ADLs & Assessments
In this teaching strategy, the therapist performs the initial steps of a task, and the child performs the final step, which is helpful for children with low frustration tolerance.
backward chaining
A child who exhibits a hyperreactivity to ordinary touch sensations—finding light touch aversive and preferring self-applied input—is demonstrating this concept.
tactile defensiveness
This most basic tenet of neuroplasticity states that you must continue practicing a skill to avoid weakening the associated neural pathways.
Use it or lose it
Interventions like Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and Bimanual Intensive Training (BIT) have strong evidence for improving motor skills in children with this diagnosis.
Unilateral CP (Cerebral Palsy)
According to sleep recommendations, a preschooler (ages 3–5 years) is recommended to get this many hours of sleep.
10 to 13 hours
This ADL assessment relies on a caregiver interview or survey to measure real-world independence and adaptive functioning across communication, daily living, and socialization for individuals from birth to adult.
Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS)
This term describes organizing a successful, goal-directed action on the environment because the brain has been able to efficiently organize incoming sensory information.
Adaptive response
This tenet emphasizes that practicing a skill actively grows neural connections.
Use it and improve it
There is strong evidence that mothers reading books to their children, especially shared and dialogic reading, increases these two specific skills.
Attention and literacy skills
Based on the developmental progression of dressing skills, a child typically can pull down simple clothing independently, put on a t-shirt with a little help, and button large front buttons at this age.
3
This assessment is designed for children ages 6 months to 7.5 years and measures domains of self-care, mobility, and social function through a caregiver questionnaire and observation.
Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI)
According to Ayres' theory of CNS organization, these three body-centered (proximal) senses mature early and lay the sensorimotor foundation for more complex cognitive and social skills.
The tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular senses.
Because having specific goals and incorporating a child's hobbies and interests improves outcomes, this principle of neuroplasticity is vital for OT sessions.
Salience matters
In the 2019 article by Liatis, the author highlighted the value of the OT arranging their sessions concurrently with this other therapy discipline.
PT
According to the developmental sequence of toileting, a child typically washes their hands after toileting at this age.
5
This ADL assessment requires certification to administer and involves the observation of real ADL and IADL tasks to evaluate motor and process skills.
Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)
A child who struggles to conceptualize, plan, and execute nonhabitual motor acts (like inventing new ways to play with objects) is exhibiting challenges with this specific skill.
Praxis (motor planning)
This principle explains that practicing one specific skill can actually improve other related skills.
Transference
According to Hine et al. (2020), "Preserving 'normal life'" is one of the six themes that explain why families demonstrate this behavioral challenge.
Non-adherence to home programs
In the emotion regulation sequence, between 12 and 18 months of age, a toddler enters this specific phase, where their behavior demonstrates an awareness of social demands and varying levels of compliance.
The "control" phase
The online, flexible version of the PEDI, which applies from birth to 20 years, includes this new domain not found in the original paper version.
Responsibility
This specific assessment, designed for ages 3-12, relies on direct child performance and structured clinical observations using a specific kit of materials to assess underlying Ayres SI functions.
Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI)
This tenet of neuroplasticity serves as a warning that bad habits can lead to negative or maladaptive neuroplastic changes.
Interference
According to Florek Clark & Kingsley (2020), an inpatient hunger provocation program to wean children off tube feeding within a 3-week period has this level of evidence.
Weak or insufficient evidence
Based on dressing milestones, a child typically unzips a jacket and separates the shank, buttons three or four buttons, and finds the front side of clothing at this specific age.
3.5