Supporting young athletes during growth spurts is essential for keeping them healthy, confident, and performing at their best. Growth spurts are a normal and exciting part of childhood, but they can temporarily affect how a child moves and feels during sports. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, growing athletes are more vulnerable to overuse injuries during periods of rapid growth.

During a growth spurt, bones often grow faster than muscles, tendons, and ligaments can keep up. This rapid change can lead to tight muscles, decreased flexibility, and short-term changes in balance and coordination. As a result, young athletes may suddenly appear clumsier, tire more quickly, or struggle with skills that once felt easy. It’s also common for children to begin complaining of new aches and pains after practices or games.

If these changes aren’t addressed, they can lead to altered movement patterns and increase the risk of overuse injuries and sports-related pain. Learn more about ways to minimize your child’s risk for sports-related injury.

How Pediatric Physical Therapy Helps During Growth Spurts

Pediatric physical therapy plays an important role in supporting young athletes during growth phases. Treatment focuses on:

• Improving flexibility during rapid bone growth
• Strengthening key muscle groups to better support joints
• Teaching proper running, jumping, and landing mechanics
• Enhancing balance, coordination, and body awareness

As children grow, their bodies must adapt to new proportions and movement demands. Physical therapy helps guide this adjustment safely and efficiently.

Supporting Young Athletes with Sport-Specific Care

Every sport places different demands on a child’s body. Runners, soccer players, gymnasts, and basketball athletes all require unique strength, mobility, and control. Physical therapists tailor each treatment plan to the individual athlete and their sport.

By analyzing sport-specific movements, therapists can identify patterns that may put young athletes at higher risk for injury and address them proactively.

Supporting Young Athletes for Long-Term Health

Growth spurts are temporary, but movement habits developed during this time can influence long-term performance and injury risk. By proactively supporting young athletes, parents and therapists can help children stay active, reduce preventable injuries, and continue participating safely in the sports they love.

If your child is experiencing new aches, coordination changes, or growing pains during sports, pediatric physical therapy can provide the support they need during this important stage of development.

Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) are patterns involving oral and orofacial musculature that interfere with normal growth, development, or function of orofacial structures. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), these patterns can impact breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speech. Orofacial musculature dysfunction can occur at any stage in life. Understanding OMDs is the first step toward improving oral health, facial development, and long-term orthodontic stability. Let’s look more into oromyofunctional disorder and how skilled treatment can help. (ASHA, 2022).

Why Breathing and Tongue Posture Matter

Breathing, chewing, swallowing, and resting posture of the tongue and lips all play a critical role in how the face and teeth develop. When these functions are not working as they should, it can lead to issues. These issues can affect both oral health and orthodontic outcomes. Orofacial myofunctional therapy, often called OMT, focuses on correcting these patterns to support healthy breathing, facial development, and long-lasting orthodontic results.

One of the most common concerns addressed through oromyofunctional therapy is mouth breathing. While it may seem harmless, chronic mouth breathing can have a significant impact on facial growth, dental alignment, and overall health. When the mouth stays open at rest, the tongue often rests low in the mouth instead of against the palate. This lack of tongue-to-palate contact can affect how the upper jaw develops, often contributing to narrow arches, teeth crowding, airway challenges, allergies, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, and habitual patterns that develop over time.

These functional changes are especially important for individuals who have had or are planning orthodontic treatment. Braces or aligners can straighten teeth, but they do not correct the muscle patterns that influence tooth position. If improper tongue posture, mouth breathing, or incorrect swallowing patterns remain, teeth are more likely to shift after orthodontic treatment is complete.

A Collaborative Approach to oromyofunctional disorder

Oromyofunctional therapy is often most effective when used as part of a collaborative approach. Dentists, orthodontists, speech-language pathologists, airway-focused providers, and ENT specialists may work together to ensure both structure and function are addressed. This team-based care helps ensure lasting results rather than temporary fixes.

For children, early intervention can support more favorable facial growth. It can reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatment later in life. For adults, intervention can support improvement in nasal breathing which associates with increased oxygen intake, reduces snoring, and improves focus and energy levels. Oromyofunctional therapy is not about perfection or quick results. It is about building awareness, strengthening muscles, and establishing healthy habits that support lifelong oral and airway health.

References

1. “Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders.” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/orofacial-myofunctional-disorders/.

January can be cold, snowy, and icy, making it harder for seniors to stay active and socially connected. For individuals living with dementia, these winter months can increase feelings of isolation and confusion. If you are a caregiver, finding safe, engaging winter activities for seniors with dementia is an important way to support cognitive health, emotional well-being, and quality of life.

The most meaningful activities are often simple, familiar, and focused on connection rather than performance. Below are several dementia-friendly winter activities that can be done at home with minimal preparation.

Indoor Winter Activities for Seniors With Dementia

One easy and comforting winter activity is hosting a small tea, coffee, or hot chocolate gathering with family members or close friends. Keeping the group small helps prevent overstimulation and creates a calm, familiar environment.

This activity offers more than just a warm drink. It encourages conversation, reminiscing, and social connection — all of which are essential for seniors with dementia. Involving your loved one in planning and preparing the beverages or snacks can help stimulate memory, promote problem-solving, and support daily routines. It also provides gentle movement and a sense of purpose.

Simple At-Home Activities That Support Memory

A mitten-matching activity is a simple and effective way to engage cognitive skills using familiar household items. Place mittens in a laundry basket and work together to match the pairs. If one mitten is missing, try to guess which family member it belongs to, encouraging conversation and recall. To increase the challenge slightly, add hats and scarves and sort them into matching sets. This type of activity supports attention, memory, and organization while remaining approachable and enjoyable.

Bird watching is a calming winter activity that promotes observation and connection to nature. Hang a bird feeder near a window that is easy for your senior to access and view comfortably. If your loved one enjoys birds or has prior interest, you can gently identify the birds that visit or keep a simple count of daily sightings. This activity encourages focus, routine, and conversation without being physically demanding.

Outdoor Winter Activities With Modifications

Weather permitting, building a snowman can be a joyful winter activity for seniors with dementia. If mobility is limited, your loved one can still participate. Allow then to choose the hat, scarf, or facial features before the snowman is built. Placing the snowman outside a window allows your senior to view it daily. Watching the snowman melt over time can also help with orientation to weather and the passage of time in a natural, gentle way.

Why Winter Engagement Matters for Seniors With Dementia

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, social engagement and meaningful activities can improve quality of life for individuals living with dementia. Remaining active and engaged during the darker, colder months enhances quality of life for seniors with dementia and their caregivers. The true value of these winter activities lies not just in the task itself, but in the social connection, shared planning, conversation, and anticipation they create. Providing opportunities to connect, reminisce, and look forward to simple experiences helps reduce isolation and supports emotional well-being throughout the winter season.

Feeding a baby is one of the most intimate parts of early parenthood, and it doesn’t always come easily. Many parents expect feeding to feel natural right away, but in reality it often comes with questions, uncertainty, and unexpected challenges. Whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, or using a combination of methods, lactation support can be a valuable resource for you and your baby.

Lactation support begins by understanding the parent-child feeding relationship. A lactation consultant will begin taking a history to gain understanding of both the parent and child symptoms and difficulties. After obtaining a full history, the evaluation will transition to observations of a feeding, oral examination and more. Here are a few specific examples:

Lactation Support Benefits for Breastfeeding

Lactation consultation can support:

• Evaluate suckling strength and frequency
• Improving latch through mother’s and/or baby’s positioning
• Ensuring milk transfer is efficient without encouraging longer feeds
• Identify weight gain concerns relating to milk transfer
• Regulating supply through demand-based strategies
• Prevention of early weaning caused by unmanaged pain
• Education on hand expression, clogged duct and mastitis support
• Oral examination of the child to rule out concerns of weakness and/or tethered oral tissues, and more
• Support sucking pattern through demonstration of suck exercises that improve coordination and strength

Benefits for Bottle-feeding and Combination-Feeding Families

Lactation support can help bottle-feeding and combination feeding families with:

• Assess bottle-feeding mechanics and flow rate
• Determine appropriate bottle brand
• Demonstration and education on bottle-pacing
• Help families find the right routine between bottle and breastfeeding
• Oral examination of the child to rule out concerns of weakness and/or tethered oral tissues
• Support sucking pattern through demonstration of suck exercises that improve coordination and strength

Lactation consultation can also be helpful when questions or challenges come up around pumping and hand expression. Hand expression is a helpful tool during feedings and helping alleviate discomfort around clogged ducts. MOSAIC also offers breast ultrasound which can be an effective tool to treat clogged ducts. Consultation can answer questions around the right pump for you, evaluate for correct pump flange size, and help troubleshoot issues with pain, low supply, and pumping schedule. Consultants take all information into account to fit real lives – work demands, sleep needs, and mental health.

Lactation professionals provide a nonjudgmental space where parents can talk openly about their experiences. Being reminded that feeding struggles are common and that you are not doing anything wrong can be incredibly reassuring. When caregivers feel confident and supported, feeding tends to be calmer and more responsive. Babies often feed more comfortably when techniques are adjusted to match their cues and abilities. Whether they are breastfed, bottle fed, or both, a relaxed feeding experience supports healthy growth and development.

References

1. Cadwell, Karin, and Cindy Turner-Maffei. Pocket Guide for Lactation Management. 3^rd ed., Jones & Barlett Learning, 22 July 2016.

Most people don’t think about the “architecture” of the hand, but therapists know: the arches of the hand are the quiet powerhouses behind nearly every fine motor skill. When these arches are strong, flexible, and well‑refined, children can grasp, manipulate, and coordinate tools with ease. When they’re underdeveloped, even simple tasks can feel tiring or frustrating. Hand arch formation is critical for development of fine motor skills.

Understanding the Three Hand Arches

The palm isn’t flat by design. It’s shaped by three natural arches that create stability, mobility, and the “cupped” shape needed for efficient hand use.

• Longitudinal Arch — runs from the wrist to the fingertips; supports reach, grasp, and release.
• Distal Transverse Arch — spans across the knuckles; allows finger isolation and precise manipulation.
• Proximal Transverse Arch — sits near the base of the palm; provides stability for power grasps and weight‑bearing.

Together, these arches form the foundation for skilled hand function.

Why Hand Arch Formation Matters So Much

• They Provide the Base for Precision. Fine motor control depends on a stable yet adaptable palm. When the arches are refined, the fingers can move independently without the whole hand compensating. Children can adjust their grasp, modulate pressure, and use tools more efficiently.
• They Support Finger Isolation and In‑Hand Manipulation Skills like:
  • Shifting a pencil
  • Rotating a small object
  • Separating “worker fingers” from “helper fingers”
  • Turning pages or managing buttons
• They Improve Endurance. Refined arches reduce strain and allow children to work longer without discomfort. Weak arches force children to grip harder, use more effort, and fatigue quickly. You may see:
  • Tight or fisted grasps
  • Hand shaking
  • Pressing too hard or too lightly
  • Avoidance of fine motor tasks
• They Enhance Dexterity and Tool Control. From handwriting to scissor use to feeding, dexterity depends on the hand’s ability to stabilize some parts while moving others. Strong arches make movements smoother, more coordinated, and more efficient.

Signs a Child May Need Support

These are common indicators that arch development needs attention. You might notice:

• A flat palm with little cupping
• Immature or awkward grasps
• Difficulty with buttons, snaps, or utensils
• Reliance on whole‑hand movements
• Quick fatigue during writing or cutting

Play‑Based Ways to Help the Formation of Hand Arches

Kids can build strong arches through play. These experiences strengthen the intrinsic muscles that support the arches. Activities that naturally encourage cupping, squeezing, and finger isolation include:

• Play-dough, clay, or putty
• Squeezing sponges or spray bottles
• Clothespin games
• Tongs and tweezers
• Animal walks (bear, crab, gorilla)
• Climbing, hanging, and weight‑bearing play
• Holding small objects in the palm while using the fingers

Refined hand arches are not just an anatomical detail — they’re a cornerstone of fine motor development. When these arches are strong and flexible, children gain the precision, stamina, and confidence needed for everyday tasks at school, home, and play.

Handwriting can feel frustrating for kids — and confusing for parents. Questions like “Is my child holding their pencil correctly?” or “How can I help without making it a battle?” are incredibly common.

The good news? Handwriting skills develop over time, and with the right support, practice can be simple, fun, and effective. Let’s break down what parents need to know about pencil grasp development, fine motor skills, and easy handwriting practice at home.

Why Pencil Grasp Matters for Handwriting

Pencil grasp is simply how your child holds a pencil or crayon. It plays a big role in:

• Letter formation
• Writing speed
• Hand endurance
• Comfort and confidence with writing

A functional pencil grasp helps children write longer without tiring and improves overall handwriting quality. An inefficient grasp can lead to hand fatigue, messy writing, or avoiding writing altogether. There isn’t one single “perfect” grip. What matters most is whether your child’s grasp is comfortable, efficient, and allows good control.

How Pencil Grasp Develops

Children naturally move through stages of pencil grasp as their hands get stronger and more coordinated.

Early Stages (Toddlers & Young Preschoolers)

• Fisted or whole-hand grasps
• Large movements using the arm and shoulder
• Totally normal and expected

Middle Stages (Preschool)

• Fingers start to help control the pencil
• Grasps may look awkward or inconsistent
• Strength and coordination are still developing

Mature Grasp (Around 4-6+ Years)

• Fingers do most of the work
• Movements are smaller and more controlled
• Writing becomes smoother and more efficient

Every child develops at their own pace. Some kids use a slightly different (but still functional) grip and write beautifully — and that’s okay.

The Real Handwriting Key — Fine Motor Strength

Before worrying about pencil grip, it helps to focus on hand strength and coordination. These skills make holding and controlling a pencil much easier. Here are some simple ways parents can build hand strength.

• Playing with playdough or putty
• Squeezing sponges or stress balls
• Picking up small objects with fingers or tweezers
• Stringing beads or threading pasta
• Building with LEGO

These activities strengthen the small muscles of the hands — the same muscles used for writing. Handwriting practice doesn’t need worksheets or long sit-down sessions. In fact, kids often learn best when writing is part of play. Here are some fun parents-approved ideas.

• Write during games: Have your child write clues, scores, or silly questions
• Make mini books: Draw pictures and write a sentence for each page
• Write for a purpose: Notes, labels, shopping lists, or letters
• Use different surfaces: Chalk, dry erase boards, sidewalk chalk, or sand

Short, playful practice is far more effective than forcing long writing sessions. Here are some more helpful tips.

• Keep practice short and positive
• Praise effort, not perfection
• Watch for signs of hand fatigue
• Encourage breaks when needed
• Remember: progress takes time

If writing causes frustration, pain, or your child consistently avoids it, that’s a good time to ask for extra support.

When to Seek Extra Help

If handwriting continues to be difficult despite practice — or if your child complains of hand pain, tires very quickly, or struggles with daily fine motor tasks — a pediatric occupational therapist can help identify what’s getting in the way and provide targeted strategies.

Strong handwriting doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through development, play, strength, and encouragement. With the right tools and a little patience, parents can make handwriting practice a positive experience — and help their child feel confident every step of the way.