People With Disabilities Are Entitled to a Free Lifetime Pass to National Parks

People With Disabilities Are Entitled to a Free Lifetime Pass to National Parks - lifehacker.com If you or your child has a permanent disability you may be entitled to a free, lifetime pass to visit the National Parks and Federal

#repostedbyMelissaWilliamsOT

ODE Recommends Increased OT/PT Supports for Oregon School Systems

ODE recommendations for improving some of the problems in Oregon schools:
https://www.oregoned.org/images/uploads/blog/DisruptedLearning_Report_2019_v5.pdf?sfns=mo

What Makes a Good Fidget? A School-Based Approach and Tip Sheep

What Makes a Good Fidget? 

A School-Based Approach and Tip Sheep

What makes a fidget helpful? What makes a fidget annoying? 

Kids and school-based occupational therapists (OT's) may be the best people to ask the first question.
Teachers may best be able to answer the latter. As an OT working in the schools I see too many fidgets fall into the category of annoying.  Then I see them literally fall into the waste bin.  This could be because there was insufficient training when the fidget was handed out.  It could also be the design of the fidget or the distractibility of the students or teacher.  Regardless, there are some ways to make fidget a useful tool for dealing with anxiety, the need for movement, and in developing fine motor skills.

For more tips and guidelines, check out this ever evolving document:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t-Ub-j5KM-8p1ZpJ8ScZtmY2dQMBjAxYB2A5nGTQsLw/edit?usp=sharing

A stressed society: What is plaguing our kids?

PORTLAND, Ore. — We’re a stressed society, and it’s impacting adults all the way down to kids.

“What we’re seeing is more people under more stress and, therefore, children struggling more with typical developmental challenges that they have to face,” said Dr. Ajit Jetmalani, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at OHSU.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactive disorder, anxiety and depression are the most common psychiatric or mental health diagnoses for children.

Full article here:

https://katu.com/features/kind-is-better/a-stressed-society-what-is-plaguing-our-kids

Video:

https://katu.com/features/kind-is-better/a-stressed-society-what-is-plaguing-our-kids