Development
Learn how to support your baby as they grow and develop through milestones, including gross motor and fine motor development as well as communication skills.
Filter by: Communication, Fine and Gross Motor, Orientation and Mobility
Development
Help! My Baby’s Teeth Are Coming Through In the Wrong Order
Noticing your baby’s teeth coming through in the wrong order can cause concern. Put your mind at ease with facts on your child’s tooth development.
Behavior, Development
Self Help Skills: Helping Your Child Achieve Independence
Self help skills are behaviors or activities performed by your child which lead to them developing more independence and autonomy.
Development, Parenting
Baby Jumper Age Ranges: The Right Ages to Start & Stop
Jumpers give parents and caregivers a safe place to put the baby for a few minutes while they take a much-needed break or get other things done.
Development, Parenting
Help! How Do I Keep a Pacifier in My Baby’s Mouth?
The tricky thing about using a nighttime pacifier is keeping it in your baby’s mouth so both of you can get a restful, deep sleep. Here's our solutions.
Development, Fine and Gross Motor
The 6 Baby Crawling Types Explained
Crawling is an exciting milestone, but did you know there are different baby crawling types that could be completely normal for your infant?
Fine and Gross Motor, Toys
Crawligator Tummy Time Support
The Crawligator is a safe and fun way to promote tummy time by supporting crawling mobility and helping develop gross motor skills.
Orientation and Mobility
Defined Spaces: How to Create Big and Small Playspaces for Children Who are Visually Impaired
A defined space is any area in which meaningful objects are kept in predictable, accessible, and easily detectable locations.
Orientation and Mobility
Southeastern Guide Dogs
Southeastern Guide Dogs places skilled companion dogs with children with vision loss and guide dogs with teens as young as fifteen.
Fine and Gross Motor, Product Reviews
Best Crawling Toys for Babies in 2022
The best crawling toys for babies not only serve as encouragement for crawling, but also provide entertainment and opportunities for exploration.
Development, Fine and Gross Motor
How To Encourage Crawling: 10 Creative Tips for Your Baby
Tummy time is one of the greatest forms of encouragement you can give to your baby as she learns how to crawl. Now learn what the other nine are.
Communication, Potty Training
How to Use Sign Language for Potty Training
Sign language can be helpful for potty training young children who are pre-verbal, kids with special needs, or for multilingual families.
Development
Developmental Journal for Young Children with Disabilities
The United Kingdom's Department for Children, Schools and Families provides templates for monitoring educational protocols and developmental goals.
Fine and Gross Motor
When does a blind baby start crawling?
When does a blind baby usually start to crawl? When should I start to be worried that there is another issue besides blindness?
Fine and Gross Motor, Toys
6 DIY Toys to Encourage Fine Motor Development
I talked to an OT about some of the home-made toys she creates for her students to help them learn fine motor skills. Here are six of my favorites!
Advocacy, Orientation and Mobility
Make Your Own White Cane Lapel Pin for White Cane Day
Celebrate White Cane Day with your very own white cane lapel pin! Show your white cane pride with this hand-made bead pin.
Fine and Gross Motor, Sensory Activities
The Learning Blanket: Tactile Activity Blankets & Pillows for Visually Impaired Kids
The Learning Blanket creates interactive blankets and pillows for kids who are blind, each containing visual, sensory, tactile and educational activities.
Fine and Gross Motor, Orientation and Mobility
Crawling & Climbing for Blind Babies
Crawling and climbing are two very important developmental milestones for babies and children who are blind. Some babies may skip these steps or reach them later than their typically developing...
Fine and Gross Motor
Recycling OT Videos
Barbara Smith shares videos with ideas for making interesting games and toys out of basic materials that will encourage fine motor skills.
Communication
Teaching Your Visually Impaired Child Sign Language
Jennie writes about how she taught her son, Max, to sign. Max is totally blind and does have a few verbal words, but using signs to augment his early communication...
Communication, Special Needs
Helping your blind child develop effective listening skills
Learning to listen carefully and distinguish between different sounds is an important skill for any child, but espeically for children with visual impairments. Lesley Potgieter explains how to assess your...
Assistive Technology, Communication
Switch Play: Using a switch for communication and play!
For children who are non-verbal or have low motor coordination, switches can be a great way to augment their play. If you're just getting started with a switch you may...
Development, Special Needs
Development Charts for Blind & Visually Impaired Babies & Children
Blind children are known to have delayed development is several key areas, such as fine motor skills and cognitive development. We provide age-range development charts with with visual impairment in...
Behavior, Development
Is My Blind Child Autistic? One Parent’s Experience
Parents who are trying to determine whether their child's behaviors are related to their visual impairment, or a symptom of autism, benefit from Mary's story about learning to identify her...
Communication, Special Needs
You Can Say That Again! Echolalia in Visually Impaired Children
Learn why children who are visually impaired repeat back what they hear, and how parents can help minimize repetition in a constructive way.