by Joyeberhardt | Apr 28, 2024 | Autism, Child Development
April is National Autism Acceptance Month, and it’s great to see so much attention around autism awareness and acceptance. In recent years, I’ve definitely seen the way society talks about autism shift—but we still have a long way to go to destigmatize this...
by Joyeberhardt | Apr 12, 2024 | Child Development, Playful Parenting
Why can’t children just “do as we say” and follow our rules? Put on your shoes. Turn off the TV. Do your homework. Take a bath. They’re simple commands! However, for some children even the simplest commands are often met with meltdowns, defiance, and even aggression....
by Joyeberhardt | Mar 21, 2024 | Child Development, Parenting
My child started kindergarten. I didn’t know if they could draw a circle much less a picture of a face. They moved quickly and dance-painted with their feet. We’d roll out butcher paper and fill the void with tempura paint wonder. Often the mural turned into a slip...
by Orchid Pediatrics | Mar 14, 2024 | Child Development, Screen Time
Before I had children, I would have sworn up and down that MY children would NEVER be glued to a screen. My pre-parenthood vision was that my children would be too busy enjoying arts and crafts projects, performing backyard “science experiments,” playing sports, and...
by Orchid Pediatrics | Feb 29, 2024 | Child Development, Sensory Awareness
At some point, every child will throw a tantrum. Every child will react adversely to a certain smell, flavor, or texture. Every child will struggle with a major change or life transition. But, that doesn’t mean every child has a sensory processing disorder. Sensory...
by Orchid Pediatrics | Feb 7, 2024 | Child Development, Dyslexia
The ability to read is a foundational human skill that, honestly, most of us take for granted. But imagine having to REALLY work to be able to read. Imagine reading every word oh-so-slowly, and STILL not always comprehending or remembering the material. Imagine if...