Tips and Thoughts

You would most likely think that occupational therapy is for those who have an occupation, and that this type of therapy wouldn’t apply to children. But actually, children can have certain weak or delayed development skills where an occupational therapist can help. The purpose of pediatric occupational therapy is to help children become independent in their life; their home, school, and social life. If we consider that playing and learning is the ‘occupation’ of children, then it’s important for you to understand and notice some signs that the development of your child’s abilities and skills might not be appropriate to their age.

For children with developmental delays or a physical or mental condition associated with a high probability of delays, Occupational therapy can help improve their motor, cognition, sensory processing, communication, and even playing skills. With the right therapist, you may be surprised with what your child can overcome and improve his or herself.

To know if an occupational therapist is needed, here are five signs that you should watch out for.

Poor motor skills

There’s a difference between being clumsy and the inability to hold and control a pencil, for example, or finding it difficult to cut, color or fold. These are basic skills that children should be able to perform by a certain age, so they might need help to develop the muscles in their hands and fingers. A therapist might also work on hand-eye coordination to improve these skills.

Difficulty reaching age-appropriate development

By certain ages, a child should be able to sit, walk, talk, etc. A child who is slow in development might not be able to learn, develop, play and social skills, or communicate at an age-appropriate level. 

Inability to focus

A short attention span is normal. However, we know that it can be a sign of attention deficit disorder (ADD), but not necessarily. Yet, if your child is extremely sensitive to different distractions, they might overreact or underreact to stimulants, and their impulsiveness can be quite higher than other children. They can also show erratic arousal levels and alertness, as well as slow or difficult language processing.

Weak social skills

Again, we must differentiate between a child who does something wrong or inappropriate out of ignorance, and those that seem intended on what adults would view as misbehavior. These children will have an excessive need for intense movement like jumping, rocking, swinging, and spinning. They might not take kindly to sharing toys or engaging with others, while also displaying obsessive behavior.

Dislike for change

While lots of kids are interested in trying and experiencing new things, these children are very cautious and fear of new experiences. They can become extremely upset when a simple change in routine happens.

As a parent, it’s critical to remember that not all aspects of development have to be exactly on time. It doesn’t mean that something is definitely wrong if your child isn’t holding the pencil correctly yet. It’s just very important to keep an eye on the progress of your child. You might notice some slowness or extreme behavior, but it is an occupational therapist who will determine if your child needs and can benefit from the different therapies available out there.  

 

Going on vacation with the kids is, predominantly, for them. As parents, we feel that we need to take them to family destinations like Orlando so they can have all those great memories. But we leave with an empty wallet, having not been able to do anything for ourselves. As such, we need a vacation as well! But while we can’t go on vacation by ourselves, we need to make some time for ourselves during that vacation. How can we do this?

Free Up An Evening For Yourself

As nice as it is to spend time with your significant other, someone has to watch the kids. So instead, why don’t you make a promise that you stay in one night and they go out, and you can switch it up like that. Wherever you go, there’s always something for the grown-ups! Have a look at this travel and party guide to get some inspiration. That way, you can decide whether to go for a modest drink, or you can hit the town! But make sure you are still fighting fit tomorrow!

Structure The Days Better

Perhaps you’re not getting to do anything that you want because you haven’t planned properly. You don’t need a rigid itinerary, but if you structure the days better, you can find natural dips in the day for a little bit of alone or quality time with your significant other. Going to a theme park? Send the kids off to one of the rides with the longest queues, and head to the cafe. Sometimes we all need a little break from the kids, and if our partner doesn’t want us running off by ourselves, it’s all about structuring it better. That way, there’s no need to rush around either. Stress can appear at its zenith during a vacation.

Just Take Some Time To Relax

If you’re at the hotel or apartment complex, surely you can take an hour to go to the gym, spa, or just sit by the pool? If you want to make some time to yourself, it’s got to be something that is a solitary pursuit. This means you get up an hour before everyone else, so you can relax with a coffee and start the day on the right foot. Having a bit of alone time might not be feasible when you go on vacation, so if you can make it a point of getting up a little bit earlier, or giving yourself 10 minutes somewhere else, you’ll enjoy your vacation more.

Think About Making Some More Pleasant Memories 

Sometimes we want alone time on vacation because we have a nightmare family scenario. But are we going about it the right way? If we want to run away from the family does it help us more about to make the most of what we’ve got? Take the opportunity to make some more pleasant memories and offset any negativity. So instead, embrace quality family time so you can do things together, but also have the opportunity to bond with the kids a bit more. It’s a little thing, but it could help in many ways. 

 

A Keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that gets your body in a ketosis state. It’s a metabolic process in your body where fat is converted to ketones, and the body uses them as energy instead of carbs. Researchers found that the ketosis state is helpful for losing weight, boosting energy, as well as preventing depression and type 2 diabetes.

Before you start your Keto Diet here are some tips to guide you:

• Commit 

Commit to your Keto diet because it is a lifestyle you will adapt to for quite some time. Your body takes around 2 weeks to get into the ketosis state and start burning fat, so be patient! 

• Minimize Carbs also Hidden ones

Stay away from all sugary and starchy food like pasta, rice, potatoes, chocolates, and sodas. Remember that even hidden little carbs, like condiments or starchy vegetables, will spike your blood sugar and your insulin level which will stop the ketosis state. 

• Cravings Solved!

If your cravings are giving you a hard time in the first phase, try adding more healthy fatty acids such as avocados, coconut oil, or even some nuts. They will keep down your cravings and balance your sugar level.

• Don’t Over Obsess! 

When you start your Keto diet, sometimes you can’t keep up with all the calorie tracking and restrictions. According to https://mealmatchmaker.com/best-prepared-food-delivery/keto/, this is when it’s the right time to consider a Keto meal delivery service. It’s also important to be informed about what you can and can’t eat, signing up for a Keto meal delivery service will help take the guessing out of the equation. There are a lot of good ones out there that will easily help you to stay on track. 

• Stay Hydrated

While your body is shifting into a ketosis phase, it will burn energy through your glycogen stores, flushing them out through excessive urination. So you better hydrate that body!

• Move More

The more you move your body, the more you will get ketones! You might experience the Keto flu in the first couple of weeks, some headaches, or decreasing energy. Minimal exercise will help you with this phase and help you burn more. Try walking, swimming, take your bicycle for a spin, or maybe do some yoga- which can help your stress levels too.

• Keep Stress away!

Keto and stress are not a good match. High stress levels produce Cortisol hormone, which releases adrenaline and glycogen, thus spiking up your blood sugar and lowering down the ketosis levels.

• Get enough sleep

Sleeping is as important as the food intake and exercise; poor sleep can shift all your hormones and your ketosis phases. A good night’s sleep can actually help your body, lose weight and fight cravings. So next time you go to bed, put down your phone, shut down your TV and all the lights out, and sleep well! Adjust a sleep-wake schedule that fits your day. 

Keto dieting is different than all other traditional food diets. It might be stressful at first, but always make adjustments and try to find ways to lower the transition effect on your body. It is very rewarding in losing weight and staying healthy. Later, you would need to test your ketosis levels to make sure you’re right on track.