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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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Two girls with long blond hair holding hands running on a path into a forest.

Central Coherence

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What Is Central Coherence in Childhood? Central coherence in childhood is the ability to grasp the main idea of a concept, dialogue, movie, story, or picture. The central theme of a grouping of information may be called ‘the gestalt’. The gestalt is the main thread that ties a whole story together. A good way to&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Getting Stuck on Details and Missing the Big Picture?

Central Coherence Issues: Symptoms, Causes, and What to Do - Cadey

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Is Your Child Getting Stuck on Details and Missing the Big Picture?

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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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Somatization

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This article was written with contributions from Hannah Larson LPC. She is a Pediatric Therapist and LPC. What is Somatization in Childhood? Somatization in childhood is emotional upset felt within the body and manifested in physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches, or nausea. The child is experiencing real physical symptoms for which there is no&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Getting a Tummy Ache on a Test Day?

Somatization and Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, What To Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Getting a Tummy Ache on a Test Day?

Concerned about your child’s child's daily  living skills

Daily Living

Is Your Child Struggling With Tasks Like Eating, Dressing, Bathing, or Navigating Everyday Systems? Daily living skills in childhood are the skills needed for independent living, such as hygiene, domestic chores, self-care, eating, and sleeping. Activities of daily living should develop as your child grows.  For a child, independence may be dressing themselves and brushing teeth without help.  For a teen, managing transportation or meal preparation shows independence.  For a young adult, safe driving, getting to appointments on time, or managing finances are independent living skills.  Daily living skills are also referred to as Activities of Daily Living or ‘ADLs.’  Visit this page for general information on daily living skills. 

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Manners and Greetings

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What are Manners and Greetings in Childhood? Manners and greetings in childhood are socially appropriate behaviors that are learned from caregivers or members of the community. For example, manners include polite comments like, “nice to meet you” or “thank you for having me.” Manners also include stepping aside to allow people to pass you in&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Displaying Bad Manners in Public?

Bad Manners in Children: Examples and How to Help - Cadey

Is Your Child Displaying Bad Manners in Public?

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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Two girls hold their arms above their heads, holding each others' hands to form an infinity loop.

Intimacy

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What is Intimacy in Childhood? Intimacy in childhood is the ability to develop and maintain close, meaningful, and lasting friendships or relationships.  Intimate relationships are…reciprocal. Intimate friendships are lasting, deep, and they go both ways. Intimacy involves being aware of personal emotions and the emotions of others.  Intimate relationships are…complex. Intimacy is a high-level social&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Struggling to Develop Close Relationships?

Intimacy Problems in Childhood: Symptoms, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Struggling to Develop Close Relationships?

Concerned about your child’s communication skills?

Communicating

Is Your Child Having Difficulty Expressing or Understanding Language? Communication in childhood is the ability to connect with other people through verbal (using words to express oneself and understand others) or nonverbal means (using eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions). Children with difficulty in communicating likely need help making friends. The most important skill is called reciprocal communication, which is the ability to have a back-and-forth conversation. In the following articles, you will find information about nonverbal communication in terms of gesture use, eye contact, and emotional expression. Communication skills also include expressing one’s thoughts (expressive language), understanding communication from other people (receptive language), and communicating socially with peers (pragmatic language). Visit this page for general information on communication problems.

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Communication

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What is Communication in Childhood? Communication in childhood is the ability to connect with other people through verbal (using words to express oneself and understand others) or nonverbal means (using eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions). The most important communication skill is what is called ‘reciprocal communication,’ which is the ability to have a back-and-forth,&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Struggling to Communicate?

Communication Issues in Childhood: Symptoms, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Struggling to Communicate?

Concerned about your child’s cognitive abilities?

Understanding

Is Your Child Struggling With Comprehension? Understanding or cognition are other names for intelligence, often called thinking skills or abilities. Understanding includes our ability to use abstract thinking, to apply logic and reasoning and to learn new things. The science of educational psychology studies our ability to learn and understand. Within this section, articles include topics like verbal reasoning, non-verbal problem solving, fluid reasoning, spatial awareness, auditory processing, sequential reasoning, and processing speed. These topics are all aspects of the way we understand and learn. Children who are struggling with cognition will have some trouble in school and in other intellectually demanding endeavors. The good news is that for most people, a high degree of patience, and focused effort, will often lead to an improved outcome. Visit this page for general information about understanding challenges.

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Child wearing pilot helmet and homemade plane costume with arm raised.

What are Understanding &amp; Cognition Skills in Childhood? Understanding or cognition are other names for intelligence, often called thinking skills or abilities.  Understanding includes our ability to use abstract thinking, apply logic and reasoning, and learn new things. The science of educational psychology studies our ability to learn and understand.  Within this section, articles include&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Struggling With Understanding?

Cognitive Problems in Childhood: Symptoms, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Struggling With Understanding?

Young girl with pigtails looks defiantly at the camera.

Need for Predictability

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What is the Need for Predictability in Childhood? The need for predictability in childhood is the need to know how things will go to feel safe and comfortable. Interestingly, psychologists have found that this could be part of a genetic trait. Some individuals get upset when life is unpredictable. These individuals need plans to remain&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Needing to Know What to Expect?

Need for Predictability in Children: Definition, Causes, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Needing to Know What to Expect?

Mother seated on a couch leans toward young daughter who is sulking in a chair.

Mood Swings

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What are Mood Swings in Childhood? Mood swings in childhood are rapidly shifting emotional states. A child may go from happy to sad to angry to exhausted in minutes. When mood swings are an issue, these shifts may occur every day or multiple times per day. You may feel like your child’s anger is going&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child&#8217;s Mood Changing Rapidly?

Mood Swings in Children: Causes and What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child&#8217;s Mood Changing Rapidly?

Three children at desks looking at a teacher writing on the chalkboard.

Visual Tracking

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What Is Visual Tracking in Childhood?  Visual tracking in childhood is tracking information from left to right and from one place to another. This skill is most often used in the classroom, when the teacher has written something on the whiteboard that your child is required to copy down onto a piece of paper. Many&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Having Trouble Tracking Across the Page?

Visual Tracking Issues: Definition, Symptoms, What to Do - Cadey

Is Your Child Having Trouble Tracking Across the Page?

Woman in pink shirt pushing boy on a swing.

Community Life

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What Are Community Living Skills in Childhood? Community living skills in childhood fall within a category of skills psychologists call ‘adaptive skills’ or ‘daily living skills.’  Community living skills include the ability to stay safe in public, look both ways before crossing the street, and exercise caution around strangers. Children, teens, and young adults with&hellip; Continue reading Is Your Child Not Looking Both Ways When Crossing the Street?

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