Maintain your normal therapy schedule (if you have one) and if you are not out of town
Create a calendar using fun items like stickers or bright colors to represent new planned activities or regularly scheduled appointments
Reward consistency! If you know what your child likes for a ‘treat,’ have it ready to celebrate the accomplishment of both new activities and regular schedules
If you think your child might be experiencing sensory issues and you’d like to know more about how to best identify and accommodate them in this summer season or into the upcoming school year, fill out our Request for Care form. We will contact your child’s doctor and schedule an appointment to evaluate their specific needs. Doing this not only helps your child but can help bring a balance to your entire family.
Many parents wonder if their child is “where they should be…” with words, communication, and general developmental milestones. Elite Therapy Center provides wonderful resources on this website sharing both Speech and Developmental milestones for children.
It’s always best to check!
If you have any concerns or are wondering if your child might need assistance, study these milestones and give us a call. Elite Therapy Center is happy to work with you and your child’s physician to schedule an evaluation.
Elite Therapy Center celebrates Better Speech and Hearing month in May. Our incredible TEAM of licensed Speech Pathologists and Speech Therapy Assistants work tirelessly to provide the highest quality of speech and language care for children and families in Central Texas. Sharing the fantastic resource information provided by the American Speech & Hearing Association, we want you to know important facts about speech milestones, development or delays.
Please visit our Elite ‘Areas of Speech Therapy‘ page to see how we work with your child’s physician to formulate a custom plan for treatment. Check out the many resources ASHA shares for speech and hearing awareness.
You can find great resources in our PARENT PORTAL. Also, if you're looking for frequently asked questions or financial assistance available via grants, click below!
Here are a few things you can do to prepare both you and your child for the upcoming change:
