“Every child’s behavior is telling us something. Our job is to see the behavior as information, not aggravation.”

There are so many reasons why children behave the way that they do. Why does an autistic child flap their hands? One reason is that it’s in response to a stressful situation. Why does another child bang their head against something repeatedly? One reason is that they do not know how to interpret pain. There are many types of behaviors that help to categorize our kids as having or suspected of having 

Understanding your child’s behavior as a communication.

All communication is considered to be behavior and when you can understand what your child is trying to communicate, you can effectively teach a much more appropriate replacement behavior and see a reduction of challenging behaviors. This is where Applied Behavior Analysis comes into hand.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), is referred to an application of the science of behavior that systematically works to increase skills that aid in the reduction of challenging behaviors and improves the lives of children and families. This is done through reinforcement and teaching strategies based on functional analysis and data collection.

If your child does not have a reliable means of communication or does not understand how to effectively communicate their wants and needs, they may resort to challenging behavior that has had proven results for them in the past. A great place to start is by looking at the functions of behavior to begin to understand them. We use an acronym for these known as: 

 Your child may engage in this behavior because it gives them satisfaction on a sensory level. These types of behaviors can be observed both when the child is in the presence of others as well as when they are alone. If the behavior is not harmful to them or others or causes a barrier to learning we should not worry about reducing these behaviors.

 Your child may engage in this behavior to get out of or avoid an activity that is non-preferred or aversive.

If your child is engaged with their iPad, you remove their iPad and tell them it is time to brush their teeth. Your child immediately throws themselves to the floor and begins screaming. You then remove the task of brushing your teeth and your child stops screaming.

Your child may engage in this behavior because it reliably allows them to gain attention from others.

 You are on the phone talking with a friend and your child wants to engage with you,

your child walks up and slaps you in the face, and you get off the phone and engage with your child.

Your child may engage in this behavior to gain access to things they want/enjoy.

 Your child is in the kitchen jumping up and down and screaming at you. You begin pulling items from the cabinet and offering them to your child, they stop screaming when you pull out the goldfish crackers, you then give them the crackers and they sit and happily eat them.

When we are looking at these challenging behaviors as communication, we want to actively be working to teach more appropriate means of communication. Once more appropriate communication is established you should see a reduction in these behaviors as you see an increase in functional communication. You should work closely with your child’s speech therapist and ABA staff to establish and increase the use of functional communication while actively working to reduce challenging behaviors.

booking an appointment or an initial evaluation

Understanding the Functions of Behavior + Introducing S.E.A.T

Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) - SO, what is it? 

First and foremost, we would like to congratulate our very own Physical Therapist, Chloe Isaacs, PT, DPT, CIMI-2 on the recent completion of her certification in 

 and for being the FIRST in the state of Kentucky to become certified and bringing this method of treatment to Marshall Pediatric Therapy. Chloe is a graduate of the

In this post, we will not only introduce you to all things associated with DMI, but we will show you a few examples of DMI techniques first-hand from one of Marshall’s current patients, our sweet friend, Lillie. We are confident that the discovery and implementation of this technique have been a “missing link” for the overall effectiveness of some therapeutic treatments. We are excited to see how this form of intervention will help shape the world of pediatric therapy and future patients.

DMI Therapy. What is it and how exactly could it help benefit MY child?

is defined as “a therapeutic technique that is used in both

to help treat children with motor delays by improving automatic postural responses and promoting progress towards developmental milestones." The goal of DMI is to provoke a specified active motor response from the child in response to defined dynamic exercises prescribed by the therapist. This comprehensive intervention incorporates current research on neurorehabilitation, technologies, and methodologies. DMI stimulates neuroplasticity to facilitate new neuronal connections and the development of motor milestones. 

Regardless of the level of cognition and extent of neurological deficit or damage, affected children benefit from DMI motor intervention as it pertains to stimulating 

 Children diagnosed with any type of motor delay including conditions such as:

Children at risk, such as those who are born prematurely can also benefit from this therapy due to the strong neuroplastic changes that this treatment stimulates within the developing brain.

After a brief assessment, the therapist will identify areas of deficit, which will guide the treatment. The therapist chooses exercises that will challenge the child’s neurological system to the highest level of skill as well as exercises that develop the core and foundational milestones. Exercises involve movement against gravity, progressively more challenging support, provocation of desired movements, as well as postural and strength challenges. 

During a treatment session the child will complete many different exercises which provide novel and varied sensory and motor challenges and each exercise is repeated around 5 times. Exercises may be repeated from session to session until the movements become automatic, which results in improved balance and function. Exercises are conducted on a tabletop or the floor based on the child’s abilities.

DMI Therapy works well in conjunction with other therapeutic techniques and therapy equipment. These are often combined in a treatment session to provide better alignment and enhance optimal outcomes.

1. Gross Motor Skills – Improving the gross motor skills of children from birth by developing automatic motor movement. (Promotes Neurological Maturity)

 – Continuously increasing the challenge to encourage the child to respond with greater independence.

- All exercises focus on optimal anatomical alignment and stimulate postural control and verticality.

 - Muscle and joint range of motion is achieved by movement (Dynamical and functional stretching).  

 – Improved balance is a common thread through most DMI exercises.

 – Improving actions and skills that lead to attaining milestones such as rolling, sitting, standing, and walking.

 The strong sensory information provided by the exercises sends afferent messages to the brain to create specialized synapses that fine-tune balance, muscle control, and movement.

8. Modifying Tone, Primitive Reflexes, and Abnormal Patterns of Movement

 - DMI strives to provide normalized movement patterns to children with neurological dysfunction to assist with the integration of disruptive primitive reflexes.

 DMI focuses on gross motor skills, however, many other skills develop as a byproduct of this intensive intervention

One really great component of DMI is the encouragement of the parent’s involvement and participation in order for the treatment to be the most successful. At Marshall, we are advocates for this approach as well. The success of one’s individual therapy journey far surpasses what is introduced and accomplished in the clinic setting itself. When a parent is willing to learn and takes therapy techniques home that are assigned by our professional clinicians, they are continuing to challenge the child to reach milestones at a much quicker pace. 

"You always want to help challenge the child at their highest cognitive level. If you aren’t challenging the brain enough, especially during its prime developmental years, the brain is not able to successfully create neuro-pathways. It’s always important to remember that If you aren’t going out of your comfort zone, you aren’t going to see the change.” - 

Neuro pathways help to send signals from one side of the brain to the other. There are three types of neurons. 

= stimulated by our senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing), and

 = help connect the neurons together. When there’s a disruption in the connection, this is when the child might experience difficulty with certain skills that require the intervention of therapy. 

We want to introduce you to one of our current patients and friends, Lillie, and her awesome mother, Brittany, who have opened up to share their pediatric journey and testimony so far. To advocate for Marshall, and for DMI. Brittany shares that traveling the distance from Mt. Sterling to receive services at Marshall Pediatric Therapy is "

Lillie is a little over two years old and has been coming to Marshall since November 2022. A brief glimpse at her diagnosis: Lillie was born 35 weeks premature and has the genetic disorders of both 

. Due to these conditions, Lillie has some onset setbacks developmentally that we are working through.

, in which instead of two chromosomes, they are born with three. Though this condition is identified as genetic, it’s usually not something that is inherited, it is rather due to genetic error at random

, also a chromosomal condition that is associated with many abnormalities in multiple parts of the body including:

An alarming statistic is that children with 

often times present so many life-threatening medical complications, that they oftentimes die before birth, or within one month after birth. 5-10% of children diagnosed with Trisomy 18 live past their one year and those that do, experience a high level of severe intellectual disabilities.

We are so grateful to be part of sweet Lillie's journey as a culmination of innovation and reliable resources that provide hope and peace of mind. When you are a patient at Marshall, you are treated like FAMILY!

Interested in booking an initial evaluation with one of our clinical experts!? We've got you covered 

Are you a clinician and Interested in becoming certified in DMI Therapy? Learn more 

An Introduction to Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) 

Every child deserves to have access to the tools they need to thrive regardless of what mental or physical challenges they may experience. For many kids, occupational therapy is the bridge that allows them to play, learn, and grow as they should. Suppose your child has been diagnosed with a physical, cognitive, or sensory disability, you will want to learn about occupational therapy and how it might improve your child’s quality of life.

 (OT) is an area of health care that can help individuals with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities adapt to their surroundings. Its primary focus is allowing disabled people to live more independently. Occupational therapy can be personalized to help people of all ages. In most cases, occupational therapy for kids is overseen by an occupational therapist who is responsible for helping the child with specific physical, emotional, or social needs overcome obstacles by performing everyday activities in creative manners, such as using a wheelchair for a person who has difficulty walking.

Why Would a Child Need Occupational Therapy? 

If a child has a physical, cognitive, or sensory disability, performing ordinary tasks may be more challenging for them than for their peers. Working with a pediatric occupational therapist could be helpful. With the help of an occupational therapist, a child with autism may discover ways to interact more comfortably with their classmates, or a kid with a physical disability may learn how to perform everyday tasks, such as tying their shoes.

The Benefits of Occupational Therapy for Kids

Occupational therapy can be an invaluable asset to them and their families for a child struggling to do well in school, interact with their peers, or complete ordinary tasks. Here are some of the many benefits occupational therapy can provide kids of all ages:

For children with cognitive disabilities, learning how to interact appropriately around others is sometimes quite difficult. With the help of OT, kids can learn how to manage their emotions, communicate clearly and confidently, and improve their overall social awareness.

Whether a child has difficulty performing fine motor skills, such as holding a pencil to write, or gross motor skills, such as moving their legs to walk, OT can help. An occupational therapist can help the child improve these skills and eventually overcome their problem by focusing on their particular issues.

For children who feel over-stimulated or under-stimulated by particular things that they see, taste, hear, smell, or touch, it's normal to try to avoid those things. Unfortunately, this isn't always possible and can cause behavioral problems when they face their triggers. OT can help kids with sensory processing issues appropriately deal with these situations.

When a kid has trouble doing something that their peers find easy, it can negatively impact how they feel about themselves. With the help of OT, children can learn how to interact confidently with others and feel proud of themselves for tackling problems that may have previously seemed impossible to solve.

Maximize Your Child's Development with Marshall Pediatric Therapy 

No matter what disability your child may have, it's possible for them to live a happy, healthy life. Occupational therapy for kids can give your child and family the tools you need to help your child learn, grow, and thrive. To learn more about how you can maximize your child's development with the help of occupational therapy, contact the experienced team at 

What is Occupational Therapy for Kids?

As a parent or caregiver, it might be crossing your mind: "how do I help to develop a consistent routine for my child, but also make that routine actually work for my child and our family?" If you are, you are certainly not alone! The professional support from Marshall Pediatric Therapy's clinicians could make the world of difference in the dynamic of your day-to-day. 

Developing a routine for children helps to give them structure and consistency, which also greatly impacts their overall 

 These routines do not need to be strict schedules or you could be facing some resentment or a negative result. Instead, it can be done simply by creating an environment that is rather predictable so children know what to expect on a day-to-day basis. 

The neat thing about routines is that one single routine does not have to work for all families universally. Instead, families have the ability to create daily routines that cater to their specific needs, values, and schedules. This is especially helpful when there are multiple children and individuals involved with varying requirements. 

According to one of our recent blog posts, 

suggests that a child spends a minimum of one hour outside partaking in physical activity.

 Now more than ever, children are introduced to and dependent on electronic devices to problem-solve or find some sort of connection more than ever. It is through a routine that a parent can help to define boundaries. 

10 reasons that a daily routine is important for your child:

 help to improve or restore activities that are associated with that of daily living. By doing so, OTs introduce children to independence. Each of our brains functions in a way that permits us to adapt to the behaviors being faced.  

For a simple way to start to help get your child more on track at home, we're providing you with a downloadable schedule tracker. A really great way to visually interpret and recognize a routine as it's forming and working out well. 

For more information about how Marshall Pediatric Therapy's services could benefit your family, we'd love to speak with you anytime and answer absolutely any questions you have! 

The Importance of Developing a Daily Routine 

Finding balance behind a screen. Why it's important and ways that we all play a part.

It's no secret that electronics have become a significant part of EACH of our everyday lives. Due to the fact that we are constantly surrounded by technology, whether that be in our homes, at work, or out and about, it's been rather hard to avoid screens. 

 during the Pandemic, the average usage of screen time in children increased anywhere from 2-4 hours in length. Data indicates that the usage of TV and cell phone equates to an unhealthy amount of up to SEVEN hours spent in front of the screen for "play", which does not include time at school or for the purpose of education. Ultimately, the time spent behind a screen takes away the time that is necessary to spend being active. 

It is suggested that children partake in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity EACH and every day to lessen the risk of 

Other effects of too much screen time may include or be directly linked to:

While usage of screen time in this day and age is rather inevitable, moderation is absolutely key. Avoiding screen time nearly entirely is suggested by healthcare professionals for children that are under the age of two. After the age of two, it is recommended to keep screen time to two hours or less per day. Some ways you can limit screen time is to avoid screens when getting ready for school, at the dinner table while eating, when doing homework if it's not necessary, or right before bedtime. 

When keeping screen time in moderation, a child can best learn things such as letters, shapes, colors, and numbers, explore their interests and build communication skills. A few ways that parents or guardians can ensure that screen time is beneficial or engaging can be done by: 

To speak with one of our expert clinicians, contact us today!

From Our Experts

Understanding the Functions of Behavior + Introducing S.E.A.T

An Introduction to Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI)

What is Occupational Therapy for Kids?

The Importance of Developing a Daily Routine

Screen Time for Kids: Finding Balance