Jewel Autism Centre

Functional/Manipulative Play Children learn about objects and their use through functional play.  They use toys or objects in the way in which they are intended.  They will roll a ball and stack blocks. This type of play can also be described as manipulative play.  A child uses their hands to manipulate toys and objects to learn about how to use them.  This includes construction play, arts and crafts and tool-use (e.g. scissors) and helps to develop eye-hand co-ordination. Early Manipulative Play Manipulative Play in the early stages is about learning to use your hands.  Fine motor skills develop through a number of different stages from sensory awareness to in-hand manipulation and tool-use.  These skills are essential for the development of other activities of daily living.  Below are some play activities to help your child develop these essential skills. Reach Grasp Release Reach, grasp and release are fundamental fine motor skills...

global developmental delay  Babies and children usually learn important skills such as sitting up, rolling over, crawling, walking, babbling (making basic speech sounds), talking and becoming toilet trained as they grow up. A child with Developmental Delay may not reach one or more of these milestones until much later than expected.   What is Global Developmental Delay? The term Developmental Delay or Global Development Delay is used when a child takes longer to reach certain development milestones than other children their age. This might include learning to walk or talk, movement skills, learning new things and interacting with others socially and emotionally. What are the signs to look for in children? Parents normally come to know of it after their child is born. This could be due to a problem that developed before birth, a problem during birth (for example, if the baby did not get enough oxygen, or was born too early), a childhood illness or a...

Hypermobility syndrome Hypermobility syndrome – The joint hypermobility syndrome is a condition that features joints that easily move beyond the normal range expected for that particular joint. -It is estimated that 10%-15% of normal children have hypermobile joints or joints that can move beyond the normal range of motion. -Hypermobile joints are   sometimes referred to as “loose joints,” and those affected are referred to as being “double jointed.” -Hypermobility which is characterized by weakness of the connective tissues of the body. – Joint hypermobility is commonly seen in people with Down syndrome and in people with Marfan syndrome. Symptoms – Joint hypermobility syndrome include pain in the knees, fingers, hips, and elbows. -There is a higher incidence of joint dislocation and sprains of involved joints. -Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) occurs more frequently in people with hypermobile joints and can lead to back pain. Treatment -Often jo...

Phonological disorder Phonological disorder causes problems making the right sounds for letters or words. Children with this disorder make 3 types of mistakes: Replacing one sound with another (saying “bat” instead of “cat”) Leaving out a sound (saying “dess” for “dress”) Adding a sound (saying “plaper” instead of “paper”) This disorder can go away by itself by the time a child is around 8 years old. However, the earlier speech therapy is started the better. Children who start therapy before age 3 usually improve faster and do better than older children. WHAT IS THE CAUSE? Several kinds of problems may cause this disorder: Problems with the roof of the mouth or the tongue, such as cleft lip and palate Nerve problems that cause the muscles of the mouth to have trouble forming sounds Hearing problems Being exposed to chemicals that can affect the brain Physical changes in parts of the brain Parents who have speech problems have a higher risk of having childr...

Block play Block play offers an open-ended, creative and valuable play and learning experience available to every setting. It offers children freedom – to explore, take apart and put back together any block-based creation they can think of. There are a host of benefits to be gained from this activity. Stages in Block Play Stage 1: Exploring Blocks (ages 1- 3) … Stage 2: Building Rows and Towers (age 2- 4) … Stage 3: Building Bridges and Passageways (ages 3- 4) … Stage 4: Building Enclosures (age 4) … Stage 5: Adding Symmetry, Detailed Balance and More Involved Design to Structures (ages 4- 5 What Children Learn Through Block Play 1. Helps in Problem-Solving Playing with building blocks will help your child improve her problem-solving abilities. During play, she might wonder how to build something with the blocks. Her ability to solve the conundrum will help her in future. While building a structure, she will find new ways to complete the design. 2. BOOST SPATIA...

DEEP PRESSURE THERAPY Deep pressure has been defined as the “sensation produced when an individual is hugged, squeezed, stroked, or held”. It is widely used by occupational therapists working with children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and is thought to be rewarding, reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety and improving performance in school. Deep pressure is based on sensory integration theory as initially developed by Ayres in the 1960s and 1970s. The use of deep pressure for individuals with autism spectrum disorders has been widely discussed since Temple Grandin described her self-designed machine (hug machine) for giving her the pressure sensations that she craved. Other types of deep pressure therapy include weighted garments, swaddling, holding, stroking, and hugging, squeezing, and therapeutic brushing. Deep Pressure Stimulation (DPS) is firm but gentle squeezing, hugs, or holding that relaxes the nervous system. This pressure can be applied with the hands, speci...

                    Parents play a critical role in a child's language development . Studies have shown that children who are read to and spoken with a great deal during early childhood will have larger vocabularies and better grammar than those who aren't. Here are some simple ways to nurture your baby's language development. 1. Talk, talk, talk.  Narrate the day as it evolves. Tell your child, for instance, "Now we're going to take a bath. Can you feel the warm water on your belly? When we dry off, we'll get dressed and take a walk." 2. Read, read, read.  It's never too early to read to your baby. One good predictor of future reading success is the amount of time parents spend reading with their child. Parents can start with simple board books and graduate to picture books and longer stories as their child gets older. Story times at the local library or...

Tantrums Tantrums   are unpleasant and disruptive behaviors or emotional outbursts. They often occur in response to unmet needs or desires. Tantrums are more likely to occur in younger children or others who cannot express their needs or control their emotions when they are frustrated. A tantrum is an outburst that happens when kids are trying to get something they want or need. Temper tantrums are pretty typical for toddlers and preschoolers. Once kids have more language to express themselves, tantrums tend to subside a little.               A Meltdown is very different from a tantrum. It’s a reaction to feeling overwhelmed. For some kids, it happens when they’re getting too much sensory input—that’s information coming in from their senses. Kids may become upset by certain sounds, sights, tastes, and textures. You might hear this called sensory overload. The commotion...