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...

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...

                    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...