Steps 2 Grow - JOURNAL

Retained Primitive Reflexes: Could they be impacting your child's development?

1/10/2021

You know those special moments when your baby wraps their teeny fingers around your thumb? Or the cute fencing position your baby gets into when they turn their head to the side? Those are 2 of the many primitive reflexes (palmar and asymmetric tonic neck reflex) your baby is born with. These reflexes typically disappear on their own, but sometimes they don't, and development can get hung up.

How To Help Your Baby Learn To Crawl

8/1/2020

Crawling seems to be one of the milestones that creates the most questions and concerns among parents. So, let's dive into it a little bit! When and how crawling develops, the experiences and skills your baby needs to master first, and what you can do to support the natural progression of crawling skills.

6 Developmentally Beneficial Things You Want On Your Baby Registry

8/1/2020

Gosh, how do you choose what to put on your baby registry when there are so many options out there!? And so many great marketing teams convincing you that you need lots of gadgets for your baby! Well, here are 7 things you will definitely want handy when baby arrives, all of which offer developmental benefits and great learning opportunities for your new nine pound nugget.

5 Things You Don't Need On Your Baby Registry

7/24/2020

It is so hard to know what you need in preparation for baby, what gear is the most beneficial for baby, and, on the other hand, what is just a really well marketed product? Especially if this is baby #1. There is a huge industry that takes advantage of new moms and moms-to-be wondering these things. But not you! Not this time! Because I am about to share with you 5 products you will now think twice about putting on your wish-list.

20 Simple And Fun Core Strengthening Activities For Toddlers And Preschoolers

7/13/2020

Have you ever heard the term postural stability? It is a fancy developmental term that isn't really talked about, until it becomes a problem. Postural stability is a child's ability to maintain an erect upright posture without fatiguing, which requires core strength! And having adequate core strength and postural stability is crucial for development to stay on track. Let's chat why core strength is important, signs your child may have poor postural stability, and activities you can do to boost stamina and strength.

W-Sitting: Why It Happens And What To Do

7/11/2020

You've seen the position, right? A child sitting with their heels on the outside of their bottom. The position makes hurt just looking at it! But let's chat about it, because many parents wonder if this is an "okay" position for their child to be in. To be perfectly honest, doctors and pediatric healthcare professionals debate on how bad, or not so bad, W-sitting is for a child's anatomy and development. As a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in teaching children how to use their bodies better, here is my take...

Is Structured Play Really Necessary?

6/30/2020

I don't know about you, but I often feel overwhelmed by the amount of "structured" goal oriented activities I see posted all over social media by bloggers and development professionals. And I am totally guilty of being one of the people posting them! But if you are a busy and tired mom seeing all of these fun extravagant play ideas, I can only imagine it feels confusing and intimidating, and could create questions like......

Pencil Grasps: The Pre-Reqs, Supportive Activities, and When To Worry

6/15/2020

My child isn't holding a pencil with a tripod grasp yet. Should I be worried?
This is one of THE most common questions I get as a pediatric OT working with kids in the birth-5 age range. So, let's walk through some simple grasp development, pre-requisites needed for an efficient tripod grasp, what you can do to support your kiddo in the process, and when to worry if you aren't seeing improvement.

10 Fun New Ways To Play With Puzzles

6/12/2020

Toys lose novelty sooo quickly, amiright? Wooden puzzles that were once a favorite get relegated to the bottom of the basket, or worse, a closet to collect dust until they head to Goodwill. If you have wooden puzzles in those places, let's bring them out and chat new ways you can use them! Because puzzles are so versatile, and incredibly easy to revamp in fun, new, exciting ways that boost interest, AND sensory motor development.

Why We Should Stop "Teaching" Our Babies

6/6/2020

It amazes me how much pressure society puts on kids these days. Pressure to meet milestones on time, or better yet, early! And that starts day one! Doctors prescribe tummy time before a child can roll to their belly; parents try to teach their babies to roll; we "walk" our children by holding their hands above their heads before they stand on their own because we think we are helping....