TBC

Category: Children Occupational Therapy in Dubai

  • What are motor skills and how many types are they?

    What are motor skills and how many types are they?

    What are motor skills and how many types are they?

    As parents and caregivers, we observe with wonder as our children grow and achieve various milestones throughout their early years. From their first steps to their first words, each achievement signifies progress and development. Among these crucial milestones are gross motor and fine motor skills, which form the foundation for a child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional growth.

    Gross motor skills

    Gross motor skills are movements that include movement and coordination of large core muscle groups such as the arms, legs, and other body parts. Involved in actions such as running, crawling, sitting, standing, walking, jumping, lifting, and kicking.  

    Fine motor skills

    Fine motor skills activities involve manual dexterity and often require coordinating movements that occur in the hands and eyes, also known as hand-eye coordination. Movements are more controlled and precise and often a well-developed pincer grip is needed. A child would need fine motor skills for actions such as holding pencil or scissors, writing, cutting, threading beads, playing with Legos, and buttoning up their coats.  

    Why it’s important to have developed and adequate motor skills?

    In life, both gross and fine motor skills are needed for several important aspects of a child’s life:  

    • Physical development: When children are young, they need to develop physically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally. Fine and gross motor skills are crucial because academic success involves children having control over their muscles. They need a strong core and posture to sit at a desk for long periods of time, eye muscles that can track while reading, a good pencil grip, and finger control when writing.  

    Physical development includes: gross motor (large muscles), fine motor, eye-foot and eye-hand coordination, midline crossing, direction and orientation, dominance (left or right-handed or footed), body and spatial awareness. 

    • Independence: Having good motor skills gives children independence. Without that control, a baby relies on his mother to hold his bottle, a toddler can’t build her puzzle, and a preschooler can’t unzip his bag to take something out. Just like a child needs to develop language and vocabulary to be able to communicate his needs, building physical skills is the quickest route to independence and being able to do things for himself. 
    • Self-care: Self-care tasks rely on using the small muscles-especially the fingers of the body. Self-care includes tasks such as eating, dressing, tying shoelaces, brushing teeth, washing hands, going to the toilet, preparing simple foods, brushing hair. 
    • Play activities: During the preschool years, children are participating in all kinds of fine motor activities at home and at school. They need a level of fine motor control to be able to participate in these activities, and of course, these activities are further developing their skill in preparation for formal schooling later. 
    • Drawing: Drawing is crucial during the early periods of childhood. As children progress through the stages of drawing, they show their maturity and ever-increasing cognitive understanding through their drawings. Their drawings show their understanding of the world and its concepts, and their ability to hold and control drawing tools like crayons. Drawing a person, for example, is a fine motor milestone that shows a child’s level of body awareness. 
    • Learning to write: One of the most important reasons kids need fine motor control is to be able to learn to write. This is not a skill that should be pushed early but rather one that will develop when children have had years of exposure to play activities, as mentioned above. Teaching a child to write too early does not help them learn to write as their fingers are not even developed enough at a young age. Children need to first develop through play, and when they are mature enough and have the necessary physical control, learning to write will be easy and natural. Fine motor skills are needed for handwriting because children need finger strength and control to be able to hold writing tools and form letters carefully.  

    Developmental milestones for fine and gross motor skills that help you in tracking your child’s development.

    • 1-2 years:  
      • Stands and can pick up tiny objects. 
      • Sitting, crawling, and walking independently. 
      • Can turn pages in a book. 
      • Can open a door. 
      • Can walk up and down stairs.  
    • 2-3 years: 
      • Can hold crayons. 
      • Can jump with both feet.  
      • Can draw lines, dots, and circles.  
      • Can cut with scissors.  
      • Can ride a bicycle. 
    • 3-4 years: 
      • Can move fingers independently. 
      • Can draw precisely.  
      • Can dress themselves.  
    • 4-5 years: 
      • Can copy shapes.  
      • Can throw and catch a ball.  
      • Can write numbers and names.  
      • Can use buttons in clothes.  

    In conclusion, the development of gross and fine motor skills is a fundamental aspect of a child’s growth, shaping their physical abilities, cognitive capacities, and emotional well-being. As parents and caregivers, understanding the importance of these skills allows us to provide the necessary support and encouragement to help our children thrive.

    Remember, the journey to independence and success begins with honing motor skills during the early years. From holding a crayon to riding a bicycle, each achievement builds a strong foundation for future accomplishments. As children master these skills, they gain confidence and a sense of autonomy that will serve them well in all aspects of life.

    If you ever find yourself seeking additional guidance or specialized assistance in fostering your child’s motor skills, consider exploring the services offered by Talking Brains Center (TBC) in Dubai. With our psychomotor sessions and occupational therapy, provided in English, French, and Arabic, TBC is dedicated to supporting children in reaching their full potential. Our experienced professionals can tailor interventions to meet your child’s unique needs, ensuring a nurturing environment for growth and development.

  • Occupational Therapy for Enhancing Skills in Children with Epilepsy

    Occupational Therapy for Enhancing Skills in Children with Epilepsy

    Occupational Therapy for Enhancing Skills in Children with Epilepsy

    Occupational therapy, specifically tailored to address the needs of children with epilepsy, plays a vital role in supporting their development. These children often face a range of symptoms associated with epilepsy, varying in frequency and intensity. Due to these challenges, many of them encounter difficulties in school and struggle with social skills, significantly impacting their self-esteem. However, occupational therapy interventions can provide significant benefits.

    Which learning areas are affected in children with epilepsy?

    Many children with epilepsy, despite having normal intelligence, experience deficits in specific areas crucial for thinking and learning. These areas commonly include attention, concentration, memory, and organizational skills. To enhance these critical abilities, occupational therapy interventions, such as psychomotor therapy, are highly recommended.

    Occupational therapy approaches to skill enhancement

    Occupational therapy, with its focus on facilitating engagement in meaningful activities, is well-suited to improving the skills mentioned above in children with epilepsy. Through play and exploration of novel experiences, occupational therapy helps children develop their organizational skills, attention span, and executive functions, including working memory, inhibition, and flexibility. By incorporating occupational therapy techniques, children can make significant strides in these areas.

    The impact of spatial development on learning

    Spatial development in children directly influences their reading, writing, and mathematical abilities. Particularly in early childhood, occupational therapists work on enhancing “sensory-motor” skills by encouraging direct experiences that allow the child to explore physical spaces. This may involve activities such as crawling, walking, and sitting on the ground. Additionally, occupational therapists offer stimulating games that foster the understanding of concepts like right-left, front-behind, before-after, up-down, inside-outside, near-far, and beginning-end.

    Stimulating working memory through occupational therapy

    Occupational therapists employ various activities to stimulate working memory, which aids children in temporarily retaining information and processing additional data to solve problems. For instance, working on mathematical concepts can be beneficial for children with epilepsy.

    Promoting inhibitory control and attention skills

    Occupational therapy interventions also focus on promoting inhibitory control, helping children regulate their emotions and behaviours effectively. This aspect of therapy is crucial for optimal self-control and requires attention skills, including selective and sustained attention, to minimize distractions and maintain focus on the intended task.

    Enhancing cognitive flexibility through occupational therapy

    Cognitive flexibility, an important skill for adapting to new environments, is another area targeted by occupational therapy. By incorporating specific interventions, occupational therapists help improve the child’s ability to adjust and thrive in different situations.

    Conclusion: Collaborative care for children with epilepsy

    Epilepsy in children often correlates with difficulties in social competence, behavioural adjustment, emotional well-being, and academic performance. Therefore, it is crucial to provide comprehensive support, including psychological intervention and speech and language follow-up. Occupational therapy, in collaboration with educators, families, and healthcare professionals, plays a vital role in developing and continuously improving academic, behavioural, and emotional success plans for children with epilepsy.

    If you believe your child with epilepsy might need occupational therapy in Dubai, reach out to TBC. Our Lebanese therapists offer occupational therapy for children in English, French and Arabic.

  • What is Occupational Therapy?

    What is Occupational Therapy?

    What is Occupational Therapy?

    Occupational therapy is a field of healthcare that focuses on helping people to participate in meaningful activities, or occupations, that are important to their daily lives. The goal of occupational therapy is to help individuals develop or regain the skills needed to engage in activities that are essential for their health, well-being, and quality of life.

     

    Who might need Occupational therapy?

    Occupational therapy can benefit people of all ages and abilities, from infants to the elderly, and those with physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges. Some of the individuals who might need occupational therapy include:

    • Children with developmental delays or disabilities who need assistance in developing skills for school, play, and socialization.
    • Adults who have suffered from injuries or illnesses that have impacted their ability to perform activities of daily living, such as getting dressed, bathing, or cooking.
    • Individuals with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who need support to manage their symptoms and engage in daily activities.
    • Older adults who are experiencing physical or cognitive decline and need assistance to maintain their independence and quality of life.

     

    How can Occupational therapy help?

    Occupational therapy practitioners work with individuals to assess their strengths and challenges, identify goals, and develop personalized treatment plans to improve their ability to participate in meaningful activities. Some of the ways in which occupational therapy can help include:

    • Enhancing physical function: Occupational therapy can help individuals improve their strength, range of motion, balance, and coordination to perform daily activities.
    • Developing fine motor skills: Occupational therapy can help children and adults develop fine motor skills needed for activities such as writing, using utensils, and manipulating objects.
    • Addressing sensory issues: Occupational therapy can help individuals who have sensory processing difficulties to manage sensory input and develop strategies to regulate their responses to sensory stimuli.
    • Improving cognitive skills: Occupational therapy can help individuals with cognitive impairments improve

    If you, or a loved one, believe might need occupational therapy in Dubai, reach out to TBC. Our Center offers occupational therapy for children and adults, our sessions are held in English, French and Arabic.