I. Children with physical limitations don’t give themselves tactile & oral stimulation
•    Rub & touch often
•    Put items & fingers in the mouth
•    Bring textures from soft to rough

II. Children with delays don’t move themselves in space
•    Walk with them held in various positions
•    Rock them
•    Swing with them
•    Vestibular balls & boards

This helps equilibrium, balance and understanding their body

III. Toys and play must also be brought to your child
•    Have a variety – sound, light, action
•    Keep toys near your child & change them often
•    Put where your child is challenged but can get to them
•    Hand held toys and larger for hugging

This gives your child visual, auditory and motor stimulation and many children reduce crying as they learn to entertain themselves.

IV. Talk to your child all the time
•    One word phrases
•    Regular conversations
•    Repeat words/sounds often
•    Give them time to respond
•    Assume your child understands

V. Look at books and read to your child
•    Focus on pictures
•    Touch & point to pictures
•    Rhyming words help
•    Stories that repeat phrases are good

Not only does this help language & speech develop, it teaches your child to sit still and pay attention.

VI. When teaching a skill let your child do as much as they can on their own
•    Hand over hand – you do most
•    Elbow hold – you do less
•    Upper arm/shoulder help – child does more
•    Verbal help – child does most

Let go and test your child often to see if they are beginning to learn.

VII. Any skill is made up of smaller steps
•    Break each skill into tiny enough steps for your child to start learning
•    Start teaching the last step first
•    You help with the steps they lack

Example – using a spoon
•    Pick up a spoon
•    Hold it
•    Put spoon in food
•    Scoop
•    Food stays on the spoon
•    Spoon to mouth
•    Spoon in mouth
•    Remove food from spoon
•    Pull spoon out