Helping Healthy Technology Use for Teens

Dr. Malini Singh, Psychologist, Change for Life

Today’s teenagers live in a high-tech world.  Most have their own tablet, smart phone, and access lots of online resources for school and to connect to their friends.  Regulating your teenager’s screen time may seem like a constant battle, and parents worry about the effect of technology on their teenager’s physical and mental health. Read More “Helping Healthy Technology Use for Teens”

Starting Prep: A Whole New World

Dr Malini Singh, Psychologist, Change for Life

Yes!! It’s that time when you have just finished buying your first school uniform and cannot believe your toddler is now ready for the big world called school.  It is an unforgettable moment to see one’s child in their uniform and arrive at school for the first day. All the photographs and proud moments are shared with friends and family.  School is such big change for families and children. There are lots of new rules and challenges for a child used to the open spaces and learning environment of kindergarten. Read More “Starting Prep: A Whole New World”

Why all the talk about the W-sit?

Rachael Thomas, Change for Life, Occupational Therapist

While developing motor skills, play skills, and independence, children move and change their body’s position all the time. One of the many positions you may find your child sitting in is a W-sit position, which is often referred to as “W-sitting”. This position was awarded its name because it involves a child bending their legs at the knees and spreading out from their hips to make a W shape. While many typically developing children move through this position from time to time during play, excessive use of this position is strongly discouraged and can result in challenges further down the track.

Read More “Why all the talk about the W-sit?”

Two-year-old children: what to look out for

An important question parents ask is what their two-year-old child should be saying or how they should be interacting with other children in their age group. Children from bilingual families can differentiate their languages as young as two years of age, and possibly earlier. In terms of developmental milestones, research suggests that there is no outstanding difference between bilinguals and monolinguals, when the learning opportunities for both languages are taken into account. Read More “Two-year-old children: what to look out for”

How to get kids to eat more veggies

Have mealtimes become increasingly stressful in your household? Are your children refusing to eat vegetables or try new foods? Fussy eating amongst toddlers and young children is relatively common. Below are 10 tips to get your kids eating more vegetables and trying new foods. Read More “How to get kids to eat more veggies”

Happy Parents: Happy Teens

One of the commonly seen problems in teenage years is the changes in mood and emotions. As the brain is changing rapidly, teenagers can be prone to feeling low and finding their world confusing. One risk of being depressed as a teenager is that there is a risk of experiencing greater levels of depression as an adult. An important factor that can help teens develop resilience is to model resilient behaviour from their parents. Adolescents whose parents have depression can be more prone to depression in adulthood compared to teenagers whose parents have healthy mental health. Growing research shows that the mental health of mothers plays an important role in how much adolescents improve when they get stressed and depressed. Similarly, the role of fathers can be very important in understanding how depressed mood develops and how severe it can get in adolescents. Read More “Happy Parents: Happy Teens”

What is Occupational Therapy?

As a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, we get asked all the time what it is that we really do! Lots of parents are often confused about what occupational therapy (OT) really is.  So, let me sum it up in a nutshell for you. Occupational therapists help children take part in every area of their life to the best of their ability. For kids, this usually means playing, school, family, and self-care (such as toileting, feeding and dressing). For a child to take part in these activities they need concentration, coordination, motor skills, perceptual skills, and the ability to keep their mind and body calm and focussed so they can learn. Our goal is to help children to become more independent and skilled in these areas. Read More “What is Occupational Therapy?”

Healthy Eating During the School Holidays

Keeping everyone busy and entertained during the summer holidays can be a challenge. Making sure everyone is maintaining a healthy diet can be even more challenging. When the kids are on holidays, routines and schedules change and healthy eating is suddenly not a priority. This can lead to eating higher amounts of discretionary “junk” foods which a high in calories, sugar, unhealthy fats and salt. Read More “Healthy Eating During the School Holidays”

Iron Requirements for Children & Adolescents: The Invisible “Mr. I”

“Mr. I”, as we tell children sometimes, or iron is one of the invisible minerals in your child’s diet. Iron is associated with strength and Mr. Ironman is no doubt considered quite the superhero for being super strong. What is iron and why do we need it, is a question many parents ask. Iron is an essential mineral that has many important functions. It helps to carry oxygen around our body and gives us energy. We also need iron to support our immune system, support muscle function, and assist with cognitive functioning. Unfortunately, iron deficiency is quite common, even in developed countries such as Australia. Not having enough iron can make you feel both mentally and physically tired. Read More “Iron Requirements for Children & Adolescents: The Invisible “Mr. I””

How to Talk and Listen to Kids When They Need Help

Parents can be the first to notice when their child or teen is struggling and needs support. One of the most important things is to build trust with your child that they can turn to you to communicate their feelings and be heard. Just like with adults, we do not want to talk to anyone unless we feel comfortable, kids will turn to those who make them feel its ok to talk and share their feelings. When children turn to you for support or have questions it is really important to listen and allow them to solve their problems rather than overload them with solutions and opinions that can feel helpful but obstruct the teen or child from building problem solving processes and working through to their own solutions. Read More “How to Talk and Listen to Kids When They Need Help”