Professional Resources

Handprints: Home Programs for Hand Skills

For children ages birth to 5 years. Empower caregivers to take an active role in helping their children develop hand skills. Handprints offers not only activities but also caregiver articles that explain the "how" and "why" of hand development. Written in a conversational and appealing style, they're fun to read! Here are the sections:
• Hand Skills and Related Topics: 20 articles that describe hand skills, how they develop, and why each is important.
• Hand Skills in Daily Activities: 10 articles explaining how hand skills relate to daily activities such as eating and drinking.
• Adaptations for Hand Activities: 11 articles suggest generalized adaptations that increase success, such as ways to compensate for a weak hand.
• Activities: 30 ways to build hand skills in play-based activities. The necessary materials are inexpensive and readily available in many homes.
• Other features include skill/activity charts, an activity checklist, a glossary, and an extensive list of toys to address hand skills. This is a great resource for cross-disciplinary learning.
• Written by Valerie Pieraccini, OTR/L, and Darla K. Vance, M.S., OTR/L. Spiralbound, 240 pages, 2001.

W403		$52.95

Lip Prints Home Program for Oral-Motor Skills

A practical resource for speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists treating children ages birth to 5 with oral-motor, feeding, swallowing, and/or articulation problems. Parents and caregivers will also like the easy-to-implement strategies and exercises. Lip Prints provides articles and activities that parents and caregivers can easily use, and professionals can choose and explain in a reasonable time frame.
• Lip Prints incorporates the principles of child-centered, play-based, and relationship-based therapy, making the activities effective as well as fun and interactive. The articles and activities are written in simple language so that the layperson can follow the directions and understand the content. The articles are concise, reproducible, and cover specific topics such as Babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Transitioning to Food and Utensils, and Low Muscle Tone.
• Contents: Caregiver Articles: Feeding and Oral-Motor Development in Infants and Toddlers, Oral-Sensory Development, Other Problems Affecting Oral-Motor Development; Activities: 0-6 Months, 6-12 Months, 12-18 Months, 18 Months-3 Years, 3-5 Years, Resources.
• Written by Joanne Hanson, MS, CCC-SLP. Spiralbound, 227 pages, 2004.

W965		$54.95

First Aid for Babies and Children FAST - Emergency procedures for all parents and caregivers

An indispensable guide to dealing quickly and confidently with childhood emergencies, from cuts and scrapes to choking and poisoning. Includes first aid for babies as well as children. Color coded for quick reference in an emergency. Clear, step-by-step photographs show every stage of treatment. Back cover has an "Emergency Index" to quickly locate the page number for common urgent health problems.
• From the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. Paperback, 128 pages, 2006.

W428		$14.95

Positioning for Play - Home Activities for Parents of Young Children

Use this collection of more than 70 reproducible activity sheets with parents of children birth to 3 years old who have developmental delays or who are at risk. The book helps you teach parents how to stimulate and develop motor skills with play activities that are part of the family's daily routine. This book is caregiver friendly, with clear illustrations and non-technical instructions.
• Activities are organized in the following developmental skill positions: Carrying child, Prone, Hands and knees/crawling, Kneeling, Walking, Supine, Side-lying, Sitting, Standing, and Transitions.
• Written by Rachel B. Diamant, M.S., OTR. Spiral-bound, 213 pages, 1992.

W887		$66.95

Practical Guides about Autism by the National Autistic Society of the UK

Two user-friendly, very practical guides full of ideas for teaching young children with autism in educational settings or for caregivers to help their children in challenging situations.
• In "Autism: How to Help Your Young Child", the book breaks down the main characteristics of ASD into social interaction difficulties, communication, rigidity of thinking and lack of imagination. For each area, recommendations are presented for "what to look for" and "things to try", as well as case scenarios. Some examples for issues addressed are: Looking face to face, Moving on from being used as if you were a "tool", Touching and getting close, Understanding gestures, Developing obsessions into social play, and much more. Paperback, 55 pages, 1998.
• In "Teaching Young Children with ASD to Learn", there is a wealth of ideas for anyone who lives or works with young children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders. Contents: The needs of children with ASD, Developing early communication, Early learning, Structured teaching, Developing literacy skills, Teaching an understanding of number, Developing social interaction skills, Lack of imagination and flexible thought, and Behavior support strategies. Paperback, 114 pages, 2001

W060	Autism: How to Help Your Young Child	$19.95
W537	Teaching Young Children with ASD to Learn	$21.95

The New Language of Toys - Teaching Communication Skills to Children with Special Needs

• Many young children with special needs experience language delays and need additional help to build language skills. What better way to encourage communication development than through play? The completely updated third edition of this book offers a plan for doing just that.
• The new edition presents sixty-five new toys and accompanying toy dialogs to use with children with a wide range of special needs from birth through age six. These sample toy dialogs show parents how to play purposefully with their child using store-bought and home-made toys to provide language learning opportunities. In addition, this book provides important background information about language, its sequential development, the causes of language delays, and how play can enhance language development. The resource lists are extensive, offering toy manufacturers and catalogs, support organizations, children's book information, and suggested materials for homemade toys.
• Contents: Language: An Introduction; Language Development in Children; Playing and Learning; Toy Dialogs for the First Year through Sixth Year; Teaching Language Throughout the Day; Computer Technology and Language Learning; Videotapes, DVDs, and Television; Toy Safety; Alternate Sources of Toys; Materials List; Sources for Information about Children's Books; Resource Guide; Toy Manufacturers Cited in This Book; Other Sources of Toys; References.
• Written by Sue Schwartz, PhD. Paperback, 266 pages, 2004.

W575		$18.95

A Thorn in My Pocket - Temple Grandin's Mother Tells the Family Story

• Inarguably the most famous successful person with autism in the world today, Temple Grandin was a non-verbal, often violent child in the 50s. Her mother, Eustacia Cutler, raised Temple when her child's condition was classified as "infant schizophrenia," brought on by "frigid mothering." The common remedy was to warehouse those diagnosed in institutions for the retarded.
• In A Thorn in My Pocket, Eustacia eloquently and honestly expresses her thoughts and emotions, openly giving voice to the frustrations, despair, and anger that affects families with special needs children. She tells about how Temple's problems affected her relationship with her husband and other situations usually kept quiet inside a family.
• Eustacia's story reaches out to the larger community of those raising a challenged child, allowing parents to acknowledge their sad feelings, find realistic reasons for hope, and gain the sage advice to have your own life, too. It is a positive and encouraging work that will inspire all readers.
• Written by Eustacia Cutler. Hardcover, 228 pages, 2005.

W135		$14.95

Demystifying Autism Spectrum Disorders - A Guide to Diagnosis for Parents and Professionals

Parents of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) need clear, comprehensive information to decipher the complex, behavior-based diagnostic evaluations and definitions. This invaluable guide for lay readers - parents, educators, and caregivers - describes the five types of autism that fall under the ASD umbrella, spells out the distinctions among them, demystifies the technical jargon, and provides an overview of treatment.
• This book is an excellent tool for parents who don't fully understand their child's diagnosis or wonder whether there is another ASD diagnosis that's more appropriate to their child. It's also useful to parents who suspect their child has ASD but don't yet have a diagnosis.
• Contents: So, You Suspect Your Child May Have an ASD; Autism: History, Myths, Progress, Demographics, and Theories of Cause; Breaking Down the Five Autism Spectrum Disorders; Common Features of ASD; Pinpointing the Right ASD Diagnosis; The Diagnostic Process; Your Child Has Just Been Diagnosed with an ASD... Now What?; Treatment; Resource Guide; Recommended Reading; References.
• Written by Carolyn Thorwarth Bruey, Psy.D. Paperback, 241 pages, 2004.

W621		$16.95

Learn to Move, Move to Learn - Sensorimotor Early Childhood Activity Themes

An excellent resource for creating theme-based lesson plans for children in preschool and early childhood settings. Written by an occupational therapist, this book is based on the principles of sensory integration, with each session addressing motor, language, sensory, cognitive and social/emotional skills. For example, in the theme "Doctor" some of the activities are: for Warm-Up, the children rub a "magical lotion potion" on their body, for Vestibular, they sing and jump on a mat like Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, for Proprioception, they ride a scooter board ambulance, for Balance, they pick up doctor supplies from the floor while walking on a balance beam, and for Fine Motor they make a doctor's bag out of construction paper.
• Suggestions for adaptation and modification for individual students are included, along with instructions for how to develop additional lessons. A chapter on school readiness skills shows how the lessons prepare children for later success in school.
• Contents: Overview of sensory systems, School readiness skills, Program structure, Adaptations, Dynamic problem solving, Planning, Lesson themes.
• Written by Jenny Clark Brack. Paperback, 188 pages, 2004

W380		$34.95

DVD: Discovery, Pathways to Better Speech for Children with Down Syndrome

This invaluable resource offers practical advice for parents and professionals to follow as they help children with Down syndrome, from infancy to age seven, become the best talkers they can be, and help them reach their full potential.
• This DVD covers the what, when, and how of speech development, including communication milestones, hearing issues, encouraging speech, making speech understandable, building vocabulary and grammar, sign language, and the connection between reading and speech.
• The DVD showcases an international group of experts on speech development and Down Syndrome. They share their insights and suggest strategies to optimize speech development. Additionally, the DVD features knowledgeable parents who discuss what techniques and approaches have worked best for their children. Children with Down syndrome also appear throughout the DVD, demonstrating the range of achievements that parents can expect.
• Written, produced, and directed by Will Schermerhorn. 81 minutes, 2005.

W857		$29.95

Starting Sensory Integration Therapy - Fun Activities that Won't Destroy Your Home!

A great resource for busy parents whose children are starting sensory-based therapy. Great activity ideas for therapists too! Bonnie Arnwine, the parent of a child with sensory processing disorder, has packed this book with fun activities and timesaving tips. You will find lots of fun, inexpensive sensory activities that can be set up and cleaned up quickly in your home or facility. Each chapter contains activities based on a specific sensory need, and all activities require only common household items. "Extend It" ideas are included to prolong a child's interest in the activity.
• Contents: Our senses, Tactile-touch activities, Gross motor activities, Visual activities, Hearing-auditory activities, Smell, Oral-motor, and Fine motor activities.
• Written by Bonnie Arnwine. Paperback, 128 pages, 2005.

W678		$19.95

Practical Strategies for Elementary School Inclusion

Teachers of inclusion classes in elementary schools see students with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. It can be a formidable task to establish a safe, encouraging learning environment that will have a positive impact on all students. Many teachers feel uncertain about their ability to teach effectively while meeting the needs of the child who exhibits challenging behaviors. The inclusion teacher faces the additional challenge of establishing a productive, dynamic relationship with a co-teacher.
• Author June Stride is a veteran special educator who writes candidly and insightfully from her experience as teacher and department head. In this book she examines the implications and expressions of an inclusionary system and provides practical strategies, tips and reproducibles to help you make it work in your district for students and staff alike.
• Contents: What is inclusion?, Getting started, Enhancing your support for inclusion, Preparing for inclusion, Achieving success with collaborative relationships, Developing an optimal learning environment, Modifying the curriculum, and Assessing inclusion students.
• Written by June Stride. Paperback, 191 pages, 2005.

W941		$24.95

Learning in Motion - Practical Strategies to Increase Learning and Development

Includes over 100 theme-based activities, appropriate for ages 3 to 9, that were designed by therapists with over 15 years of experience working with young children. Organized by months of the year, it's easy to find appropriate therapeutic activities that reinforce the lesson topic of the day. Features lesson plans with goals, approximate time to complete, materials needed, objectives, detailed procedures, adaptations for those with special needs, and suggestions for multilevel instruction. Letters home explain the rationale for each activity and how parents or caregivers can reinforce the lessons. Indispensable for school-based therapists and teachers!
• Contents: Theories of Motor Development, Activity Goals, Activity Goal Descriptions, Monthly Activities and Parent Letters, Appendix: Activity Subjects for Letters of the Alphabet, Adaptations, Recipe Section.
• Written by Patricia Andermeier, OTR, BCP, Joan Kryzanowski, MS, OTR, BCP and Kristina Keller Moir, OTR, BCP. Paperback, 392 pages, 1998.

W029		$39.95

Married with Special-Needs Children - A Couples' Guide to Keeping Connected

A practical, supportive guide that looks at the ways in which having a child with a developmental disability, serious medical condition, or mental illness can make it more difficult for a marriage to thrive, and how a child's intensive needs can change the structure of a marriage. The authors, experienced counselors and parent trainers, examine many of the underlying stresses and common pitfalls experienced in these marriages and present a wide range of strategies for handling or preventing problems. Throughout are quotes from husbands and wives, offering special insight into what was especially difficult for them, what solutions they've discovered, and what they wished they'd done differently.
• For parents looking for ways to strengthen their marriage, prevent future strife, or resolve or move on from significant relationship difficulties, this guide offers guidance and expertise for taking the next step. It is also invaluable to therapists and mental health professionals, giving them a realistic view of what many of the parents are dealing with on a day-to-day basis.
• Contents: Introduction, The Structure and Foundation of a Good Marriage, No Longer Cruising Down the River: The Early Stage of Adjusting to Disability, Practical Solutions to Problem-Solving, Romance and Sexual Intimacy, Negotiating and Implementing Livable Roles, Stress Management and Coping Strategies, Heartfelt Conflicts: Opposing Views on Protection, Expectations, and Helping Your Child, Supports Outside of Your Family, Serious Marital Troubles, A Marriage Transformed, Divorce Considerations, Remarriage: The Need to Do It Differently, Learning from Long-Term Marriages, A Closing Thought, Appendix I: More Advice from Parents, Appendix II: Experiences Transformed into Poetry, Appendix III: Participant Responses to Selected Survey Items, Resources, References and Suggested Reading.
• Written by Laura Marshak, Ph.D., and Fran Pollock Prezant, M.Ed., CCC-SLP. Paperback, 296 Pages, 2007.

W989		$24.95