Posts by Tara Rossow
Book Review: Life Admin Hacks — A Game Changer for Busy Families
Book Review: Life Admin Hacks — A Game Changer for Busy Families As a busy mum juggling family life, work, and everything in between, I’m always on the lookout for ways to streamline my life and reduce the chaos. Life Admin Hacks has been nothing short of a game changer for our family. The book…
Read MorePreparing for Christmas: 5 Practical Tips from an OT
Preparing for Christmas: Practical Tips for a Smooth and Stress-Free Holiday Season The holiday season can be an exciting but challenging time for families, especially for those supporting children with additional needs. From the changes in routine to sensory overload, Christmas can quickly become overwhelming. However, with a little planning and flexibility, you can create…
Read MoreHow to Set Up Your Yoto Player Before Christmas Morning 🎄✨
So, you’ve done the hard part: you’ve bought the Yoto Player, snagged some Black Friday deals 🛍️, or just decided this is the gift for your kids this Christmas 🎁. Fantastic! But before you wrap it up and put it under the tree 🎄, let me stop you right there—there are a few things you…
Read MoreMaking Your Own Yoto Cards: Fast and Detailed Guide! 🎵📚
Due to some fab feedback from one of the Yoto Community Pages, I have put together this guide…. It’s not super quick because I have done literal step-by-step. If you haven’t already read my ramblings about Yoto you can find it here. Have you ever wanted to customize your kids’ Yoto cards with their favorite…
Read MoreTravel Tips for Families and Our Top Tips
Making Travel Easier for Families including those with Additional Needs Disclaimer: I am not an affiliate marketer because I can’t work their systems/programs out. If that changes I will update and let you know. We will always be honest with you. Travel can evoke a mix of excitement and anxiety for families, especially those with…
Read More10 Reasons Why the Yoto Player is My Pick for THE Christmas Present of the Year
If you’re on the hunt for a screen-free, engaging, and long-lasting toy, let me introduce you to my pick of the season: the Yoto Player. As a parent of two energetic boys (aged 3.5 and 1.5), I’ve seen my fair share of toys, but the Yoto Player has quickly become our most used item—daily, in…
Read MoreTravelling – Visuals and Social Stories to support your travels
Navigating Travel with Ease: A Guide for Families Using Social Stories and Visuals Traveling can be an exciting yet challenging experience, particularly for families with children who have additional needs. For those living in rural or remote areas, traveling is often essential to access vital services, visit family, or enjoy a vacation. The unpredictability of…
Read MoreSocial Skills – Recommended Resources
Mastering Social Skills: Essential Resources for Parents and Professionals Social skills are foundational to navigating everyday interactions and forming meaningful relationships. While some children acquire these skills through observation and experience, others, especially those with disabilities or developmental delays, require explicit instruction and support. For parents, educators, and therapists, understanding how to effectively support children…
Read More8 Reasons Why I Love Being an Occupational Therapist*
This year, Occupational Therapy in Australia celebrates its 80th anniversary, marking eight decades of dedication, evolution, and impact. The journey began with the formation of the first Occupational Therapists Club in 1944. Since then, the profession has grown significantly, adapting to societal changes and the needs of individuals across various settings. From the early days…
Read MoreToileting – Our Best Resources!
Navigating Toileting Challenges: Resources for Parents and Professionals Toileting is a critical developmental milestone for children, encompassing a range of skills from fine and gross motor abilities to body awareness and communication. While some children master these skills with ease, others may require additional support and tailored strategies. Understanding how to navigate these challenges can…
Read MoreSleep Blog – Our Top Resources
Understanding and Improving Sleep: A Guide for Parents and Professionals Sleep is a fundamental aspect of health and development, yet understanding what constitutes “normal” sleep can be complex. The concept of normal sleep includes various patterns, habits, and individual needs, which can make it a challenging topic for many parents, families, and professionals. Sleep is…
Read MoreClinical Supervision – Why is it important?
TOPIC: Supervision – why is it important as allied health professionals? Today we will be focusing specifically on occupational therapists. What: There is a lot of evidence of reflect practice and supervision being beneficial to both the practitioner and the client. We want to talk about why we love about supervision!! Why: Supervision is so…
Read MoreParents Day 2024 – Top 5 Apps for new Parents!
Since becoming parents – we were keen to work out how best to use our phones to support our family and kids! Since having our family, we have been looking and exploring apps that make our life easier! Phones and tablets can be a blessing and curse and its important to work out your values…
Read MoreThe Link between Motor Skills & Social Development in Children
Welcome back to our blog! Today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of motor skills and the link to social skill development of children. From navigating social interactions to fostering independence, motor skills play a crucial role in every aspect of a child’s life. Let’s explore how enhancing motor skills can positively impact social development…
Read MoreUnderstanding Sensory Processing and how it can impact Mental Health
Sensory Processing – What is it and What Does it Mean? Introduction Sensory processing refers to the way the nervous system receives, organizes, and responds to sensory input from the environment. For many children, sensory processing occurs naturally and efficiently (automatically and without voluntary effort). However, for some, sensory processing can be a challenge, impacting…
Read MoreLets talk sleep promoting routines!
Why is Sleep important? Sleep is just as important as food, shelter and safety. It allows the brain to recharge and the body to regenerate. Healthy sleep allows people to function at optimal alertness. Healthy sleep requires: Children need sleep to be able to: I know you know this! The next question is how to…
Read MoreHomes for Ukraine – How Else to Help
Many families around Europe are supporting by offering their homes for Ukrainian refugees. Many are wondering – what else/ what other support is needed? We have done some brief research and list it below. This is not an exhaustive list, and please refer to your local authority/country/ government regarding specific support in your country, and…
Read MoreCommunication Boards for Ukrainian Refugees
We have created a one page communication boards (general and medical needs) to help refugees communicate their basic needs. This was designed with people with additional needs in mind, who may not have access to their communication board or systems, however can support communication for anyone. If further are needed, please let us know and…
Read MoreLook Hear Ipad & Tablet Management Ideas
Read about some of our top tips on manage iPads and tablets with children. With the recent update to the WHO guidelines we thought that it is a perfect time to reflect on their usage.
Read MoreHow to set up an Occupational Therapy Private Practice – Step 3
This is a follow on blog from our ‘Step 1‘ blog which we recommend reading first. It also links to the ‘Step 2‘ blog which (you guessed it, is best to read before step 3). This is specific to the United Kingdom, however most principles can be applied to other countries with similar registrations/processes for…
Read MoreHow to set up an Occupational Therapy Private Practice – Step 2
This is a follow on blog from our ‘Step 1‘ blog which we recommend reading first. It also links to the ‘Step 3‘ blog. This is specific to the United Kingdom, however most principles can be applied to other countries with similar registrations/processes for Occupational Therapists. TOPIC: You are thinking of taking on a few…
Read MoreHow to set up an Occupational Therapy Private Practice – Step 1
This is the first blog in a three part series outlining how to set up a private practice. Take a look at Step 2 and Step 3! Please note – this is specific to the United Kingdom, however most principles can be applied to other countries with similar registrations/processes for Occupational Therapists. TOPIC: Are thinking…
Read MoreWhat is a Whole Class Approach?
TOPIC: What is a Whole Class Approach? Why do therapists talk about it so much? WHAT: Being a teacher in this day and age is hard HARD HARD! There are so many expectations and deadlines and benchmarks to meet, all while trying to nurture and teach the next generation. A big part of therapy is…
Read MoreWhy do Therapists give me home programs?
TOPIC: Why are therapists family focused? Do we have to be involved? Are home programs that important? WHAT: Therapists talk about being “family centered” or “family focused” all the time. What does it mean? Why are therapists family focused? And why do I as a parent, keep getting homework from my therapist? I thought going…
Read MoreSleep Week 2019! How to promote healthy sleep in my child?
Why is Sleep important? Sleep is just as important as food, shelter and safety. It allows the brain to recharge and the body to regenerate. Healthy sleep allows people to function at optimal alertness. Healthy sleep requires: Sufficient amount (time) Uninterrupted (quality) Natural sleep cycle (circadian rhythm) Age-appropriate naps Children need sleep to be able…
Read MoreChild Mental Health Week 2019: Using Sensory Processing to look after my Mental Health
Topic: How can I use my senses and sensory processing to look after my mental health? Why: According to Sutton and Nicholson (2011), sensory-based treatment has been identified as an effective treatment approach for clients who are distressed, anxious, agitated, or potentially aggressive and as an alternative for more coercive actions; they also determined that…
Read MoreLiena – Hope for Boro Village
Whilst in Botswana, we met a young girl named Leina. Leina is 3 years old who lives in a small village in the Okavango Delta with her parents, grandparents and siblings. She was initially introduced to us as “the disabled child of the village” as she was unable to walk due to what appeared to…
Read MoreHow we choose the websites we feature….
Today we explain in more detail how and why we chose the websites we have listed in our resource library. Topic How we choose the websites we feature…. Why: It is important for us to be transparent about how we are choosing our websites – it’s also important for our community to know how we…
Read MoreOur How and Why – The Reasons Behind an Online Library
Topic: The reasons behind an online library – Why Look Hear Australia? Today we interview Tara, the founder of LHA, about how and why she started the business with her husband Tim. Why did you start LHA? I wanted it to be a long-term resource that I could use for my therapy; to make it easy.…
Read MoreParents: What is the difference between a melt down and a tantrum?
What is the difference between a meltdown and a tantrum? This is a tricky question! Every child has tantrums – it is actually an important part of typical development. Children with disabilities can sometimes have meltdowns; a full “computer shut down and restart”. This can happen for many reasons that can be sensory-, communication- or…
Read MoreApp Review: Why we love Theratrak!
TOPIC: Why we love Theratrak! We have been lucky enough to know Laura Simmons from Theratrak since the beta stages of the app. She has worked incredibly hard to develop an app focused on easy, user friendly home programs for parents and professionals; and I must say, she has done a stella job. Laura is…
Read MoreBook Review: Retro Toddler – Anne Zachry: Everything Retro Is Cool Again!!
We reviewed Retro Toddler for Anne! See what we thought about it below!! Book: Zachry, A. H. (2018). Retro Toddler: More Than 100 Old-School Activities to Boost Development. First Impressions: One thing I enjoyed about this book was that it was clear and easy to read. The layout really lends itself to this; it does not feel…
Read MoreMaking It Easy – How to build fine motor skills in children?
How to Build Fine Motor Skills in Children Fine motor skills are the small movements, made predominately by our hands, that help us to manipulate objects and explore. Children need to develop these skills to help them to interact and engage with the world, as well as prepare for schooling (writing, painting, cooking, cutting). Fine…
Read MoreParents: Looking After Yourself as a Parent
TOPIC: Looking after yourself as a parent! WHY: We often talk about parents needing to look after themselves, but why is it so important? Firstly when we have healthy and happy Mums and Dads it is much easier to have happy and healthy children. Further, we know from the evidence that parents of children with…
Read MoreWhy do therapists want me to use visuals at home?
TOPIC: Why do therapists what me to use visual and visuals* at home?? *We mean visuals as pictures, photos or symbols of something or someone. WHY: Visuals are a great way to explain to someone what is happening or going to happen. They also don’t require verbal language to understand them (think road signs or…
Read MoreVisuals – why we love them (and the evidence)
VISUALS This month the review of the evidence is all about our favourite resource in the world – VISUALS!! RESEARCH There is a large body of evidence linking cognitive and physical disabilities with externalising problematic behaviours (Visser et al., 2015; Artemyeva, 2016; Giltaij, Sterkenburg & Schuengel, 2015; Poppes et al., 2016). In particular, the literature suggests…
Read MoreRelaxation – What is the evidence?
RELAXATION This month the review of the evidence is all about something to follow on from the bullying update – Relaxation. You can check out all things Mental Health on our page here! RESEARCH All children worry. Researchers have suggested that this worry is in part due to the fact that childhood is full of…
Read MoreWhy are therapists family focused?
TOPIC: Why are therapists family focused? Why do we have to be involved? WHAT: Therapists talk about being “family centered” or “family focused” all the time. What does it mean? Why are therapists family focused? WHY: We know that children learn the best off their parents. That is because they love their parents and…
Read MoreWhy does therapy cost so much?
TOPIC: Why does therapy cost so much? WHAT: Therapy is expensive! Depending on your child’s needs and who you see for how long, it can add up. Therapy is denfined as “treatment to relieve or heal a disorder”. When we talk about therapy at LHA we are referring to Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Psychology,…
Read MoreWhen to ask for help?
TOPIC: When to ask for help? WHAT: It can be hard to know what is ‘typical’ for children and what is ‘expected’ and ‘unexpected’. How are parents meant to know when something isn’t ‘normal’? Of course there is no hard and fast rule though there are some tips that might help. There are so many…
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