Our Blog

Our Occupational Therapy team shares their favorite and creative play ideas that provide sensory input when outdoor activities are not available!

Courtney White, Certified Child Life Specialist, talks about the Child Life presence in the Surgical Services Operating Room at Franciscan Hospital for Children.

Did you know that kids ages 1 to 5 get almost 20% of their daily calories from milk? We’re investigating some myths associated with this healthy, popular drink.

About 90% of 12-19 year olds use personal music players with earbuds, often with a high volume output that can negatively affect hearing. So… what’s too loud and how can parents control the volume?

With shorter days and colder weather fast approaching, our Physical Therapy team celebrates National Physical Therapy Month with their indoor exercise tips to keep kids moving!

Heather LaCroix, MOTR/L, an Occupational Therapist at Franciscan Hospital for Children, reviews simple backpack changes and accommodations that can be made to to help ensure your student a healthy start, and finish, to the school year!

Our Director of Home Health Care offers a poem her team uses to help illustrate the experience of caring for and raising a child with a disability, and shares some thoughts from her team on why they love what they do.

Heather LaCroix, MOTR/L, Occupational Therapist at FHC, talks physical and sensory challenges in feeding disorders and tips for how to make mealtime fun!

Do you find yourself asking, why does my child do that? Why does my child not take a bath? Why won’t they eat a banana? How can I stop them from doing that behavior? You’re not alone, and many parents have turned to Occupational Therapy as a way to help answer these seemingly never-ending questions.

Ruth Crowley, M.S., CCC-SLP, the Director of the Speech-Language-Hearing Department at FHC shares information and resources on identifying the signs of communication disorders.

Carrie Barlow, PT PCS, Director of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs at FHC, talks bike helmet safety and tips for happy riding!

This Mother’s Day, our Child Life staff honored mothers of our patients with a special day where they could feel appreciated and cared for by those caring for their kids

Numerous (and often free) iPad applications can be used to help children of various ages and abilities to develop and master skills in a fun way. Take a look at some of our favorite apps, grouped according to the skill area typically addressed by occupational therapists.

Torticollis. A word that might make you think of tortoises or turtles, Torticollis is actually Latin for “twisted neck.” As a parent, you might recognize Torticollis in a few different ways. Your baby or toddler may hold their head tilted to the side, or turn their head in just one direction. Torticollis can also be associated with Plagiocephaly, or a flat head.

Good habits are developed from an early age. Here are seven tooth brushing tips for children from our Pediatric Dentistry staff to help parents make good dental hygiene fun and easy!