Winter 2021 Newsletter
Clinic Closures
Our clinic will be closed on November 25 and 26 for Thanksgiving and December 24 for Christmas Eve.
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Continuing Education
Katy Fischer completed the course Understanding Primitive Reflexes: How They Impact Child Development and Intervention Strategies for Integration
Veronica Clark attended Peds-A-Palooza for a 3-day conference on All Things Clinic focusing on building a work culture that stimulates growth and ensures staff retention
Becka Haensel completed the course Trauma-Informed Mindfulness With Teens: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals
Brittany Ahlskog completed the following courses:
Difference or Disorder? Speech Development in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations
Difference or Disorder?: Language Development in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations
Oral Mechanism Exams: Level Up Your Speech Assessments
Our Words, Their Actions: Strategies to Get the Most Out of Your Therapy Session
Sick Policy
A quick reminder, to prevent the spread of illness, please keep your child home from therapy if they are unwell. Children must stay home if they have had a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea within the past 24 hours. Apart from these symptoms, if your child seems too unwell to fully participate, please call to reschedule your appointment. Therapy is hard work and it is difficult for kids to get the most out of their sessions if they don’t feel well. If you have illness in your family, but your child is well enough to participate in teletherapy, we can also switch to a teletherapy session in many cases. Please contact us as soon as possible if you are needed to change to teletherapy or cancel/reschedule sessions due to illness. For COVID-19 specific questions, please refer to your medical provider for guidance on exposure, testing, and isolation.
Staff Anniversaries
Sarah Hetz is celebrating 10 years.
Veronica Clark is celebrating 9 years.
Jessica Paredes is celebrating 8 years.
Kelsey Olson is celebrating 7 years.
Brittany Ahlskog is celebrating 7 years.
Katy Fischer is celebrating 6 years.
Becka Haensel is celebrating 6 years.
Monica Wielinski is celebrating 5 years.
Lindsey Brown is celebrating 4 years.
Erin Braaten is celebrating 2 years.
Helping Picky Eaters through the Holidays
Holiday festivities and meals can be challenging kids who normally eat limited foods. Check out these tips for ideas to make holiday meals and gatherings go more smoothly
Focus more on the fun and time with family rather than the food. Parents can feel uncomfortable when well-meaning relatives try to offer advice or intervene with the child’s eating. A conversation with key relatives before the gathering letting them know that feeding therapy is something you are working on, but won’t be focusing on at the holiday gathering can help prevent this.
If you are hosting, involve your child in the preparation of some of the foods, including some “safe foods” for your child. Preparation can also include decorating, setting the table, etc.
Talk about and look at pictures of special or traditional holiday foods that will be served that are not regularly served at other times. Talk about why these foods are part of your holiday traditions.
If you are attending a gathering, bring along a dish that your child likes that can be served along with the meal, or talk to the host ahead of time to find out what’s on the menu.
Consider feeding your child a big snack or small meal before the gathering so they aren’t too hungry and also overwhelmed by too many unfamiliar foods. Ideally they should be not so full that they have no interest in sampling some of the food at the gathering.
Let your child have a plate of safe foods and a separate plate of new foods in small quantities just for exposure and tasting.
Don’t pressure your child to eat. Holiday gatherings can be overwhelming with lots of people, new places, different routine, along with different foods. Follow their cues, let them be exposed to the new foods, but not be forced to eat them.