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Concerned about your child’s social skills?

Socializing

Is Your Child Having Difficulty Making Friends? Social skills in childhood are the group of abilities your child needs to make friends.  These abilities include perspective-taking, empathy, play skills, sharing and collaboration skills, and communication skills.  Social development progresses from the early skills of parallel play, to conversation, and finally into the ability to develop deep and lasting friendships. Children having difficulty with social skills likely need help finding common interests with others, starting conversations, or taking the perspective of others. Trouble with social skills can be a trying and even heart-breaking experience for a child and family. In this section, you will find topics like social presence, conversations, perspective-taking, and insight. Visit this page for general information on social skills.

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Social Presence

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What is Social Presence in Childhood? Social presence in childhood is the willingness and ability to be around other people in a social situation.  Kids with a strong social presence are comfortable around other children, rather than simply preferring to play alone. This social skill is very basic and foundational because people have to be&hellip; Continue reading Does Your Child Focus More on Objects Than People?

Social Presence in Children: What It Is and Why It Matters - Cadey

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Does Your Child Focus More on Objects Than People?

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Interacting

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What is Interacting in Childhood? Interacting in childhood is the ability to share, take turns, and engage socially with peers.  As children grow, we expect them to take a more active role in developing relationships with others. For example, they learn to observe what other people like to do and share ideas with them.  We&hellip; Continue reading Does Your Child Not Interact With Others?

Child Not Interacting With Peers: Causes and What To Do - Cadey

Does Your Child Not Interact With Others?

Concerned about your child’s emotions?

Feeling

Are Your Child&#8217;s Emotions and Mood Swings Normal? Feelings issues in childhood are difficulties with your child’s emotions, self-esteem, or overall sense of well-being. Emotional challenges in childhood indicate a child is struggling with their mental health, wellness, or coping skills. These struggles can occur throughout different phases of life and may or may not cause long-term distress. Your child’s feelings are important, from the first time they can express them to you through adulthood. All children experience some level of sadness and anxiety in life. When these symptoms take over and impact day-to-day functioning, it is important to intervene. In the articles that follow, you will learn about emotional wellness and how to foster it. These articles include topics like meltdowns, mood swings, cognitive distortions, and self-esteem. Visit this page for general emotional information.

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Compulsions

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What are Compulsions in Childhood? Compulsions in childhood are repetitive behaviors that a person does to relieve excessive anxiety.  Compulsive behaviors are unique in that the individual feels that they simply ‘have to’ do the ritual or routine to feel better. Compulsive behaviors are performed to reduce anxiety, but they are not realistic solutions to&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Insisting It Has To Be Just So?

Compulsive Behavior in Children: Types, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Insisting It Has To Be Just So?

Concerned about your child’s motor skills or sensory needs?

Moving and Sensing

Is Your Child Struggling With Coordination, Sensory Awareness, and Motor Skills? Moving and sensing skills in childhood include gross motor skills (running, jumping, climbing), fine motor skills (handwriting, stringing beads, building with blocks), and sensory regulation (responding to lights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch sensations). Children can have strengths and weaknesses in several of these areas without any cause for concern. In the articles that follow, you can learn about the types of sensorimotor skills that can impact your child’s development and whether or not intervention is needed. The articles in this facet include topics such as coordination, handwriting, body space awareness, and sensory sensitivity. Visit this page for general information about moving and sensing.

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What are Moving and Sensing Skills in Childhood? Moving and sensing skills in childhood include gross motor skills (running, jumping, climbing), fine motor skills (handwriting, stringing beads, building with blocks), and sensory regulation (responding to lights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch sensations).  Children can have strengths and weaknesses in several of these areas without any&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Having Moving and Sensing Problems?

Moving & Sensing Problems in Children: Symptoms, Causes, What to Do- Cadey

Is Your Child Having Moving and Sensing Problems?

Concerned about your child’s organization  skills?

Organizing

Is Your Child Having Difficulty Thinking Through a Problem? Organizing (also known as executive functions) in childhood refers to the child’s set of thinking skills that include planning, initiating tasks, self-monitoring, paying attention, and using effective problem-solving approaches. Children with neurological disorders, such as ADHD or autism, can tend to struggle with executive functions. Although struggles in these areas can be substantially limiting and challenging, the good news is executive functions can be taught. In these articles, you will be guided to understand and name which skills are challenging for your child and learn some everyday strategies you can employ at home. Further, you will learn how to tell whether or not to seek professional help for these difficulties. Visit this page for general information about organizing.

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Organizing Materials

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What is Organizing Materials in Childhood? Organization of materials in childhood is the skill of keeping track of belongings such as school supplies, clothes, and assignments. Kids who are well organized can easily find their shoes and socks in the morning, locate schoolwork in their backpacks, and arrive prepared for school or other activities. When&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Disorganized?

Disorganized Child: Signs, Causes, What To Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Disorganized?

Concerned about your child’s memory?

Remembering

Are Problems With Memory Impacting Your Child? Memory in childhood is the ability to remember important information that the child needs for their learning and day-to-day life. Memory serves us in many ways, from keeping up academically, getting along in social situations, and remembering to brush our teeth before school. Everyone forgets things occasionally. Memory challenges will most likely be evident in school because remembering information is so important for learning and school success. Issues may also be apparent in social interactions and daily chore routines. Your child may have school struggles with memory or forget the morning routine daily, despite constant reminders. Understanding why there are challenges can help determine the best course of treatment or support for memory challenges. When memory challenges cause significant distress, it is important to intervene. View this page for general information about memory in childhood.

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Long-Term Memory

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What is Long-Term Memory in Childhood? Long-term memory in childhood is the ability to hold information in one’s mind for retrieval at a later date. An official definition is, “the mental ability to store and retrieve words, facts, procedures, skills, concepts, and experiences” [1].  It is common for children to have very good long-term memory&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Forgetful?

Long-Term Memory Problems in Children: Causes and What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Forgetful?

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Low Tone

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This article was written with contributions from Joni Hjalmquist. She is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. What is Low Tone in Childhood? Low tone in childhood refers to low muscle tone in any muscle group in the body. Generally, the term low tone is used to describe core strength and stability. Kids with low tone tend&hellip; Continue reading Does Your Child Have Low Tone?

Low Muscle Tone in Children: Causes and What to Do - Cadey

Does Your Child Have Low Tone?

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Sensory Seeking

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What is Sensory-Seeking Behavior in Childhood? Sensory-seeking behavior in childhood is the tendency to seek out sensory experiences across the five senses: sound, smell, taste, sight, and touch. Many kids who have this issue are thrill-seekers. They like jumping off of high places, such as playground equipment. These kids may appear like they are always&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Doing All Their Own Stunts?

Sensory Seeking Behavior: Definition, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Doing All Their Own Stunts?

Young boy dressed like a business man with suit and coffee cup.

Formal or Unusual Language

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What is Formal and Unusual Language in Childhood? Formal and unusual language is the language used by a child that seems too advanced, odd, awkward, or unusual for the situation. These quirky word choices are often overly academic and specialized in nature. The child may sound like a little professor, rattling off information about volcanoes&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Using Formal or Unusual Language?

Overly Formal Language in Children: Examples, What to Know - Cadey

Is Your Child Using Formal or Unusual Language?

Tics

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What are Tics in Childhood? Tics in childhood are uncontrolled movements that show up as motor or vocal repetitive motions. Tics include throat clearing, head shaking, grunting, and excessive blinking. These repetitive motions are often called movement disorders. The most common tic disorder is Tourette Syndrome.  A tic is defined as a “sudden, non-voluntary reflexive&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Grimacing, Shaking Head, or Shrugging Shoulders?

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