“It is through our senses that we experience life, and it is through our senses that we can reawaken to a fuller and more authentic way of being.” (www.sensoryawareness.org)
Infants and Toddlers: How Children’s Senses Develop
Making Sensory Bottles and Sensory Bags
Sensory Processing Disorder:
STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder
The STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder (https://www.spdstar.org/) provides a plethora of information about Sensory Processing Disorder. Below is their Infant/Toddler Checklist that will help a parent or caregiver determine if a child has SPD. The foundation suggests that parents and caregivers contact their pediatrician if they find that their children have any of the symptoms below:
- My infant/toddler has problems eating.
- My infant/toddler refused to go to anyone but me.
- My infant/toddler has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- My infant/toddler is extremely irritable when I dress him/her; seems to be uncomfortable in clothes.
- My infant/toddler rarely plays with toys, especially those requiring dexterity.
- My infant/toddler has difficulty shifting focus from one object/activity to another.
- My infant/toddler does not notice pain or is slow to respond when hurt.
- My infant/toddler resists cuddling, arches back away from the person holding him.
- My infant/toddler cannot calm self by sucking on a pacifier, looking at toys, or listening to my voice.
- My infant/toddler has a “floppy” body, bumps into things and has poor balance.
- My infant/toddler does little or no babbling, vocalizing.
- My infant/toddler is easily startled.
- My infant/toddler is extremely active and is constantly moving body/limbs or runs endlessly.
- My infant/toddler seems to be delayed in crawling, standing, walking or running.
Source: https://www.spdstar.org/basic/symptoms-checklist
Media Use for 0-3 Children:
Media Use for Children Under 2 Years
Smart Decisions about Media Use
Mobile and Interactive Media Use by Young Children: The Good, the bad and the Unknown
Making Smart Decisions about Media Use for Young Children
New Recommendations from AAP about Media Use
Additional Readings
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011). Media use by children younger than two years. Pediatrics, 128 (5), 1-6. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-1753
Spencer, K. H., & Wright, P. M. (2014). Quality outdoor play spaces for young children. Young Children, November, 28-34.
Additional Websites
USDA’s website that provides a vast amount of information about health, nutrition and physical activity for all ages: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
Similar information as the USDA website, but also describes the food pyramid in detail and breaks down the daily amount of recommended food from each food group for all ages: http://www.foodpyramid.com/mypyramid/
Making Sensory Bottles and Bags: http://www.parentphd.org/2012/03/sensory-bottles-and-sensory-bags-lets-talk-perception/
STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder: https://www.spdstar.org/