
“Let’s celebrate by learning: What is Occupational Therapy, and when is it right for your child? Kate Bergsma explains.”
We love using components of Lindamood-Bell’s Visualizing & Verbalizing (V/V) in our therapy work! V/V is a language-based program that develops and enriches a child’s ability to picture a spoken or written word/sentence.
Sometimes when kids have difficulty coming up with an idea for play, responding to questions about reading material, remembering directions to complete tasks, understanding social situations, or even just talking about their day, it might be because they may have difficulty with concept imagery, or the ability to image information as a whole unit. These kids may only picture pieces or parts of an idea.
"Using imagery-based language, V/V walks through a series of steps to further develop a child’s ability to visualize a whole picture – full of details."
Using imagery-based language, V/V walks through a series of steps to further develop a child’s ability to visualize a whole picture – full of details. The ability to visualize is key for kids (and adults!) of all ages and can help improve reading comprehension, remembering details, understanding directions, and concepts, organizing spoken language, and developing executive functioning skills. When skills improve in these areas, kids will have a better overall ability to navigate and understand all different situations: classroom participation and expectations, homework, interactions with their friends, and so much more!
We love to use V/V picturing skills here at The Center to plan and construct crafts, new gym games with peers, make smart moves while playing board games, bake fun and delicious recipes, and play out pretend ideas!
“Let’s celebrate by learning: What is Occupational Therapy, and when is it right for your child? Kate Bergsma explains.”
…how, when, and why I was inspired to create and build one of the first interdisciplinary pediatric private practices in the area. I’ll start with the story of the girl in the picture.
I can tell you that there is nothing better than when we, at the Center, receive the list of the children who have received a scholarship to receive therapy at our organization.
VitalStim Therapy, a specialized type of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), is a therapeutic intervention used to treat dysphagia.
An OT, SLP, and a PT are serving up gift recommendations for your kids this year. See what they have in store for them.
The skills a child gains in symbolic play are directly linked to how they develop certain language skills.
Stuttering is characterized by a high frequency and/or duration of involuntary stoppages in the flow of speech. Core behaviors of stuttering include…
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic condition triggered by foods that causes inflammation and narrowing of the esophagus.
The outdoors provides a unique set of opportunities to describe surroundings, connect verbal output to immediate environment, and more.
Communication is a human right. AAC helps people learn to effectively communicate whatever they want, whenever they want, with whomever they want.
Shared book reading goes beyond simply pulling words off the page. This simple activity requires minimal effort for maximum rewards.
See who made the “Best Doctors & Health Care Pros in Grand Rapids” list.
Hannah’s job search ended when she found an environment that supported her desire for ongoing learning. Lucky for us, that was here.
An OT, a PT, and an SLP walked into a toy store. Here’s what they picked out for your kids!
If mealtimes feel like a battle, finding a skilled feeding therapist can make such a difference.
What makes The Center for Childhood Development unique? A reflection on 20 years of practice.
The medical world has varying opinions about how to evaluate a tongue tie and, if one is present, what should be done to treat it. Or not.
Picture this….you have just spent a long day at the park and now it’s time to go home, but guess what?
When should we be concerned about toe walking? Katie DeRoo PT, DPT, C/NDT is here to tell us.
Four reasons your child may be asking the same questions over and over (and over)…
Wendi Cuson, MS, OTR/L shares insights and tools for children with handwriting challenges.
Transport from one location to another enables participation in daily occupations (the things we want and need to do)…
If a child chronically mouth breaths, the tongue sits low and forward in the mouth. This can cause long-term problems with…
V/V is a language-based program that develops and enriches a child’s ability to picture a spoken or written word/sentence.
The Center has really helped me so much and I want to pay it forward to the next kid.
Supporting brain and body function with tools that can be used in the clinic and at home.
Supporting brain and body function with tools that can be used in the clinic and at home.
We are frequently contacted by concerned parents of young children when their child suddenly begins stuttering.
Our OTs and PTs spent two days learning about the assessment and treatment of motor and nervous system function.