Potty training is one of the most frequent struggles parents have. It starts with “When do I know my child is ready?” And “How do I start potty training?”

“What do I do when they don’t seem to understand?”These are all common questions I get from my families. Some of you know that I previously worked exclusively with 0-3 year olds (in their homes), so as you can imagine potty training took up most of my day. The following are some “tips” and “tricks” I have acquired in my figurative bag over the years that my families tend to like (not to be confused with therapeutic recommendations).

The development of sensory processing begins in the womb and continues throughout our lives. Every moment of every day, we are constantly experiencing sensory information from our environment whether we are aware of it or not. From the texture of the fabric in our clothing, to the sound of the cars driving past a window, to the brightness of the lights overhead, or a fan whirring in the background, our bodies are constantly taking in information from the world around us. Our brains take that sensory information and process it, allowing us to create thoughts and actions that influence how we live our daily lives.

Speech-Language Therapy teaches children and adolescents how to communicate effectively, solve problems and make decisions independently. It provides the necessary tools for bright and motivated individuals to engage in meaningful social relationships and complete a fulfilling educational and life experience.

Speech-language therapists are medical professionals who are trained to identify and treat issues with feeding and swallowing which often go undetected and can be a serious threat to an individual’s health. These issues can include a dislike of foods or food textures or inability to properly swallow food and drinks. Difficulties in one or more of these areas include risk of pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration. Swallowing issues can also affect babies. Infants who have difficulty latching, breast feeding, drinking from a bottle, weak lip muscles, difficulty transitioning from a bottle to soft foods, difficulty chewing, and choking/coughing due to eating can also benefit from therapy.

An occupational therapist is a medical professional who evaluates and treats children and adults who have difficulty participating in “occupations” or meaningful activities relevant to their daily lives. A common misconception is that occupational therapy is specifically for adults as children do not have “occupations,” but a child’s main job is playing and learning. An occupational therapist evaluates a child’s skills for playing, school performance, and daily activities and compares them with what is developmentally appropriate for that age group.

W--sitting is a position of sitting on the floor – the child sits on their bottom with their knees bent and rotated on the floor behind them in the shape of a W. Many children W-sit and move in and out of this position during play. All children should be discouraged for sitting in this position. When W-sitting becomes the primary way of sitting, it can hinder development. When playing in other postures, such as tailor sit (legs crisscrossed), long sit (legs straight out in front), or side sit (legs bent at the knees with both knees facing either left or right), children develop the trunk control and trunk rotation that is necessary for crossing midline (reaching across the body) and for separation of the two sides of the body (bilateral coordination). These skills are needed for a child to develop refined motor skills and hand dominance.

Therapy Center of Buda

WHAT OUR PARENTS SAY

I am so happy with the care my daughter gets here. Everyone is helpful and patient. Amy took extra time with me and my wife to explain exactly what was happening with my daughter and explain how therapy was going to help. I love that she involves us in the sessions and we have seen major improvements. I would recommend this clinic to anyone!

-Paul S.

I can't say enough about how much my son has progressed and continues to progress in their care. The love and compassion, professional atmosphere, and top notch therapists make this place the best in central Texas. We are forever grateful to Amy Grant, Miss Angeli, Suzie and Brandi.