Empowering Families: Resources for Developmental Journeys
Understanding the DIR®-Floortime™ Approach
At Attune Therapy, we embrace the DIR®-Floortime™ approach, a relationship-based framework that focuses on a child’s individual developmental profile. This model emphasizes emotional interactions and play to foster growth across all areas. Dive deeper into this powerful method with these core resources:
ICDL: The Home of DIR
The Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning (ICDL) is the global leader in DIR®-Floortime™. Explore their site for comprehensive information, research, and training opportunities related to the model.
Affect Autism: Parent Support
Specifically designed for parents, the Affect Autism website offers valuable insights and practical guidance on applying Floortime principles in daily life. Discover their “Top 10 Floortime Tips” to get started.
Navigating Daily Living Activities: Eating, Sleeping & Toileting
Supporting children with developmental differences often involves addressing daily living activities. We’ve compiled resources that have helped many families successfully navigate challenges related to eating, sleeping, and toileting.
Eating/Feeding Support
For challenges around eating and feeding, explore Feeding Matters, a global organization dedicated to pediatric feeding disorder awareness. If you’re in the Chicagoland area, Rush Autism Care also offers specialized feeding support.
Sleeping Strategies
Promoting restful sleep is crucial. Consider the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and The Integrative Listening System for auditory interventions. The Dreampad also offers gentle, calming music through bone conduction.
Toileting Tips
Potty training can be a journey. The book “Engaging Autism“ provides valuable guidance. Remember, patience and a relaxed, step-by-step approach are key to making it fun and successful for your child.
“In children with special needs, potty training often comes later. Often, the child is not ready in terms of their language and intellectual development. The key is to do it in a relaxed fashion, step by step, making it fun for your child.”
Recommended Reads: Books for Parents & Caregivers
Knowledge is power, especially when navigating the unique journey of parenting a child with developmental differences. These insightful books offer guidance, strategies, and understanding on a range of topics.
Foundational Development
- Engaging Autism: A comprehensive guide to understanding and connecting with children on the autism spectrum.
- Building Healthy Minds: Explores how experiences shape intelligence and emotional well-being.
Behavior & Sensory Integration
- Beyond Behaviors: Shifts focus from managing behaviors to understanding their root causes.
- Building Bridges Through Sensory Integration: A practical guide to sensory integration strategies for children.
Empowering Skills: Bike Riding & Supportive Products
Learning new skills and utilizing supportive tools can significantly enhance a child’s independence and comfort. We highlight resources for teaching bike riding and a product designed for sensory regulation.
Bike Riding Success
Teaching a child to ride a bike can be a rewarding milestone. Discover innovative techniques to make this process faster and more enjoyable. This resource provides a step-by-step guide to help your child master this exciting skill.
Supportive Products
Sensory regulation can be vital for comfort and focus. Sensacalm Weighted Blankets are a popular choice, providing gentle, even pressure that can help calm the nervous system, improve sleep, and reduce anxiety.
Explore Sensacalm Weighted Blankets
The Power of Play
At Attune Therapy, we’re big believers of incorporating play as part of the developmental journey we take with each of our families.
Research shows that play can boost a child’s neural pathways in the brain and support improvements in all aspects of development, learning, and emotional resilience. By encouraging unstructured, sensory-rich play, we can help children develop the cognitive skills they’ll need throughout their lives.
Care for Caregivers
Interested in centering yourself so you’re coming from the best possible place to support your child? Join Angie for a 30-minute restorative session that focuses just on you!