One of my favorite traditions of the holidays is stockings. There’s just something SO FUN about searching and finding “all of the things” for that special someone and seeing how many items you can make fit in that elongated sock.

This year, I’ve gathered a list of ten popular sensory-sensitive items that would make great stocking stuffers for the kiddos on your list! Sensory play helps to encourage problem-solving and creativity. The clinicians at Marshall incorporate sensory play into sessions to help improve things such as but not limited to:

Use the links below to stem some inspiration and cross off a few kiddos on your list this year!

Sensory-Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas

When I was a little girl feeling uncomfortable, insecure, or frightened, I used to imagine my entire body inside a giant, clear bubble of protection. Nothing could get me and I was safe. As I got a little older, I wondered, had I shared my giant bubble of protection with them, would my classmates’ houses have burnt down, would my brother’s bullies have left him alone...? It’s often a helpless feeling to be a child trying to protect yourself and other children.

Childhood experiences certainly become more relevant after we have children of our own. We start to take, personally, the role that caring adults should have and realize that children have a vital need for nurturing guidance, and support. As parents, caretakers, and educators, we try to help young people make sound judgments when coping with danger or uncertainty, realizing that this important life skill will take them into adult life.

Resources are critical for a child’s success and safety education is an important aspect to include. Unfortunately, there is a lack of time spent on safety issues. Safety experts and organizations estimate that between 75 and 90 percent of tragedies could be avoided through better safety awareness and prevention. There’s a tendency to discuss safety measures only after a tragedy occurs rather than spending efforts and resources on prevention.

Knowing the significance of safety preparation and wanting children to feel safe, I wrote an interactive children’s safety book called Safety Safari. It introduces sensitive and frightening topics in a non-threatening way. The information can be reiterated over and over again until children respond instinctively. Safety Safari also encourages children to read, write and communicate. Teaching our children how to evaluate and respond to ambiguous situations empowers them and leads to successful outcomes. What would your child do if he/she gets separated from you in a store? Are your kids protecting themselves online? Does your family have a meeting spot outside in case there’s a fire inside your home? These are just a few of the topics Safety Safari covers.

I always open the floor up to questions or comments after reading my book to groups of children. Sometimes the experiences children describe, in relation to topics in my book, are unsettling. It is alarming and upsetting to hear about their close calls. For me, this further reinforces the need for safety tools and safety discussions. Such resources not only educate children but provide parents and caregivers peace of mind. A tremendous impact can be made and lives saved if we all lead children to examine scenarios and help them practice what to say and how to react so that they have every advantage when faced with the unknown.

Acclaim Press 1-877-4AP- BOOK (1-877-427-2665) 

https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/safety-safari/

Teaching Children to Stay Safe 

One of the most challenging aspects of parenting toddlers is learning to manage their temper tantrums. Besides being frustrating and exhausting, watching your child have frequent outbursts can make you feel like having one of your own. 

Still, it is important to remember that temper tantrums are a normal part of toddlerhood. By recognizing what might be causing their meltdowns, you can prepare yourself to deal with them in a compassionate, effective manner. Here is what you should know about handling your toddler's temper tantrums.

Toddlers are not as complicated as they might seem. In most cases, a young child will have a meltdown for one primary reason: they want something. For younger children, temper tantrums often stem from an inability to communicate their needs. However, older toddlers may be able to let you know what they want but don't have as much independence as they'd prefer.

Regardless of the cause of your child's temper tantrum, it is important to remember that every toddler has emotional outbursts, and their behavior is not a sign that you are failing as a parent. By not taking their meltdowns personally and responding calmly, you can help your child learn boundaries and control their emotions while feeling supported by you. Keep these tips in mind to help you do just that.

Your child will behave the way they see you behave. If you raise your voice when you're angry, so will they. With this in mind, do your best to 

 when your toddler has a temper tantrum. If you yell at them, be sure to apologize and follow up by responding more appropriately.  

Aggressive behavior is never acceptable, even when a young child is frustrated. If you see your toddler hitting, kicking, or behaving aggressively, do not wait to correct them. Let them know at the moment that it is okay to feel angry or frustrated, but it is never okay to hurt others or destroy things.

Everyone feels frustrated from time to time when they can't do something they want to; toddlers are no different. If you see your child getting angry because they are incapable of performing a certain task, such as putting on their shirt, turn their frustration into empowerment by showing them how to do it correctly.

Speaking with brevity and clarity can often help de-escalate an emotionally-charged toddler. Rather than throwing a lot of lengthy or vague commands at your child, which will inevitably get tuned out, let them know exactly what you want from them by speaking in short, clear sentences. 

Temper tantrums aren't a free pass that can get your child out of doing something they don't want to do. After they've calmed down from a meltdown, follow through with whatever you told them to do that caused the outburst in the first place. When they do what you ask, shower them with plenty of praise to reinforce their positive behavior.

As soon as a tantrum is over, your child has likely forgotten about it. Don't ruin everyone's day by holding onto it yourself. While meltdowns can be hurtful, remember that they're a way for your toddler to blow off steam, not a personal attack on you as a parent. 

When Should I Call a Pediatric Therapist?

Usually, temper tantrums during toddlerhood are nothing to be worried about. However, it may be worth consulting a 

Marshall Pediatric Therapy is Here for You

You don't have to manage your toddler's temper tantrums alone. The experienced team at 

 can give you the tools you need to support your child as they learn to communicate effectively, deal with negative emotions, and recognize boundaries. 

How To Handle Toddler Tantrums

ommunication. AAC is communication in a variety of ways, other than talking. This could be Alternative communication, to be used in place of speech. Or it can be Augmentative, to be used to support speech in order to make it more effective. 

AAC can include no-tech options, low-tech options, or high-tech options. Examples include:

AAC can be used for a variety of individuals, including young children with developmental disabilities, Autistic individuals, or adults who have acquired a disorder later on in life. 

These modes of communication allow for independence in the user’s environment. This could include allowing a child to communicate wants at home, being able to participate in conversations at school, making friends with same-age peers, and advocating for themselves in a variety of situations

All individuals have the fundamental right to communication. Reach out to your therapists with any questions you may have. 

https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication/#collapse_1

https://www.asha.org/njc/communication-bill-of-rights/

AAC. What is it, and is it Right For My Child?

Long before I ever thought of physical therapy, before I knew what a pelvic floor was, I had a favorite picture book as a child titled “Everyone Poops.” Perhaps, even you read it yourself. Picture after picture of different animals and their piles of poop made me giggle, and I marveled at how even the tiniest ant pooped as I did.

But, what I didn’t know until I became a pediatric therapist, is that everyone 

poop with ease. And, even more importantly, the number of children affected by constipation and/or related urinary incontinence. According to van den Berg et al, up to 30 percent of children suffer from constipation and accounts for approximately 3% to 5% of all visits to pediatricians. Chronic constipation can result in a variety of long-term and short-term impairments including progressive bowel issues, enlarged rectum, colon dysfunction, and urinary incontinence at either daytime or nighttime.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), by 5 years of age, over 90% of children have daytime bladder control. However, that leaves 10% of children over the age of 5 with daytime or nighttime leaks or complete incontinence.

With all that said, you might be asking yourself “how can a physical therapist help my child with their bowel and bladder problems?” I would have to agree it sounds a little out of the box. When I first became a pediatric therapist, I never saw myself impacting the way kids can void and manage their bathroom time. But, with lots of research, additional training, and a whole lot of love, I’ve been able to work with families and kids to achieve their goals and resolve daily leaks, decreased awareness of when they need to void, nighttime leaks, and constipation. How? By specifically targeting a group of muscles called the 

I like to tell parents to think of their child’s pelvic floor as a bowl. It sits at the base of the pelvis, and like a bowl, holds in liquids such as urine or solids such as feces. Now, imagine that the bowel is made out of really thin paper, or in other words is 

Do you think it would still hold in liquids well? I’d say not. A weak pelvic floor can result in leaks, daytime or nighttime, or urgency, i.e. when your child does the “potty dance” and can hardly make it to the bathroom in time. Together with other core muscles, the pelvic floor plays a role in posture, breathing, and relaxation for when we actually do need to use the restroom.

Which brings us to constipation. When the pelvic floor muscles are overactive or have trouble relaxing, your child may experience painful bowel movements or straining. This can result in withholding patterns, and over time causes chronic constipation. Chronic constipation can also lead to incontinence or leakage, as an impacted bowel press on our bladder and urethra.

But, how might a Physical Therapist address these issues, and what does a pelvic floor PT session look like?

First, an evaluation would occur. This would include:

●  Current voiding patterns such as when and how often

●  Current concerns you have for your child

●  A postural assessment in sitting, standing, and lying

, visual inspection of your child’s perineum

●  Discussion with you and your child about voiding awareness

Once you and your therapist determine what needs your child has, you meet with your therapist on a weekly or twice weekly basis.

This is where it gets tricky; pelvic floor therapy is a commitment. It requires additional homework for you as a parent, with various strategies, charts, and logs completed in order to best monitor your child’s progress. BUT, the end result is wholly worth it.

So what does the therapist do exactly? Your therapist will implement a variety of techniques, including core strengthening, biofeedback, SEMG biofeedback, games, pictures, and relaxation techniques to get your child engaged and their muscles working correctly. Each week, activities will progress or change to further challenge your child and achieve their goals.

Thinking your child might need pelvic floor therapy? Great candidates for this type of therapy include

●  Children leaks or “accidents” after being toilet trained for at least 1 year

●  Children that are having difficulty toileting training past age 5

●  Children experiencing leaks at night

●  Children with diagnosed constipation

●  Children who need >5-10 minutes to complete their bathroom routine

●  Children who report pain or discomfort when urinating or having a bowel movement

●  Children or adolescents who leak with activity, such as sports, jumping, running, or giggling

●  Children who have difficulty “holding” when they have the sensation to urinate

●  Children who experience “streaking” of feces in their underwear consistently

If you take nothing else away from this article, I hope that you know the following 3 things:

Have questions about incontinence, constipation, or your child’s toilet routine? Consider 

 us at Marshall Pediatric Therapy and scheduling a Pelvic Floor Evaluation today!

From Our Experts

Sensory-Friendly Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Teaching Children to Stay Safe

How To Handle Toddler Tantrums

AAC. What is it, and is it Right For My Child?

It Hurts When I Poop, I Dance When I Pee, Why Your Child's Pelvic Floor is as Important as Their ABC's