The Cognitive Approach for Self-Regulation

The following is an excerpt from my book From Flapping to Function: A Parent’s Guide to Autism and Hand Skills.…

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Promoting Figure-Ground Discrimination During Hand Activities

Figure-Ground Discrimination is a visual-perceptual skill that helps a child to interpret what she sees; it is the ability to…

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How to Make a Sensory Pegboard

Between 12 and 18 months of age, babies develop greater visual-perceptual skills by using form boards, shape sorters, pegboards, nesting…

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How to Make and Use “Sensory Bags or Rings” made from Socks, Sweaters or Pants

Sensory bags and sensory rings are super easy to make and a versatile therapeutic tool. It is also quite rewarding…

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Make Your Own Bilateral Bat, Two-Handled Pull and Zoom Ball Activities

The following bilateral sensory activities are easy to individualize, age appropriate for both children and adults and can be used…

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Anti-Gravity Positions: Prone Extension and Supine Flexion

Prone Extension Between 6 and 12 months of age a typically developing baby is so strong that when placed on…

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How to Provide Proprioception: Using Resistive Fine-Motor Activities

Squeeze, Push, Pull! Activities that involve squeezing, pushing or pulling provide proprioceptive sensory stimulation to the hand joints and muscles.…

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Trader Joe’s Cone Holder Insertion/Stacking Tasks

I always thought that those orange holders at the Trader’s Joe store designed to clip onto the cart and hold…

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Autism and Play Skills

Babies first interact with the world by wiggling their arms and legs with no apparent purpose other than enjoying movement.…

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Using Reinforcement to Build Hand Skills

What is Behavior Modification? A basic principle in shaping or modifying behaviors is that people want to repeat an action…

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