NESCA is currently accepting therapy and executive function coaching clients from middle school-age through adulthood with Therapist, Executive Function Coach, and Parent Coach Carly Loureiro, MSW, LICSW. Carly specializes in therapy for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and individuals who are highly anxious, depressed, suffer with low self-esteem, etc. She also offers parent coaching and family sessions when needed. For more information or to schedule appointments, please complete our Intake Form.

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COMMUNITY-BASED SKILLS COACHING

6

Enjoying the Holidays with Sensory Needs

By | NESCA Notes 2018

 

By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L 
NESCA Occupational Therapist; Community-Based Skills Coach

School vacation! Bright lights! Snow! Holiday cards on the wall! Bells a’ringing!

For many of us, the holiday season is an exciting, family filled occasion that brings people together to celebrate yearly traditions.  However, for some of our children with sensory needs, the season can be over-stimulating, anxiety producing, and difficult to navigate successfully.  Even children who love the spirit of the season can quickly become saturated with the onslaught of visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory input.  Here are some tips to consider as we head into December!

  1. Make Your Home a Safe Space – Consider reducing decorations, holding off on moving furniture, and choosing a select few holiday cards from friends and family to display. With everything from daily routines to the look of familiar neighborhood streets changing throughout the month, maintaining consistency within a child’s home can help offer a much needed respite from the visual clutter. While these changes may seem minor, visual clutter causes some children’s eyes to continuously scan the room, move from place to place, and constantly work to perceive all of the information. This is exhausting!
  2. Less is often More – For a child who is easily over-stimulated, opening two presents can be much more exciting and rewarding than ten. One hour visiting family can feel easy, while two hours feels impossible. And a small tree can look beautiful, while a huge tree feels intimidating and scary. Set children up for success by keeping activities manageable.
  3. Have a Designated Sensory Retreat – When venturing out to visit family or friends, preparation is always key. Discussing a sensory plan before arriving and having supports in place can catch stressful situations before they develop. A pre-planned hand signal or code word can save a child from having to explain that their body feels dysregulated and they are overwhelmed. Children may want to take breaks in a quiet bedroom, bring a popup tent to hide in, or eat their meal somewhere quiet before a big sit down dinner begins. For adolescents, this sensory retreat may simply be sitting in the car for 10-15 minutes in silence.  Give children permission to take what they need.
  4. Enlist the Help of Teachers – Social stories, modified visual routines, and exposure to holiday sensory input are all strategies that teachers and therapists in the school setting can help to develop and introduce to a child. Previewing the plan for school vacation can make the week off go much more smoothly.

In a household such as mine, that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukah, the month of December is fraught with routine change, decorations, and new smells from rarely cooked, homemade meals.  Allowing our children with sensory processing disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and other sensory needs to prioritize their internal regulation can help make the season fun for everyone!

 

About the Author:

Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L  is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. For the past five years her work has primarily been split between children and adolescents on the Autism Spectrum in the United States, and marginalized children in Tanzania, East Africa.

Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Dr. Bellenis has worked for the Northshore Education Consortium at the Kevin O’Grady School providing occupational therapy services and also at the Spaulding Cambridge Outpatient Center. She also has extensive experience working at the Northeast ARC Spotlight Program using a drama-based method to teach social skills to children, adolescents, and young adults with autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and related social cognitive challenges.

Internationally, Dr. Bellenis has done extensive work with the Tanzanian Children’s Fund providing educational enrichment and support. She has also spent time working with The Plaster House, a post-surgical, pediatric rehabilitation center in Ngaramtoni, Tanzania.

Dr. Bellenis currently works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming. Dr. Bellenis joined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team.

 

If you are interested in a consultation or individualized skill coaching with Dr. Bellenis, please complete NESCA’s online intake form today.

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

4

The Role of Pediatric Occupational Therapy

By | NESCA Notes 2018

By: Sophie Bellenis, OTD, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist; Community-Based Skills Coach

In order to fully understand the role that occupational therapy can play in pediatric health and wellbeing, it is first important to understand the term “occupation.”  The World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) defines occupations as, “the everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families, and in communities that occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life.”  As we know, these activities look different at every age, and our routines, habits, and responsibilities are continually growing and changing.

During childhood, the development of these skills moves more quickly than any other period of life. For example, a two-year old little girl, Katie, is learning to put on her shirt independently, kick a ball, and sort by color.  Within ten short years, Katie may be getting herself ready for the bus, writing a three-paragraph essay, and learning to play the saxophone.  The transition to adolescence comes with even more new experiences and expectations.

So where does occupational therapy come in?

Occupational therapy focuses on the child, the activity at hand, and the environment around them.  By considering all of these factors, OTs work to determine the correct modifications, adaptations, and strategies that may be necessary for success.

What is the goal?

Due to the fact that occupations are incredibly personalized, the goal of OT is often to simply increase independence and participation in valued activities.  One child may be working on learning to independently tie his shoes, while another may need help developing a morning routine to consistently follow.  These goals are only worth focusing on and problem-solving if they are important to the child and his or her family.

How do we get there?

Consider the child’s strengths and limitations. These may include physical, emotional, cognitive, sensory abilities, and much more.  A child’s particular interests, level of motivation, and understanding of themselves all play a role in their ability to engage in the things that are important to them.

Consider the environment. The environment in which a child lives and grows is physical, spiritual, social, and cultural. It is this individuality that makes it nearly impossible for an environment to be a “good fit for all users.”  Occupational therapists often work to modify the environment, or help individuals understand the role that the environment plays.

Consider the activity itself. The list of childhood occupations is seemingly never-ending.  From brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and doing chores, to maintaining friendships, navigating the digital world, and learning to take the bus, these skills all require numerous steps and different abilities.  These activities often must be broken down into small steps to determine how to help a child be successful.

My work at NESCA

At NESCA, I am currently working as a community-based skills coach, using occupational therapy to create experiential learning opportunities, and develop functional living skills.  I love having the ability to work with tweens, teens, and young adults in their own environment to collaborate on creating lasting strategies for participation and independence.

Dr. Bellenis works with a small caseload of clients aged 12-26 who have recently participated in neuropsychological evaluation and/or transition assessment at NESCA. If you have questions about working with Dr. Bellenis for Community-Based Skills Coaching, please email Kelley Challen, Director of Transition Services, at kchallen@nesca-newton.com.

 

About the Author:

Dr. Sophie Bellenis is a Licensed Occupational Therapist in Massachusetts, specializing in pediatrics and occupational therapy in the developing world. Dr. Bellenisjoined NESCA in the fall of 2017 to offer community-based skills coaching services as well as social skills coaching as part of NESCA’s transition team. Dr. Bellenis graduated from the MGH Institute of Health Professions with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, with a focus on pediatrics and international program evaluation. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, as well as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. In addition to her work at NESCA, Dr. Bellenis works as a school-based occupational therapist for the city of Salem Public Schools and believes that individual sensory needs, and visual motor skills must be taken into account to create comprehensive educational programming.

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

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