My name is Jennifer Halfin I am a mom of two young boys ages 3 and a half and 20 months.  I’m also a pediatric physiotherapist with a love for all things development. On both a personal and professional level, I often get questions from parents about motor milestones – when their babies should be…

Let me introduce myself As a start, let me introduce myself. My name is Jennifer Halfin, and I am a mom of two young boys ages three and a half and 20 months. I’m also a pediatric physiotherapist with a love for all things development. Put those two things together, and you get – Milestones and…

Top holiday toy recommendations from our Therapists Every parent wants their child to succeed, whether it is in school, work or play. We want toys that promote this success; encouraging intelligence while remaining fun and keeping our children entertained for more than five seconds. With a world filled to the brim with Hatchimals, Minecraft and…

Constantly in action, it is not always easy to know when a child experiences temporary difficulties and when these difficulties become a disorder. Here are the main differences between a difficulty and a disorder in order to help you know when it would be relevant to refer a child to a professional. A difficulty: A…

Torticollis and plagiocephaly are two very common conditions seen by physiotherapy. As these conditions are quite treatable and often preventable, early intervention is key to supporting good outcomes. What is torticollis? Torticollis is an imbalance in muscle strength and range of motion, causing one side of the neck to be tight. This leads to a…

Everyone wants their children to have friends, have positive social interactions at school and be liked by their peers, but we do not necessarily practice the skills needed to be a good friend at home. Lauren Robinson, speech-language pathologist, shares skills that can be modeled at home between you and your children to teach these…

For some children, they seem to pick up on social skills naturally and without much support. For many children, however, being accepted and making friends can be one of the hardest parts about school. They may struggle with certain social skills that need to be explicitly taught by parents, their teachers and/or professionals. While we…

Toilet training can be a difficult endeavor for parents.  When do you start?  How do you know when to start?  What do you do first?  How do you know if your child understands what you are trying to have them do?  There are so many questions and with them come many answers from any number…

Our Preschool JK/SK program continues to make a difference in the lives of our clients and families. Incorporating the family, and your child’s clinicians in various areas, allows us to create an individualized program, incorporating all techniques/strategies and recommendations into their daily living. Our program is designed to prepare children for a successful integration into…

The start of a new school year is a significant event in the life of a child and parent. The excitement that comes with a new beginning is often quickly overwhelmed by the arrival of homework and the need to study. For parents, this period can unfortunately require a degree of management that can lead…

Importance of mind-body connection As a parent, you know the importance of minimizing stress to raise healthy and well-adjusted children. You try your best to provide the extra-curricular activities that will enhance your child’s interests. You foster their learning and emotional intelligence by offering books, friendships and summer camps.  Another tremendous gift you could offer…

Over the summer holidays, students are at risk of a significant loss of academic skills.  Studies have indicated that this loss can be the equivalent of a month of instruction, as well as up to two months for students from disadvantaged areas.  When school starts again, the student therefore has to dedicate a substantial amount…

Help your child (and yourself) understand what is going on Children, like adults, benefit from psychology services to either identify the source of a behavioral, emotional or a learning problem, or to help them develop strategies for coping with stressful events. Josh, a 10 year-old boy in grade 4, is a friendly child who was…

Your child’s language: tips and strategies to support its development! As parents, it isn’t always easy to be sure whether our children are meeting the expected language milestones.  It can be even harder to know what to do if we do notice signs of a language delay.  If you’ve ever felt this way, the following…

Some children have difficulty getting started on tasks and organizing materials, whether it’s their bedrooms, lockers or homework papers. These skills are referred to as executive functioning skills and include skills related to organization, time management; planning, impulse control, cognitive flexibility, and ability to self-monitor one’s work. Our occupational therapist Keltie Morrison shares tips to…

Speech strategies to support communication and language development in children with ASD Every child on the autism spectrum is unique and special, so strategies that work for each child will depend on that child and what is motivating to them. Here are ten great speech language pathology strategies that will encourage language development in children…

The Importance of Posture and Positioning for Handwriting  by Ashley Cooper The other evening, I was at restaurant having dinner. I should have been enjoying the five course meal that was being prepared by the chef but instead I just could not get comfortable in my chair. The stool was too high from the floor…

Teachers are required to not only teach and report on academic achievement – they are also required to do the same regarding your child’s social and emotional intelligence. Teachers assess, evaluate and report on achievement of curriculum expectations and on the demonstration of learning skills and work habits. In order to do this, they also must teach…

It’s report card time, the perfect time for reflection and for planning. At this time in the year, parents should be able to look back and list things that were learned in each subject, as well as areas that could use some improvement or enrichment. In fact, your children should be the ones to tell…

5 suggestions to increase academic motivation Teenagers are tempted by many pleasures, immediate and ephemeral. They live in the present, and their future is far for them! In their quest for autonomy, they need to feel that they control their life, that their parents no longer have so much power over them. The lack of…